Missing Ch. 71-80

It was far more latitude than any other Alpha in the country would give. "That is more than fair, Alphas. I apologize in advance for all the Council headaches this will bring you."

Leo laughed. "That's a feature. They don't like us either, so you're in good company. Telling the Chairman to fuck off gives me great pleasure." Luna Adrienne swatted his arm, but she was smiling too. "Stay for the party tomorrow. The Council informed everyone that Bonnie crossed back into the United States at Sault St. Marie. If she comes this way, she'll be in time for the pool party tomorrow."

"As long as you don't need me to cook ribs, I'll be fine," I said. "I can't compete with the likes of your people."

"We have that covered," Susan said.

"We will wait on the induction ceremony until Bonnie is with you, mated or not," Leo said. "There's no point in changing unless she agrees."

"Thank you. May we speak briefly in private, Alphas?" Leo nodded, and his Betas left the room. "I need to change my allegiance now before Chairman Sanders has a chance to talk to me."

I had Leo's attention. "Why?"

"Sir, what you don't know can't be compelled, and you don't want to give us an Alpha order to confess anything. Trust me when I say it is better for everyone this way."

"I have to agree with Clyde," Adrienne said. "I don't want someone subject to Council command around our Pack right now. They've been shitting on Bonnie for months, and I don't trust them."

She stared him down, and he broke first. "Clyde, what happened before this moment doesn't matter to me. What the Council wants doesn't matter. What DOES matter to me is loyalty. I know you two are up to something, and I don't want to know about it. You will inform me of anything that might blowback on our Pack. Stay off the Council's radar, and for Luna's sake, be careful. Sanders won't hesitate to issue a kill order for the both of you."

"I understand, Alphas." Leo performed the ceremony to accept me into the Miesville Pack and announced it to the Pack over the link. "Go celebrate with them," he told me. "I'll inform the Council of the change."

"Take care of Bonnie for us, Clyde," Adrienne said. "I'm so pleased about you. Bonnie needs this even more than you do."

"I will, my Luna," I replied. "Thank you."

Ch. 75

Clyde Lassiter's POV

Miesville Pack

I walked out of the office, where Sharkbait and Amy were the first to welcome me to their Pack. Dinner was a festive occasion, followed by drinks and conversation out by the pool. I was wiped out, and headed to bed before ten.

I woke to Leo's mental summons to come to his office. Looking at the clock, it was just past one in the morning. I dressed quickly and made my way upstairs through the quiet house. Leo was alone in his office, and he had me shut the door behind me. "I got a call from the Council," Leo told me. "Bonnie is in Green Bay. Specifically, police arrested her after a bar fight."

"How many this time?"

"Three, and she put them all in the hospital. Alpha Anthony was waiting in Chicago, thinking she would pass through there on the way west. He is heading up there to get her before the Council does. She won't have a court hearing until Monday, so she's not coming for the party."

"Is she all right?"

"Of course she is. Was there any doubt?"

"Anything can happen in a fight, Alpha."

Leo put a hand on my shoulder. "Do you want to head to Green Bay?"

"There's no point until Monday morning. If you could ask Alpha Anthony to inform Bonnie of my revised allegiance? There's no point in Anthony dragging her back to Maine if Bonnie wants to join us here."

"I'll do that. Good night."

After breakfast, Beta Susan had me working on party preparations all morning. There were tables and chairs to set up, drinks to ice down in the cattle tanks, and a pool to clean. People started arriving around eleven, and Susan said they expected about a hundred and twenty-five people total.

I went inside and changed into my swimsuit, T-shirt, and sandals, then went to the kitchen to see if they needed help. Four Pack women there getting food ready. I was handed a big bowl of potato salad and told to follow Luna Adrienne down to the pool.

I loved that Leo's young Pack all gathered at his house on the weekends. Unlike my home Pack, they didn't have thousands of acres of land and a big Pack House. They all lived and worked in the outer ring suburbs or rural areas. With homes scattered about a twenty-five-mile radius and surrounded by humans, there weren't many places to do Pack runs. The parkland adjoining Leo's estate was enough if humans weren't around. Leo's pool was the center of their Pack life in the summer.

I had just started down the stairs from the deck to the pool patio when I heard a scream. Luna Adrienne slipped on a step near the bottom, and the bowl of fruit she carried went flying. Before anyone could react, she bounced off the end of the railing before falling heavily on her side. I heard a bone snap as she hit.

