Buried Treasure Ch. 96-101

"It's a proposal I think she will be interested in accepting. Her husband is dead, killed in the raid on the Sons of Tezcatlipoca clubhouse in Phoenix. Her two-year-old daughter is living with her aunt in a rat-infested apartment. Miss Lamper was caught smuggling drugs across the border, and sentenced under the RICO statutes for that and five other drug felonies. Chances of appeal are slim, and it will be forty years before she is eligible for parole."

"I'm aware of her situation," he said carefully.

"She also owes you fourteen thousand, two hundred and fifteen dollars for legal services. The Sons no longer exist, and she has no money." He just nodded, knowing better than to say anything. "I want you to bring her this proposal. The five thousand is yours if you relay the offer; if she accepts and follows through, I will pay her legal fees in cash."

He took the envelope, reading through carefully. His eyes raised as he saw the offer. A substantial trust fund would provide money for Susan's daughter. $100 a month would be deposited into her canteen fund at the prison as long as she remained incarcerated. Finally, a subsidized apartment in a better neighborhood would be made available to her aunt. "She confesses and accepts a plea deal for this, and this is guaranteed?"

I handed him a card. "The funds and directions are already in Mr. Jones' control. If she accepts, the accounts and direct deposits kick in, courtesy of a mystery relative. You broker a deal with the District Attorney in Orlando, and she confesses and signs the plea deal. I'm sure you can arrange for a concurrent sentence, so she's out nothing. She even gets the prison cred for assaulting a police officer, even if it was with a laced cup of coffee." I handed him a copy of the officer's statement and a flash drive with the hospital video. "She'll have to be credible enough to fake this. Her face and body are close enough, and I don't think the police will question her in detail if she's confessing."

"She's an accomplished liar," he said as he looked through the folder. "How do I get in touch with you?"

"You don't. Mr. Jones will hear of the plea agreement, and Mr. Jones will do his part to release the funds once she has done yours. I was never here."

He stood up as I did, leaning across to shake my hand. "And it was a pleasure not meeting you." I walked out through the lobby and back to my car, glad to be done with it. Driving north, I waited until I was in California to text Vic. "Made offer waiting"

"Thank you I love you will fly out soon"

"<3"

I turned off the phone tossed it into my handbag, seeing it land near the positive pregnancy test in the baggie I was saving to show him. I smiled as I pulled back onto the interstate, thinking through ways I could tell him. I was shocked to be pregnant but thrilled to be starting a family with him. I'd only confided in Teri that I was pregnant. She assured me that Vic would be thrilled with the news. I just needed to tell him in person that he was going to be a father again.

I was glad I was so busy with the condo sale and closing up my Bay Area life, plus the cleanup I was doing with the Sons. I wanted my Vic back in my life and my bed. As soon as this big conference was over, I was taking him to a resort near Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. I'd already talked to the hotel and set up a beach wedding, barefoot and in my white bikini. I'd already sent Vic's daughter Celeste and her husband Ted plane tickets. They were arriving the day after us, and I'd paid for them to have a week down there on their own.

Our honeymoon would be in a secluded cove with a private beach, thousands of miles from the cold of Minnesota winters.

I wasn't packing many clothes, and I wouldn't need them.

Greg Barks' POV
Beloretsk Pack, Russia

My wolf shoved my will aside as the instinctual pull to find and claim my mate took over. He was howling for her in my head, our nose up and filled with the scent of gardenias and cedar. People moved away as I stalked through the main floor of the sprawling four-story log mansion. Men and women scattered in front of me as I moved to a stairway, heading upstairs and down a hallway towards the office wing. "остановить это альфа крыло (Stop, this is the Alpha wing)," a warrior said as he stepped in front of me.

"MATE," my wolf growled. His eyes got big, and he moved turned and ran down the hall. All wolves knew of the power of the mating pull, and interfering with mates was a crime. He ran ahead to an ornate set of carved double doors, probably the Alpha's quarters. The scent led behind another door on the right, closer to the hallway; she was in there, and she wasn't alone. I wrested control back and pleaded for him to cooperate before we scared our mate.

I took a deep breath, letting my nose fill with her delicate scent until I was firmly in control again. I knocked on the door as warriors filled the hall behind me, the guard having called reinforcements. I heard footsteps, heavy ones from more than one person, and the door opened.

