Claiming Treasure Ch. 51-55

"As soon as you meet the Alphas, I will have you taken to him." At that moment, the door opened, and two people walked in. I recognized Rori from the photos; she was beautiful, smaller than I expected, and pregnant. After introductions, Chase walked over to the chair behind the desk and sat down, pulling her into his lap. It was clear to see how much they loved each other.

"Welcome to Arrowhead," Rori said.

"We spoke to my mother, and she instructed us to be open and transparent with you now that the FBI and senior Government members know our secret," Chase said. "You suspected we were holding back what we knew about the attack on our home, and you were correct. The attack was by werewolves in two other Packs, Monongahela in West Virginia, and Katahdin in Maine. We got a warning it was coming and thus were able to meet it with overwhelming force." He reached into a drawer and handed Allison a flash drive. "On this are the names and ranks of the dead members of those Packs, and unedited surveillance footage from the attack. The Alphas of both Packs are dead, and we have replaced them with better leaders. We do not wish to hurt the remaining Pack members, nor do we have any issues with the men who surrendered."

"Where are those men," she asked.

"They were allowed to return home or join other Packs," Rori said. "From our perspective, it is over. The Werewolf Council has approved the new Alphas. The only loose end is the man who ordered the attack, Jack Coffey. Our hacker has also included everything she could find on his assets and activities."

"I need to get this to my boss immediately," Allison said.

"I understand," Rori said. "While you do that, I will escort Lana here to see the Deputy. One word of caution, though. You may find werewolf behavior violates some human cultural norms, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or pressured by them. I have instructed everyone to respect your work and to help if asked. You will be perfectly safe among us."

"Norms like nudity? Public sex?" Allison noted they weren't shocked. "We have an idea. You might want to screen the window facing east at the top of the waterslide."

"Thank you. We try to keep our privacy, but yes, we like to be nude in the pool area, and we have fewer hangups about sex. It's not a Playboy Mansion orgy, as most of it is between mates, but you can't unsee it either. There are males who may show interest, but they will accept a no." I looked at her like she was kidding. "My reputation in this area will protect you. None dare lay a hand on a woman without her permission."

My hand moved back to my Glock. "I don't believe we will be participating in that on duty, nor will we disarm."

"I understand. If you'll follow me?" We went back out of her house, with Allison getting into her car and driving off while Rori walked me across the road and up the hill to the main building. "This is the Pack House, the social center of the Pack. There is a bunk room for overflow in the basement, but the rest is all dining and recreational areas. Come on." We entered the lower level, and she showed me the gymnasium, theater, and lounge before going upstairs. The dining room was huge, with three wings in a T-shape, and a buffet was still open along one wall. There were perhaps thirty people at the tables, talking and laughing. "With all the guests, we are keeping food service going around the clock, but mealtimes are at six, twelve and six. You are welcome to eat with us, or you can ask for food delivery to your room."

"This is impressive," I said. "It's like a resort!"

"Just wait until you see the pool." She led me down a hall. "Locker rooms are here. Most of us stay clothed outside the pool unless we are shifting." The locker room was clean, with tile floors and cubbies for people to put their things. As we walked in, a wolf was rolling around on the floor, her nose in a blouse she had wrapped around her head. The wolf suddenly stilled and shifted into a tall, emaciated teen. "Shelly? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I picked up a scent and traced it to this shirt, and my wolf took over and went nuts!"

Rori took the blouse and brought it to her nose, a smile coming to her face. "Follow us," she said. "The blouse belongs to Luna Kathryn of the Denali Pack. We'll have to see if one of her Pack members is your mate, but you can't claim each other until you are eighteen. Go in and ask if anyone sees her."

"Thank you, Alpha! My wolf is so excited."

"You're a special girl, Shelly. Shifting early and finding your mate early! Both signs of a wolf with Luna's favor." The skinny teen left for the pool. Rori put the blouse back, then put her shoes in a cubby along with her dress. She was beautiful, a bit of a baby bump, but firmly muscled and athletic. "You might want to ditch the suit jacket and the shoes, Lana. It's a little wet and humid in there."

I put them in an empty cubby, making sure my badge and gun were secure. "Shelly didn't look healthy," I said. "What is her story?"