"ADRIENNE!" Leo reached her just after I did. She was cradling her right arm against her chest, but her hand went to the slight swell of her stomach. His Luna was fourteen weeks pregnant, and pregnancies at her age were already high risk.

"Leo," she cried as the pain from her broken wrist hit.

Then I smelled the blood. Leo's eyes flared at the smell, then got wide as he saw the growing stain on the front of her dress. This was bad, really bad. "I'll get your truck started," Brent said as he ran off for the garage.

Carly Knight and Jenny Cannon had rushed over; Carly was in nursing school, while Jenny was a nurse who was eight months pregnant. She quickly assessed Adrienne's injury. Olivia ran inside to get Leo's old arm sling from the closet while others rushed to get other supplies. "We've got to get her to the hospital NOW," she told him.

"I'll help you pick her up," I said. Leo and I carefully lifted her into his arms, and then I ran ahead to open the doors for him. Brent had the doors of Leo's truck open, and we carefully laid her in the back. Olivia came running out with some towels and the sling, others with ice packs and the first aid kit. Jenny and Carly were in the back of the F-350, pushing a distraught Leo to the front seat. "I'll clear the road for you," I said. "Which hospital?"

"Hastings, up Highway 61," Jenny replied.

"I'm coming with you," Olivia said as I ran out of the garage. I fired up my Explorer and tore out of there, staying a little ahead of the big truck. Olivia called 911 and requested a police escort to the emergency room, telling them the nurse present said we couldn't wait for an ambulance. She stayed on the line, and a Dakota County Sheriff's Deputy pulled in front of us as we made the turn north towards Hastings.

The Emergency Room people were ready for us, an obstetrician part of the team that wheeled her into the treatment room. I held Leo back as he fought the urge to follow her; it took three of us to get him to sit down in the waiting room. It didn't help when Adrienne informed us she was going into surgery, and we lost the mental link. He filled out paperwork and sat with us as we waited for news, stepping outside briefly to talk to Adrienne's son Anthony. "Her son is in Green Bay and is leaving now," he told me.

As a former Fixer, I knew how quickly this could go bad. An enraged Mantled Alpha was a danger to everyone, and I needed help because Brent wasn't strong enough. "Leo, can I inform the Council," I asked? "They'll want to know."

Leo nodded, and I went outside before finally turning on my smartphone. I dialed the Midwest Regional Chair. "Chairman Wolfe, it's Clyde Lassiter. We've got a problem."

"Clyde? Where did you go? The Council searched for you for days!"

"Traveling and enjoying the sights, but that's not important right now. I'm at Regina Hospital in Hastings with Alpha Leo. Luna Adrienne fell on the stairs, and her babies are in danger. She's in surgery right now. We don't know if they will survive."

"Oh, shit."

"Yeah. I've got a few lower-ranked here, but I can't handle Leo alone if this goes to shit. I need support from other Alphas, preferably ones he trusts. Alpha Anthony is on his way from Green Bay, but that won't be for another five hours."

"I'll make some calls. Thanks, Clyde. Take care of Leo. I'll get help there soon."

I called Alpha Anthony next; he was checking out of his hotel room. It would take him five hours to drive from Green Bay to Hastings. Luna Pamela was on her way to the airport in Bangor and would get here late this evening. I got her flight number and arrival time; we'd send someone to pick her up. "What about Bonnie?"

"You'll have to pick her up. She told me she wants to join you in the Miesville Pack, and I'm letting her go. I'll have Leo give you an Alpha order to bring Bonnie straight to him. The Council won't like that I'm not doing it personally, but fuck 'em. We've got bigger problems. I have to go."

A doctor joined us after fifty more minutes. He'd taken off the protective smock, but I could scent Luna Adrienne's blood on his scrubs and shoes. "Leo Volkov?"

"How is my wife, doctor?"

"Perhaps we should go somewhere more private?" A dozen Pack members had gathered around their Alpha to lend their support.

"They are family," he replied.

"Your wife's fall caused a placental detachment for the smaller of the two babies your wife was carrying. We performed an emergency Caesarean. Our team managed to stop the uterine bleeding and stabilize the boy, but there was nothing more we could do. The female fetus was no longer viable. I'm sorry."

