Between the Were Wars Ch. 03

Marcus stood at his desk, ignoring the young woman who looked like she just lost her favorite toy. Gesturing to her to get out, he mind linked to his top Betas to get to his office immediately. "What else?"

"Not only is the Alpha gone, but so are some of his top Betas. Renee is in charge of the pack, but she's had some complications with her pregnancy. She's on total bedrest until she delivers. Right now the Pack is being run out of her hospital room with her flat on her back. The Pack is reeling, it won't take much to push them over the edge." The caller hung up.

It only took a few minutes for his office to fill up with his Betas. He quickly filled them in on the Gila pack update, and he could see the grins on their faces as they understood what this all meant. "War footing, men. We're not doing an Alpha challenge, we're going to attack. We'll take what is ours and kill anyone who resists. I will contact our allies, as we will need to be united against the new council after this is done. They also have Packs that they will need to take over. We can coordinate the time of attacks and in one fell swoop we reset our people back to the way it should be. With Renee and Robert gone, the rest won't be able to resist us. These silly agreements will be torn up."

Gila Pack Hospital

New Mexico

"Alpha, you need to rest. You can't keep doing all this." Wendy scowled at her patient, then at the Betas who were in the room with her.

"Wendy, I know you're trying to help, and I appreciate your concern. Understand, though, that the Pack needs their Alpha right now and that is me. I cannot and will not sit her doing nothing while we are in crisis. Now, I will stay in bed, I will heal up and I will protect my babies, but part of protecting them is making sure the Pack is strong. Now please, step back and allow me to do my work." Wendy bowed her head and left the room, it was time to talk to her husband because she hadn't gotten through.

"Alpha, where do we sit with our allies?"

"The Johnson and El Paso packs responded, they were already planning to come for the celebration so they will move the times up. I expect both of them to have people here by nightfall. We need to ensure we have cars to pick them up and accommodations here at the house. They will call us when they have arrival times."

One of the low level Betas left the room with the assignment to arrange it. "Now, we will need legal help. Do you have a Pack lawyer already?" They shook their heads no, there had been one but he was killed during the war. "Fine, get me my phone, I know one and if he can't help then maybe he knows someone. Now, I do need to rest for a while, so let's focus on stabilizing the pack, preparing for our guests and getting help for those who were taken today. I need to know that there are no bugs, no surveillance and no Feds around before someone comes back. Link with him if you need to, all our computers are gone so we may as well buy new stuff." The Betas filed out, and Doc came in.

"You need to rest, Alpha." He looked over the charts and monitors as she closed her eyes.

"I know, I know. I need to do a couple more things and then I'll take a nap. How is the FBI agent doing?"

"Still heavily sedated, but doing all right. She will need help when she makes the change, she has a work friend but no one else. We will need an Alpha with her, someone her wolf can bond with, or she could be unstable on shift."

"We should wait until one of the visiting Alphas is here. In all honesty, I'd like to see her moved to another Pack as soon as possible. I don't want the Feds to have an excuse to leave people here with us."

Doc thought for a minute. "The agents are based in Dallas. I'll talk to the El Paso pack when they get here, I might be able to transfer her to them and say it is to get her closer to home. It's a good idea regardless; if she resents our pack for causing the change it is better to be somewhere else." He finished writing in her chart. "Ten minutes, Alpha, then I need you to take a nap."

"Fine, just send Wendy in then to help me go to the bathroom before I go to sleep." Doc nodded and left the room. She picked up her phone and scrolled through the contacts until she found the name she was looking for.

"Hello, this is William Post."

"Captain, this is Renee Hastings. I find myself in need of legal assistance and I need your help again."

"Well, Renee, you should know that I've resigned my commission in the Army and am now starting a private practice. I did see that your Pack is in the news. I'm not a criminal defense lawyer, you really need someone else."

"William, a criminal defense lawyer is a short term need. What I need is a Pack lawyer to help us with all our other legal needs. I'd like you to be that person, you can hire support as you need based on what is going on."

"Why me, Renee? I'm not even set up for a civilian practice yet. Surely there are others in your area that can handle your needs."

"Perhaps, William, but I need people who I can trust and be comfortable with. You are that for me. Ideally, it would be a full time job for you but if we don't give you enough business you can do your own. I can give you a satellite office here at the Pack house, but you would need to find office space near the courts in town."

William hesitated, it was a tempting offer but he wasn't sure he could commit. Renee could sense that, so she continued. "William, what about a trial period. I need legal advice now. Come on out here for a week, and find the best criminal attorneys you can to help with those pack members who have been arrested and bring them along. Once you have a better idea of what you would be in for, you can make a decision on whether to continue. Fair enough?"

"I can do that, Renee. I'll pack a bag and will be out there later today."

"Thank you, William. I look forward to seeing you again."

El Paso Pack Clinic

Texas

Julia stood by the bed where her mate was strapped down, holding his hand while she looked in his eyes. She didn't even look up when her Alpha came into the room with the others. "He's mine, Alpha. He has accepted me and I have accepted him." She turned to face him and she pulled her lab coat aside so he could see the claiming bite he had left at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

"Congratulations on finding your mate, Julia. You realize that this creates a number of problems for me, don't you?"

"Yes Alpha, but I can't be sorry for them. Richard told me of his offer. His offer still stands, but I want you to know that where he goes, I go also. If you kick him out of the Pack you kick me out as well." She looked back down at him and smiled. "I'm begging you to let us be together here."

Jesus Merino sat down in the chair, his head was already hurting and he hadn't made a decision yet. "It will be difficult to let him stay here. The entire Pack knows what he did, and killing another man's mate is not something easily forgiven."

"They will forgive him if I do," said Joe. "I know he is sorry for his part in this. If he makes amends to the Pack, I will forgive him publicly and ask the Pack to do the same. I can't be responsible for Julia being forced to choose between her home and her mate." He walked across the room and placed his hand on Richard's chest, his eyes surveying the damage he and the other Betas had caused him. "And I do forgive you, Richard."

Richard smiled at him. "Thank you, Joe. I promise to you that I will help your Pack in any way I can." Julia continued to hold his hand as Alpha Merino came over to perform the ceremony that would cause his bond to shift to the El Paso pack. As soon as it was formed, he started to tell his story.

This was far bigger than they expected. Renee and her pack were in imminent danger.