"Her mother is human and got pregnant after a one-night-stand with a now-deceased Alpha in Colorado. Werewolves have their first shift around age seventeen, but she shifted at fifteen to avoid an attempt to gang-rape her. She was brought here a few days ago after being hit by a car, and had been wandering around half-starved and stuck in her wolf form since Thanksgiving."

"That's horrible," I said. Rori rinsed off in a shower before we walked to the door.

"That's why our laws are so strict regarding human contact. Our young need the training and support of a Pack and Alpha so they can handle their wolves when they emerge. Children are precious to us; most only get pregnant once every five decades or so."

The room was warm and humid, and reggae music played in the background. I looked around the pool, which was packed with mostly naked women, although plenty of men were there too. All looked like they were young and fit, the oldest in their fifties. I felt plain-looking in comparison, and my dress slacks and white shirt stuck out. "How does that work?"

"We live a long time, Lana. That woman at the table there?" I saw a woman with gray hair talking to four others. "She's over three hundred years old."

"Wow."

"Come on, the Deputy's in the pool."

We walked past the tables and the snack bar, as I took in all the people having a good time. I could see the waterslide, and noted that translucent window film now covered the window. We got to the edge, and I recognized the hair. "Deputy Brighton?"

Mark was standing in the chest-deep water, surrounded by beautiful naked women. One was massaging his back as another came in and pressed her body against his as she smelled his neck. She shook her head no, clearly disappointed as she backed away before another took her place. "Can I help you, Agent..."

"Lana Black, FBI. I need to confirm you are here voluntarily and not in danger," I said.

He looked around and laughed. "I'm sick and dying, but other than that, I'm having the time of my life," he said. "All these beautiful women came here to see if they are mine."

"More are still arriving, Mark. If she's out there, we'll get you together."

"I appreciate what you are doing, Alpha, but we both know it's a shot in the dark. I'll enjoy every moment until the fevers take me." He looked at me. "I'm fine, Agent Black. You'd need a tactical team and a bulldozer to get me out of here."

"I'll let my boss know," I said as I pulled my phone out.

Rori led me away from the pool, towards the older man he arrived with and his medical kit. "He's in the water because it helps with the fever. When it spikes, we have a tub ready with ice for him. We'll do whatever it takes to help him, Lana."

"I can see that. If you'll excuse me." I walked away and made the call.

Ch. 53

Alpha Ron Carlson's POV

Monongahela Pack House

"Alpha, our guests have arrived at the main gate."

I rolled to the side of the bed, looking at my phone to see the time. Five o'clock in the morning, thirty minutes before my alarm was to go off. By Luna, when Colletta told me that the military representatives would be here first thing in the morning, she wasn't fucking kidding. "Escort them to our offices, and we'll be down shortly."

"Yes, sir."

"What's going on," Teri said as she rolled away from the light I turned on.

"Time to get up. Our observers are here." I got out of bed, heading to the bathroom.

I was brushing my teeth when she came in. "Tell me again why we got the military observers instead of the FBI like Rori got, or the Secret Service agents that Carson got?"

"The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs asked who had the best warriors among the United States packs. Since Rori already had the FBI, she told them the Betas who ran her training were now Alphas here in West Virginia. He liked the answer, and he might even visit later today." I went back into the room, pulling on my workout gear; mesh shorts, a gray T-shirt, a black hoodie, and cross-training shoes.

"Wonderful. Half of the male warriors in this Pack are dead or up at Arrowhead looking for mates, and none of the women here have basic self-defense or weapons training."

"You'll have the women in shape in a few months. No one will ever look at females the same after the Arrowhead debacle." Their previous Alpha died at the hand of a female Omega with rifle training. I watched as she pulled on yoga pants, a tank top, and a hoodie. "I'm ready."

The Monongahela Pack was structured differently than Arrowhead, set into a hillside instead of along a lake. The Alpha and Beta homes were at the highest elevation, the Omega homes at the bottom, and the gym, offices, and dining hall in the center. A Pack garage and two maintenance facilities lined the road leading from the main gate to the base of the hill. I could see the vehicles coming up the road in the darkness as I closed the door behind us.