It was like someone punched their fist through Leo's chest and ripped his heart out. He wasn't the only one crying. "Adrienne?"

"She is in recovery and will move to the intensive care unit after she awakens so we can monitor the remaining child. Follow me, and I'll take you to her."

The rest of us sat and prayed while we waited for him to return. He was a broken man when he came back out. "Go home," he told everyone. "She can't have visitors other than me, and she will be here for at least two days. Olivia, if you can pack some things for us and bring them back tonight, I would appreciate it.

"I'll stay here with him until a few of his stronger friends arrive, just in case," I told Brent. I had no other duties, and I was the only one with a chance of matching Leo's strength for a few seconds.

Chairman Wolfe texted me that Ivan Volkov, Leo's younger brother, and the Stillwater Pack Alpha, would be arriving soon. Catherine Volkov's parents, Larry and Donna Winters, and their son and current Winona Pack Alphas Mike and Anita Winters, were also coming. That would be much better odds in a fight.

Leo's phone rang while he paced back and forth in the waiting room. "Fucking Sanders," he said as he answered. "Yes, Chairman."

"I heard you have Clyde Lassiter with you now?"

"Yes, he's sitting a few feet away from me. Do you need to talk to him?"

"No. We just got a hit on Bonnie Woods. She crossed into the United States at Sault St. Marie, so she may be coming your way. If she does, detain her."

"On what charge?"

"Disobedience of a Council Enforcer order."

I rolled my eyes; of course, Crazy Bonnie blew them off. "If she shows up, I'll let you know. I'm a little busy right now." He hung up the phone on him, not caring about the insult. Leo's relationship with the Werewolf Council wouldn't improve anytime soon, not after what they did to his Pack.

I finally returned to the house around six in the evening. Most of the Pack was still there, but it wasn't a party anymore. There was plenty of food, and a few talked to me about how Leo was doing as I ate. The loss of an Alpha heir hit everyone hard. The girls weren't even swimming. They'd put padding under the deck and puppy piled.

It sounded like a hell of an idea. I stripped in my room and then shifted, heading outside to join them. I'd need a nap before driving to Green Bay.

Less than an hour later, one of the Omegas woke me up. "Your phone is going off in your room," the young woman told me. I trotted back to my room, shifting and pulling on clothes. I opened the phone up and entered the code to unlock it. "Be at the Red Wing Airport @ 2030. R."

I had forty minutes to make the twenty-minute drive. How did Ramesey even know I was here? The Vampires had an intelligence-gathering organization second to none.

I slipped out the front door and drove off without saying goodbye.

Ch. 76

Clyde Lassiter's POV

Red Wing Executive Airport

The airport was well-appointed to handle the Learjet that landed just before eight-thirty. It turned off the runway and taxied to a hangar. I drove next to the side entrance and parked as the jet shut down its engines. I walked inside the building as the main doors were closing. A black SUV was waiting inside for them and backed up next to the jet.

The door opened and let the stairs down. A man in black military-style garb and a slung H-K MP5 machine gun came down first. He was in his thirties, with black hair and a beard, moving like the fighter he was. Human, but my wolf pushed forward as I sensed the other scents in the air. I couldn't believe they were here, and I didn't know why. He took a moment to look around before he walked my way. "Mr. Lassiter, you may call me Mr. Black. I'm your contact tonight."

He held out his gloved hand, and I shook it. He was strong and confident. I could see the tattoos on his neck; he was a US Army veteran. "What's the plan, Mr. Black?"

"I'll explain in your car while my associates load up," he replied. "Let's go."

I caught sight of the people exiting the plane as we walked towards the side door. The Cook was coming down the stairs, helped down by a human holding him up and guiding him along. The were-coyote walked like he was shitfaced and about to pass out. He was loaded into the back of the SUV as another person brought the male shooter down the stairs.

I knew better than to ask questions now, so I escorted Mr. Black to my car and started it up. As soon as we were moving, I asked the simple question. "Where to?"

"Head to Hastings, then take County Road 46 west towards Rosemount."

I knew the route as it went close to Miesville Pack. I headed towards the airport exit. "And our plan?"

