Aztec Treasure Ch. 41-50

"We are still operating at an elevated threat level, supplementing our guard force with warriors loaned from allied Packs and the FBI. We are doing continuous border patrols plus drone flights, plus staffing the entry checkpoints at the main road and the rear. We have three snipers covering the main complex 24/7. We allowed people to return to their homes when our guests arrived for the party, and I don't see a need to change that. The FBI does not believe Arrowhead is under a significant threat."

"That's because they think Julio Salazar went back to Washington after the President returned," Frank Grimes said. "I'm not so sure that's the case. I've told them so; the President's security is at a maximum, and traveling during the largest manhunt in US history is too much of a risk. I believe he's gone to ground in the area, and Chase and Rori are his targets."

Frank Donovan agreed. "Julio caught the Secret Service at a disadvantage, but that won't happen again. President Kettering is only leaving the White House for the funeral service and burial, and both of those will be under heavy security."

"I know it sucks that everyone has to stay inside with the increased security, but Julio and his buddy could be out there with a rifle or an RPG right now. If he can get ahold of a pair of Stinger missiles, he can get anything." The FBI found two FIN-92 Stinger missile launchers near the substation. These portable anti-aircraft missiles are heat-seeking and fly at up to Mach 2.5. Air Force One had less than three seconds between launch and impact.

The serial numbers matched a sale to Colombia in 2016. The pair were among a dozen reported stolen from a Colombian Army arsenal in 2018. There were no witnesses to the launch, and the two or more individuals were long gone by the time police arrived. One of our trackers verified Julio fired one of the missiles. "Spider Monkey, how are we doing on finding Julio's support?"

"The FBI isn't letting us in on their investigation. My team is digging through the information we grabbed from the computers at the Sons of Tezcatlipoca clubhouses and the Task Force. So far, we've got nothing. The patched members of the Denver chapter are dead or in prison; we're looking at the prospects and the WAGs now."

"Wags?" Was this a cat reference?

"Wives and girlfriends. Maria is helping me put together a database. Claire Bennington is digging through the financials, looking for anyone who might be a Club associate. We don't have anything yet, Alpha."

"Keep working on it, and don't forget the other chapters. They were all related at the top," I said. When we found out Julio had one or more accomplices, it made the kidnapping, travel, and attacks easier to understand. Whoever it was, they had connections and money. Those missiles weren't cheap on the black market. My first thought was the Cartels, but their Cartel guys killed all the Presidents, so maybe not. "Vic, make sure she's not overdoing it. Her pregnancy won't get any easier."

Vic lifted his wife into his lap, his fingers moving around her rounded belly. "We've had that discussion."

I could imagine how well THAT went. Spider Monkey was like a dog with a bone when she was after information, and she wasn't the only one. She could go for weeks on junk food and coffee, sleeping a few hours a night. "You too, Frank. I don't want Claire's recovery hampered because she's spending too much time staring at bank statements."

"I'll keep her on track," Frank Donovan promised. Claire's hip was a mess, and I doubted she'd ever return to active duty in the FBI. The good news was that Claire liked it here. She fit right in with Spider Monkey's group of hackers and geeks. I had worried about her moral flexibility, but I didn't need to. Claire knew that if she found Julio for us, there would be a bullet, not a trial. For the first time, she could dig around for information without rules or warrants. She told Spider what she needed, and Spider found it for her. Frank was working on the training program I'd mentioned, and then he would retire. Both would make fine additions to our Pack if we could keep them here.

I looked over at my parents. "Mom, any changes to our itinerary?"

"No. Frank and I will fly to Reagan National Airport. The Secret Service will bring us to the White House. We will travel with the Presidential Motorcade as Andrew Kettering's body gets taken from the Capitol Rotunda to the National Cathedral for the funeral service. You will fly into Hyde Field, where an armored limousine will pick you up and drop you off at the security checkpoint. After the service and the wake, you and Frank return home. I will fly with the President to North Carolina for the private burial before returning to Washington. I suspect I may be needed out there for a few days after that, though."

"Why?"

"Laura is planning to notify the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate of her intent to resume Presidential duties when she returns to Washington. Four days later, unless they declare her unfit, she's back in charge. I want to make sure Julio doesn't do anything to her until that happens."