I moved my hands behind my back and stood tall, unwilling to be intimidated by the huge men who stood together. Both men were built like bears, and together they blocked my view of the room. I looked at the older one, the younger his son. "Good evening, sir. My name is Greg Barks, a Warrior in the Arrowhead Pack in the United States. My mate is in the room, may I please see her."

The younger man spoke in Russian, translating for his father. When he stopped talking, her father was glaring at me. The father spoke for a while before the son looked at me. "I am Timur Vasiliev, and this is my father, Vasili Petrovsky. He greets your arrival with a heavy heart. Tatiana is his only daughter, and she is not of age for another two moons." He moved his hand over, the big paw gripping it tightly. "Tatiana Vasililovna has felt the pull since you arrived. Neither of you will act on it until you have my father's permission, and she is of age." He moved aside, and my heart exploded at the sight of my mate, standing next to her mother. She was a vision, with curly blonde locks cascading down her back and an athletic figure in the dress that my wolf instantly loved. She was staring at me, eyes open wide, as she tried to get my scent. Her mother held her in place.

I looked back at her father. "I understand and accept your terms. I request your permission to meet her now, and to spend time with Tatiana while I am here, under the supervision of your family." The son translated while I thought about how much this was like Michael Corleone talking to Appolonia's father and brothers in Sicily through the translator. In both cases, the Sicilian proverb was true. Women were more dangerous than guns.

Her father's face softened as the Russian translation flowed. With a smile, he stepped aside and motioned me into his home. "Ekatarina! Tatiana! Vodka!" That needed no translation. The two guided me over to the kitchen table, where I sat in the chair next to the big man.

Sitting caused my jeans to raise up, exposing the titanium alloy of my artificial leg and catching Timur's eye. Sitting next to me, he spoke in Russian to his father before turning back to me. "You are the three-legged wolf we were expecting," he said.

"I lost my foot and lower leg in a rockslide. I am fully capable of my duties with this leg," I assured him. He translated as the ladies came in with a bottle of vodka, three glasses, and some caviar and crackers. Tatiana moved around, setting the glasses before us. I smiled and took the vodka glass from her hand. As soon as our fingers touched, a pleasurable shock traveled up my arm and to my chest. I gazed into her sky-blue eyes as she froze, and the sensation moved to my groin.

Her face flushed, and the unmistakable scent of arousal came from her core. "Татьяна держи себя в руках (Tatiana, control yourself)," her father said. She jolted herself into moving again, setting down the rest of the glasses before taking a seat across from me. I pushed my wolf down, smiling at her as her father toasted something. I swallowed the vodka, feeling the burn, and remembering the warning not to try and out-drink a Russian.

"How do you function as a wolf? We spend much time in the mountains in training."

"I have an artificial leg for my wolf as well. I assure you I can keep up, and I will be able to protect my mate and our pups when the time comes." The night passed quickly as her family interrogated me on my background and intentions, and I slowly learned more about my mate. We had maintained contact the whole time, my leg extended to touch her ankle, and that calmed my wolf.

Tatiana was not just the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen; she was intelligent and driven. She had graduated from the equivalent of our high schools at sixteen and was starting her sophomore year of college on a pre-med track. Her voice was as beautiful as she was, though she spoke words I couldn't understand. I watched her face and eyes instead. "She says that as the daughter of a Head Warrior, she would serve the Pack better as a Doctor than a fighter," Timur translated. "She wishes she had taken classes in English like her big brother suggested."

"Both of us will need help learning another language," I said as I reached my hand over the table, taking her fingers gently in mine. "Our love will require no translation. I will work hard and prove myself to you and your family. When we mate, I will bring you home and provide a good life for you. My Alphas would welcome a young Doctor, as his duties prevent him from doing that full-time." She melted at my look and at the words her brother translated.

Her father said something, and she pulled her hand back into her lap. "Prove yourself first, you have two months," her brother translated for me. "Now come, you must check into the student quarters. You can see her in two weeks when the survival training is over."

That sounded fun. We stood, and I held my hand out to Vasili. "Thank you for your welcome. Your daughter will be safe and happy with me." He shook it, his grip almost breaking my hand. I kissed his mother on the cheek and was allowed a brief hug with Tatiana, and then I was escorted to the door.