Only a few lights were on outside the kitchen, as it was still early for the Pack. The kitchen staff and those on guard duty were the only exemptions from the morning workouts we had instituted when we arrived. "What are you doing with the women this morning?"

"Five-mile run, then Krav Maga lessons after breakfast and pistols before lunch," she said. "Repeat for the other half of the women in the afternoon. What are you doing with the men?"

"I haven't decided. I'm sure the observers would like to see our capabilities, and I'd like to involve them somehow."

"I'll figure something out."

We made our way down to the Pack Offices, waiting at the front stairs for our guest to arrive. Two men got out of a government vehicle, both dressed in fatigues and boots. One looked to be forty, and had an eagle on his cap and a Trident on his left breast; the other had a bronze oak leaf on his green beret and was a black man in his late twenties. "Welcome to the Monongahela Pack," I said as we walked down to greet them.

"Thank you, Alpha Carlson," the older man said. "I'm Captain Lucas Demmer, US Navy SEALs, and this is Major Len Robinson from the Army Green Berets," he said as he extended his hand.

"My mate and Pack Luna, Teri," I said as I introduced her. "I take it from your greeting that you were given somewhat of a briefing before coming here?"

"Yes sir, although I can't shake the idea this is all an elaborate practical joke," Lucas said. "Werewolves? Really?"

"All my life," I said. "We've got twenty minutes until the Pack meets for pre-breakfast training. We start with a run, so if you want to change into running shoes, you can. If you can hand your luggage to Samuel here, he'll put it in your rooms."

Both kept boots on. Len popped the trunk and handed over two bags, leaving their laptop cases locked up. I showed him where he could park, and a few minutes later, we were walking around the Pack House. "You will have access to anything and anyone you need to perform your assessment of our Pack," I said. "I would only ask that you do not take photographs or include names in the report."

"Fair enough," Captain Demmer said. "I'll expect the same. Both of us work in Pentagon Special Operations, so we have no desire for our identities to get out either." He took in a breath as we passed downwind of the kitchens. "That smells damn good," he said.

"Biscuits and gravy, oatmeal and pancakes this morning. We'll eat after the morning run."

"I love a sunrise run," Len said. "It's beautiful country out here."

"I like it, but I'm still learning the territory," Teri said. "It doesn't help that I can't shift and run the border like the others."

"You're not a werewolf," Len asked.

"I'm pregnant," she said with a smile. "Werewolf females don't shift when pregnant because it results in miscarriage. It makes our mates even more protective of us, knowing we aren't as capable of defending ourselves."

"Teri's dangerous in either form," I said proudly. "She's a prodigy with knives."

The Pack was starting to gather near the woods, and we made our way over. The sun was rising over the mountain, casting long shadows over the four dozen people waiting in running gear. I saw Warrior Donald Presley freeze up before a big smile came over his face. "Ho-Lee SHIT! Lucas made CAPTAIN!"

Captain Demmer stumbled when he recognized the man walking towards him. "What the FUCK! We BURIED you, Master Chief!" The two men hugged each other, big smiles on their faces. "That was twenty years ago!"

"Yeah, well, I couldn't get away with just dying my hair anymore, and I had to change identities and disappear," Donald said. "I go by Donald Pressley now."

Demmer still had his arm around him as they turned towards me. "Master Chief saved my ass in Afghanistan when I was a young Lieutenant," he said. "Damn, it's good to see you."

"I need to stay dead," he said. "I had to kill myself after my stretch in the Underwater Demolition Teams in Europe, too."

"UDT hasn't been around since 1983," he said.

"I know, I was in it from 1941 to 1945," Donald said. "We have to disappear for a few decades to make sure everyone we served with is out before we can enlist again. My Alpha liked that we got the finest weapons and tactics training in the world before returning to the Pack."

"That answers one question my bosses were curious about," the Captain said.

"Whether we could fight?"

"Yep. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is trying to figure out if werewolves are an asset or a threat to us." He looked at the others. "Just how much were you holding back?"

"Plenty," Donald said. "Just try and keep up with me, I'm going to turn a hundred next year."