"The funeral service is at 2 pm our time, so we should be back around midnight," I said. "Michael is sending Oxbow Lake warriors to bring me here, but stay alert. Julio might think this is a good time to hurt my family." None of us would forget how the Sons went after the family first.

"Alpha and the babies will be safe," Vic promised.

"Sounds like we are ready. Other business?"

"Maria asked what would be involved in becoming a formal part of our Pack," Spider Monkey said. "She likes it here."

That made me smile. "Maria can't get a Pack Bond, but we could do the Trusted Associate thing. I'd have to file paperwork with the Council and get it approved."

"That's a formality now that we're out in the open," Colletta said. "Even the Packs that fought the changes are coming around now."

"I'll talk to her tomorrow about it," I promised. "Anything else?"

"I have an idea," Roadkill said. "Remember when Coffey was loose in Duluth?" I nodded. "We sent Pack members out on the search for him, driving around with the windows down."

"You want a street search of Duluth? Driving around with our heads out the window?" I got a few chuckles from that. Hey, the best way was to have the wolf's head out the window as our noses were most sensitive that way.

"It's not like law enforcement is having any luck their way. There hasn't been a Julio sighting since he dumped Andrew up on the hill. We set up a command post, keep track of the search areas, and hope we get lucky. I doubt Julio is moving around, so the scent should be pretty strong around his hideout."

"Frank, do you think we could get the police and FBI to cooperate?"

"Hell yes," my stepfather said. "The FBI is under a lot of pressure to find him, and the Duluth Police Chief is a friend. He'd let us ride around with his patrol guys. We could track our people's cellphones and monitor the search from up here. We clear the Duluth area, then Two Harbors, and finally the rural sections." We had enough people patrolling around Lake Arrowhead that I knew they weren't in our backyard.

"I'm game. I want volunteers only. Sniff and report ONLY. If our people find him, get the warriors together and take him out. If it's in concert with law enforcement, the FBI will take him down. Clear?"

"I'll arrange it and coordinate with Oxbow Lake," Vic said.

"Mom, send out a message and ask the other Packs for volunteers, preferably trackers, but I'll take anyone with a wolf nose. Ask for a week. We'll put them up here, of course." That would help get the guys here. Even if they didn't find their mates, we had a well-deserved reputation as a Party Pack. Mom said she'd take care of it. "Any other ideas?" Silence. "All right, then. I'll see you tonight." I said goodbye to Rori and the twins. Ten minutes later, our armored SUV and escorts were on our way to the Two Harbors Airport.

Mom's flight left before mine, as I didn't want to spend more time in the DC area than I had to. Tom and Meghan were along for this trip as my security. We went over the itinerary and our plans as we waited to board. The security posture was such that we couldn't bring any weapons into the service, where we would be seated a few rows behind Mom and Frank.

We had to find this guy and soon. I was tired of living in fear.

Ch. 46

Maria Meztli's POV

Arrowhead Pack House

The after-dinner swim was becoming my favorite part of the day.

Maritza and the babies were climbing over me, their little hands grabbing at my fur and my ears as I rested in the kiddie section of the pool. Everyone loved Maritza's jaguar form, especially the toddlers. Regular swim sessions made her very comfortable in the water, and Maritza was fearless on the slides. She would go down all of them now on her own, sliding down on her belly, then she'd swim to the stairs and do it again. Spider Monkey was sitting near me in the water, with her baby belly getting bigger every day.

We watched as Frank Donovan wheeled Claire into the pool area with her physical therapist. She didn't look comfortable yet around a roomful of naked Werewolves, and Frank was trying hard not to get caught looking at anyone else. They came over towards us as people greeted them from the pool and the lounge chairs. "Welcome to the pool," Spider Monkey said as she got to her feet. "We'll clear a path for you."

"Thank you," she said nervously. The nannies and parents moved the babies out of the way, and I shifted back, followed by Maritza. I picked her up and set her on my lap on the edge of the pool. Frank stopped with her wheelchair at the edge of the pool. "This place is so busy!"

"It's the cool place to hang out," I told her. "The babies sleep so well after they've played here for a bit."

Claire was looking around at the crowd. "There are a lot of people I don't know."