Two weeks. I had two weeks until I could see her again.

Timur led me to my quarters where my bag was on one of the beds. "Congratulations," my roommate said. He was a Beta's son from a German pack. "The whole Pack knows of the mating."

"I need to tell my family," I said.

"Good luck. This place has no internet and mail once a week in the winter. You can write a letter, can you believe that?"

I sat at the desk that night and wrote a letter to Heather. I thought I was in love, but I had no idea what love was until I saw Tatiana. My wolf had fallen hard for her, and I was too. Heather was nothing to me now that I had found my mate. Vic was right; I shouldn't have led her on. She was young and would get over it.

I pulled out a piece of paper and started to write. "Dear Heather," I began. I knew I was breaking her heart, so I'd do it quickly.

Ch. 98

Rori King's POV
Arrowhead Pack House

My babies were away for thirty-six hours now, and the hole in my heart was almost painful.

New Year's Day was behind us, and there was less than an hour until the trial started at noon on the second. All of the Alphas were here, but only Sawyer brought his mate along. It was a wise thing, and I understood why. The split in the Council was deep, emotions would be high, and there was the possibility of war. Sawyer was my lawyer, so Ashley had to serve on the Jury of Alphas in his stead. I was taking no chances; I'd already sent the humans and my children away into hiding. It didn't matter what they threatened; none of us could tell them anything. I was sending Mykayla and all other Pack members not involved in security or trial support downstairs. They would be locked in the Safe Room in the Pack House basement until it was over, watching the proceedings on television.

Beta Teri was supervising the staff as we served lunch in the main dining hall, while Ron and Vic were monitoring internal and external security. A trial like this was a headache; all the Alphas, their Betas, and Warriors, all poking around with the potential to cause trouble. We would be keeping our tunnels secret, meaning we all had to travel outside between buildings and keep our security measures discreet. We had augmented our security posture with men and women from our allied Packs. About half of them were hidden deep within our land, heavily armed and ready to respond if war broke out, but too far away to be sensed by those at the lake.

I walked back into the dining hall from the kitchens after comforting one of my Omegas. One of the Bitterroot warriors tried to cop a feel as she was filling glasses. In most Packs that might get your hand slapped, but she and many other Omegas here had come out of slavery and abuse. She stood frozen, tears streaming down her face as his hand traveled up her thigh. Thank Luna, one of the Warriors was watching, and he pulled her away. He handed her off to another Omega, who took her out of view. I sent her to the safe room, excusing her from further duties. Looking around, I spotted Alpha Richard Long at a table. I walked to the table the offending warrior was at, and he and the other men stood at my approach. I shifted my nails, grabbing his testicles through his jeans as his eyes widened in shock. I dragged him over a few tables and shoved him to the floor at his Alpha's feet. "My Pack members are not sexual playthings for your males," I said with a growl. The room had gone quiet as Alpha Richard stood up in shock. "You are all warned. Treat the women here with respect, or I will rip your nuts off and go ice fishing with them."

The man looked up at his Alpha in shock and embarrassment, then to me as he got to his knees. "My apologies, Alpha." He would heal quickly, but the blood staining his jeans satisfied my wolf's desire for punishment.

"Alpha Long, it would be best if you kept this man away from me, and my females during your visit." He nodded, linking to him before the man scrambled to his feet and left the room. I smiled like a good hostess as I looked around the room. "Everyone, enjoy your lunch and the hospitality of the Arrowhead Pack."

People went back to eating as I walked away, satisfied no one was dying quite yet. I let out a breath as Chase walked up behind me, his hands coming around from behind and resting on my lower stomach. "How are you holding out," he asked.

"I'm hoping I don't kill anyone important today," I replied as I looked around. The seating assignments had mixed allies and foes together, making for a quiet lunch. He escorted me back to our table, where my untouched sandwich awaited. The nervousness about the trial was like a rock in my belly, and I had to force myself to eat. "Even bacon doesn't taste good today," I said as I looked at my Wolfy-style BLT. Two big slices of marble rye, lightly toasted, covered with two inches of maple-smoked bacon, one tomato, one piece of lettuce, and mayo.