I gestured for everyone to gather around. "This morning, we will be doing a cross-country run on the upper trail, men will run clockwise, women counterclockwise," I said. "You run and finish as a group; the last one back here does two more miles before breakfast. We have guests this morning. Captain Demmer and Major Robinson are here from the Pentagon to observe our training. Answer their questions and help them to finish, this isn't some Coronado beach vacation," I said with a grin.

The two men had the confidence of men at the top of the warrior fields, and I wanted to rattle them a bit. "Major, you run with the women. Captain Demmer served with Donald in Afghanistan, so I'll let those two catch up. Any questions?" There were none. "Let's run."

I led the men into the trail on the left side, while Teri led the women on the right. I set a fast pace, not slowing down as the trail turned uphill. We'd covered four miles and gone up about a thousand feet in elevation to reach the high point of the trail. "How's our Captain doing, Donald?"

"He's sucking wind," he replied. "Don't slack off now."

I didn't, using the downhill to increase my speed even more. We'd run another two minutes and hadn't seen the women yet, but I could smell them.

I heard the shot, a moment later the impact of the round on my stomach. "AMBUSH," I yelled as I dove behind a tree. The shooters had the high ground, forcing us below the trail. "Shift and get above them," I sent. "Pull back the wounded to safety."

I heard the bones crack as my men shifted and split. I stayed behind a tree, looking at the red on my stomach as I monitored the battle. Donald slid in behind me as the rounds continued to hit the trees and rocks around me. "You all right?"

I looked down at the paintball round that left the bright pink stain on my shirt. "My mate has too much fun when I tell her to think up something fun to show the guests," I replied. I looked over at Captain Demmer, who had made his way to the tree below me. "Treat it like combat," I told them.

"In combat, I'd have a fucking gun," Lucas said.

"Then go get one. It's only women, right?" I goaded him just enough. "Back him up," I told Donald.

"All right. It's a V-ambush, and you already sent people high. Donald, we'll alternate cover and go downhill a hundred feet or so, then come back up behind them."

I sat and watched as the two SEALs tried to flank the attackers. The problem was that the women could move too; hearing the men moving around uphill, they fled back down the trail to a secondary ambush site. The wolves were cut down mercilessly in the crossfire.

As for the SEALs, they would have survived if they have withdrawn. Outgunned, outnumbered and fighting uphill, it reminded me of one of those nature shows with the lions and their prey. "Sadly, there can be but one outcome now," I said as the women surrounded and captured them.

"Good job, ladies. Form up and complete the run, everyone." I jogged down to where Lucas was making his way back up to the trail. "What do you think, Captain?"

"You weren't kidding about being werewolves," he said. The men had shifted back and were putting on shoes and any clothes that hadn't shredded. They gathered around us, most with pink stains on their skin. "Reaction time was excellent; they disengaged from the ambush and took the initiative."

"We were surprised, outgunned, and wounded. There is no dishonor in pulling back and waiting for reinforcements. Chasing them into the second ambush got you all killed." I looked at the men gathering around. "Who scented them before the first shot?"

"I did," Nathan said. He was one of our best trackers.

"Did you say anything?"

"No sir, I expected to scent them. I won't make that mistake again."

"We better get going, unless you like running even more," I said. We set off again, half of them wearing only shoes and socks as we ran down the trail. The ladies were waiting at the clearing, whistling at us as I led them onto the short, two-mile trail run that was our punishment for losing.

After breakfast, Major Robinson observed the women's training while Captain Demmer watched the men. At lunch, we talked over what they had seen. "Alphas, why are the women so far behind the men?"

"They've only been training for a week," Teri said. "The previous Alpha only allowed the men to train."

"That was a week?" Demmer looked shocked. "Damn."

"I wish I had a whole company of them," Major Robinson said. "Fit, motivated, fast learning and mature."

"You should see the men. Training for fifty years while aging ten makes for dangerous fighters," Captain Demmer said. He'd participated in training with the men in hand-to-hand combat in both forms, as well as small-unit tactics and long-range rifle shooting. "I got my ass kicked in the ring."

"Me too, and by a pregnant woman," the Major said.

"Knife fighting, I was well-padded around my waist," Teri said before I could say anything. "I have to keep my skills up."

"How did people like this lose so badly up at Arrowhead," Demmer finally asked.