Spider Monkey reached out and patted her hand. "You'll get to know the Pack members, but we've got a bunch of guests here still. Colletta put out the call this morning, and we had plenty of volunteers. It's mostly male unmated and mated couples, as the single females were just here last week." We could all tell she was nervous about essentially being in a nudist colony. "No one cares that you're naked. In an hour, you won't even notice. Trust me."

"It's a culture shock," she said. They fitted her with a flotation vest, and then Frank rolled the wheelchair into the shallow water. He worked with her therapist to move Claire into the deeper water. She couldn't put weight on her hip yet, so floating with her toes off the bottom would allow them to exercise her legs without damaging the healing hip.

The babies started yawning twenty minutes later, and I helped the nannies get them cleaned, dressed, and settled in the Pack nursery napping area. One of the nannies would stay with them so the rest of us could enjoy the remainder of the evening, so I was going back to the pool.

There was a big volleyball game going on, but that wasn't my strong suit. I was shorter than anyone except Spider Monkey, and Vic wouldn't let her play at this stage of her pregnancy. I grabbed a drink from the bar and headed to the hot tub. It was full of visitors, and I could tell who the single males were by the looks I got when I walked up. "Room for one more?"

"Sit by me," Shelly Lorilla said. She made room on the bench for me to sit down. Shelly was close to my age, having turned sixteen last month. As the illegitimate daughter of an Alpha, her wolf was strong, but she wasn't of age yet. On my other side was Monica, who I'd met when we did our ATV patrol before we attacked.

"I think I need this more than you after today's class," I joked. Arrowhead Pack required every person to train in armed and unarmed combat, regardless of age or rank. I had enough training to test into the Combat Pistol classes, but my Dad didn't like me fighting. Shelly and I were in a beginner Jiu-Jitsu class together. Since we were the closest in size and skill, we were sparring partners. We were practicing takedowns, so we both hit the mat a lot this afternoon. I slid into the churning waters, groaning as I did. "My back is still sore!"

"Sorry about that. You got me a few times too." We talked and watched the game for the next ten minutes, not noticing the crowd that had begun to gather.

Spider Monkey did. "Guys, back off. One is underage, and the jaguar is under Rori's protection." I looked back to see about a dozen unmated males jockeying for position, each moving in to get a good sniff.

"She's unmated and of age," one of the men said. They were all posing and preening like they were trying to impress The Bachelorette. "Come out here and say hello, baby!" He moved towards me, only for another man to grab his arm and throw him into the pool. His friends jumped in, and soon we had a half-dozen men fighting on the pool deck.

"I've sent for help," Shelly said as she pulled me away from the men and into the center of the big tub. Two of the guys started to climb in the vacated spot, but they didn't get far. The other werewolf females in the hot tub blocked their way. Arrowhead Pack warriors responded from the pool and from outside, separating the fighters and proning them out. Vic and Rori arrived, and the Alpha's growl scared them all into submission.

I stood up, almost falling as I started to feel flushed and faint. "Oh, CRAP," I said to Shelly. "I think my heat is starting."

Vic took control. "I need female warriors to escort Maria to the Alpha's office. Everyone else, stay where you are." Five women came over and surrounded me as they walked me out past the males, many of whom had their noses up, taking my enhanced scent.

I passed Lance just before the doors; he must have run in from patrol. "I'm fine," I said as my escort pushed him aside.

He took a sniff. "Heat?"

"Damn it." The female warriors let me grab my stuff from the locker room before escorting me to the Alpha's office. I got dressed just before Possum arrived. Two warriors stayed with me while the other three guarded the door.

"You're feverish," Possum said as she felt my forehead.

"My heat arrived," I said. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Maria. It's a natural function of your cat." She took my vitals; other than the fever and a faster heartbeat, I was fine. I shifted a little in the chair; blood was rushing to my lady bits, and it was getting uncomfortable.

The door opened, and Rori trotted in, followed by Vic and Spider Monkey. Vic sat on one of the chairs, pulling his woman into his lap. I was happy to see that the mated males weren't affected like the unmated ones. "You weren't kidding about the scent you put out during your heat," he said.

"I didn't know how strongly it would affect werewolves," I replied.