"It's going to be fine," he said as he ran his hand over my thigh. I was wearing a knee-length dress with thigh-highs, and I sent him an image of me pulling them on as we ate. The bond swelled with desire, so much that he had to stop eating to adjust himself. "My family and yours will back you no matter what happens, and you know that. We need to shock them into changing their worldview, or we're going to have to go on without them."

"They could try to kill us and take our Pack," I said.

"They could try. Entrenched Alphas are the last to change. This trial is our chance to make our case directly to their Pack members, most of whom know nothing about what is happening. Even their Alphas can't keep them from hearing about you. Be the woman and the Alpha I know you can be today, and we will win."

"I hope so." I finished my meal and used the restroom, not willing to interrupt proceedings because of my bladder.

The servers were clearing plates as I walked in and sat down with my mate. Chairman Jack Coffey stood; the room immediately hushed in respect. "The trial will begin in ten minutes. Take your places." The doors to the trial room opened, and the spectators started to move in to get the good seats. Sawyer came to sit with us; as the defendants, we would be called forward after everyone else was seated. I did notice the Betas around us, making sure we didn't run.

As if we'd run from our own Pack.

We walked in to the defense table, the room silent, and the cameras rolling. The Council sat on a raised table, as Chairman Coffey was the Judge for the trial. Councilmen Oscar Millner and Nathan Kirk were to his left, and Councilmen Yakov Baronsky and Jurgen Nemmers on the other. The other Council members were allowed to ask questions after the Prosecution or Defense was done with a line of questioning.

To each side, the Alphas were seated at tables in order of seniority. They were the Jury, and a majority vote would result in a conviction. The left side was our allies; Alpha Martin Smith, Luna Ashley Nygaard, Alpha Carson Nygaard, and Luna Coral Sexson. To the right were Alphas John Coffey, Richard Long, Steven March, Alan Robertson, and Paxton Blackledge. Our Pack wasn't on the Jury, nor was the Monongahela Pack. Since Alpha Matthew Kirk had filed the charges, he was responsible for proving them. All of the tables had microphones in front of them, and off to the side, an engineer and producer were managing the feed.

I sat at the defense table, Sawyer on my right in the center aisle, and Chase to my left as I was the dominant Alpha. Chairman Coffey banged his gavel. "The trial of Alphas Rori and Chase Nygaard is called to order. The Prosecution will read the charges."

Alpha Kirk stood and nodded to the council. "Count One, that Alphas Chase Nygaard and Rori King unintentionally revealed the secret of our nature to a human, Frank Grimes. Count two, the Alphas failed to follow a direct order by the Council Chairman to separate from humans, which led to the reveal."

The Chairman looked at us as we stood. "How do the defendants plead?"

"Guilty," I said in a clear voice. There were gasps in the audience, quickly silenced by the gavel. "It happened, and we won't apologize or show regret over it."

"Is there a plea deal in place," the Chairman asked as he looked over at Alpha Kirk.

"No, Mr. Chairman," Alpha Kirk said. "I attempted to conduct negotiations with the Defense, and they refused to entertain my offers." He looked as shocked as anyone.

"Alphas Rori and Chase, you realize the charges you plead guilty to are subject to penalties up to and including execution?"

"We do, Mr. Chaiman," I said.

"Very well, I have entered guilty pleas into the record, and we will proceed to the sentencing phase."

"Mr. Chairman, if I may suggest a change from normal procedures. Allow me time to explain the reasoning for my actions and to answer questions about them, as those reasons will be key to arriving at the appropriate sentence."

He looked at me, then at Alpha Kirk. "Any objections, Alpha?"

"No sir, provided the Prosecution is allowed time and latitude to question them, and other witnesses that may be called."

"Then the Council has no objections. The floor is yours to make your statement, then we will entertain questions." He sat back, pen in hand as he got ready to take notes.

This was it, my chance to make my case directly to the Werewolf race. "As you know, my upbringing was not normal for a werewolf. I left on a roadside, twenty miles from where I now sit after the Arrowhead Pack was attacked and wiped out. The bodies of my Pack mates are buried five hundred yards from where you sit." I took a breath. "I survived only because of the sacrifice of a brave wolf, who I named my first daughter after. Discovered and later adopted by a human family, I grew up human. When my wolf came forward, it wasn't pretty. We didn't understand each other, and violent outbursts occurred when she got loose. I spent months in mental institutions and clouded my mind for years with psychotropic drugs so I could keep her down."