"It's pretty strong," Vic agreed. "The ventilation cleared the air after you left, and the males calmed down. We're keeping them away from the office for now, but it's fair to say we can't keep you here while it's going on."

I nodded. "The males will gather around wherever I am and fight for dominance," I said.

"Roadkill and I can take her to our fishing cabin. Only Pack leadership knows where it is, and there is no one around for miles," Possum said. "I can bring enough sedative to keep her from suffering until the heat ends."

I'd been giving this a lot of thought, and I didn't want to do that. "No," I said. "I'd rather have a male tend to my heat than go through it alone."

That caused some eyes to open wide. Vic relayed a one-word response from Rori, who had her head cocked to the side and her tongue out. "Why?"

"I can't let my kind go extinct," I said as I sat up straight. "Having a baby is hard enough with a werepanther mate, and it's going to be much more difficult with a werewolf partner. I don't know if his, you know, will work to trigger ovulation."

"There's more to this decision than just reproduction," Spider Monkey said. "You're young, and your first time shouldn't be an attempt to get knocked up. You should wait for the right man to come along."

"I've found a man I want to share this heat with, Alpha. Lance is a good man, and he would be a good father if I had a kitten."

Vic was shaking his head. "Damn, can we have ONE bodyguard who doesn't get involved with his charge?"

"Lance has done nothing wrong, Beta Vic. He wants his mate, and he's been nothing but professional and caring with me. That's why I want him to help me through this. I know he'll treat me well, and he won't expect anything from me when it's over. He's young enough to keep up, and his genetic contribution will be good."

"You mean he's hot as hell and probably good in bed," Spider Monkey said with a grin.

"That doesn't hurt," I replied. I could tell that leadership wasn't convinced. "Look at it from my perspective. I could suffer through my heat. I'd rather have a few days of non-stop, no-commitment sex with a guy I like in a cabin. I want a baby, Alpha, and I can't afford to give up a single chance at it."

Vic shook his head. "Is that fair to Lance? Can you expect him to have a child with you, knowing he might find his mate at any time? Didn't we learn from Greg?"

"Greg was in love with Heather and seduced her, at least until his mate showed up," Spider Monkey said. "Lance would be going in with his eyes open."

"Maybe we should be asking Lance if he would do this," I said. "I know we aren't mates, and I'm not in love with him. I never brought it up because I thought I'd have more time."

"He's coming," Vic said.

A few seconds later, he knocked on the door and entered. The two female warriors moved between him and me since the office was concentrating my smell. Lance shook his head, then looked at Rori. "You wanted to see me, Alpha?"

"Everyone but Lance and Maria out," Vic said. "We'll give these two a chance to talk."

When the door closed, Lance came over and sat next to me. "Are you all right?"

"I'm in heat, and I want you to help me through it," I told him.

"Are you sure? I'm barely hanging on to my control, Maria, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"You won't. That's why I picked you to give me a baby." I took a few minutes to explain what it would mean for us both if he did this. "The chances of me getting pregnant are damn low, Lance. I need to know we'll still be OK when the heat is over because I'm not your mate, and I'm not your girlfriend. I want you to be happy with the one your Goddess chose for you."

Lance picked me up and sat me on his lap, his nose pressed into my neck. He didn't say anything for a while, but I could tell he was linking someone else, probably Rori. I could feel his erection like a hot bar against the bottom of my thighs, and I wanted so badly to rub against it. Finally, he sat back and looked in my eyes. "I'd be honored to be your partner for this heat, and I hope I can give you the baby you want. I need you to promise one thing, though."

My eyes were tearing up as I looked at him. "What is that?"

"Don't shut me out of the kit's life. I may not be your mate, but I want to be a father."

It was more than I'd expected. "What about when you find your mate?"

"Then I tell her the truth. It's a little more personal than donating to a sperm bank, and I'm sure it will be more pleasurable, but it doesn't mean more than that. I'm helping a friend have a child, and she will have to understand that. I don't want things to be weird between us, Maria. You're a good kid."

I threw my arms around him and hugged him. "I promise, Lance. You can be as involved as you want to be."

"Thank you," he said.

"There's plenty of diapers to change, after all," I said. I shifted my legs until I was straddling Lance's waist. It scratched one itch but started a fire down there. "We should get out of here."