"Master Ramesey shares your concerns with supernaturals involving themselves with drug cartels and the drug trade. He and other Masters consider the drug trade reckless, preferring to keep their money in more traditional and mostly legal investments like real estate and businesses. The Master of the Minneapolis Coven, Hans Andersen, has become a danger to all of us. Master Ramesey's plan is simple but elegant; use one supernatural problem to solve another."

I wasn't seeing it yet. "Why the were-coyotes?"

"We captured the group last night at their home and convinced them we could make a lot more money working together, cutting out the Cartel completely. The cook set up this meeting tonight. Master Andersen wants to achieve vertical integration of his dope business, which requires producing the product locally. He's already built grow houses for marijuana, and now he wants to cook methamphetamine. The cook is offering a partnership where he would set up a lab and supply enough meth for the Upper Midwest. The meeting is at midnight outside of Rosemount. We need to be there first."

My head was spinning. "How the hell did you get those coyotes across the border?"

"Life is easier when traveling with your Master. Master drained them enough to make them weak and injected venom to cloud their minds. It will last for another few hours. The customs agent in Milwaukee didn't even come in the plane! He just stamped the passports Mr. Ramesey handed him and left. Watching him control someone's mind is wild, man. Someday I'll have that power."

It made sense; most familiars gave up freedom and sex for the hope of turning if they proved themselves loyal. We passed through Red Wing and headed towards Hastings, passing the turn towards Miesville. "Why bring the three here? I thought you'd kill them in Canada."

"They are needed here," he replied. "You have a way to kill the Vampire Master and any with him?"

I nodded. "I have an anti-tank missile in the back. My plan would have been to follow the Master and hit the car when stopped. The explosion should be enough to prevent regeneration. If necessary, I have an AK-47 and a couple of Molotovs I can toss in to make sure he burns."

"That will work. You'll set up in the trees downwind of the meeting place. Don't go far from your car, and kill your scent. As soon as the Master's car arrives, you take it out. My crew will take care of the were-coyotes, and I'll take the Molotovs. Fire and get the fuck out. Leave and don't come back."

I nodded, thinking about the implications of what he was saying. "You're planning to leave drugs, maybe money in the area."

Mr. Black grinned. "The DEA and Sheriff will call it a drug deal gone bad. Everyone will be happy that a distributor is out of action and the Cook is dead. Our Master has already planted evidence and trails for them to follow to shut down the rest of Master Andersen's operation. They'll close the file on the deaths of Sean Woods and Vince Argenta and go drinking to celebrate."

"And the vampires?"

"What can the Vampire Council do? A Master gets involved in the drug trade with were-coyotes and gets killed by humans. Master Pontalba makes Andersen an example for the other Covens and warns them again about the drug trade. Life goes back to normal. The senior vampire in Minneapolis pledges to stay out of the drug trade and gets the Council's blessing to take over. You get your revenge, and werewolf fingerprints aren't anywhere near it. Your Council can smooth things over with were-coyote leadership. You mess with the bull, you get the horns, you know?"

Simple and elegant. We drove west from Hastings, exiting County Road 46 north at Capitol Highway, and parked in a gravel turnout. I could see ruins through the trees, something big. "Where are we?"

"Technically, we're on University of Minnesota land. During World War Two, the government annexed this land and built an ammunition plant. It was closed after the war, and those ruins are from the coal-fired plant built to provide power and steam to the complex." He showed me a satellite view of the area. "Here's the meeting place." It was off the south side of 156^th street. The driveway split for an in and out at an iron gate. South of that lay multiple ruins from buildings and open space, some with T-shaped concrete formations that must be twenty feet high. "Wind is at fifteen miles an hour from the northwest. Park your car here, behind these shipping containers. We'll set the coyotes up by the ruins, and one of us will be at the gate to open it. As soon as they stop, take them out. I'll take the Molotovs and leave with my people. You get the fuck out. Toss the launcher in the river."

"The gate will be open?"

"Yes. You have something to kill your scent?" I nodded. I always carried bottles of bleach. "Make sure you use that. Head back to the airport hangar and report back to the Master. We'll finish up and exit to the south before the police arrive."

One thing didn't make sense. "If the Master sends a scout ahead to check out the meeting site, we're fucked."

"Don't worry about that." I saw headlights behind us, and Mr. Black's phone dinged. "Follow them in."

I pulled out behind their SUV and followed them into the ruins. A woman pulled them open when we got to the gates, and we drove right through. I caught her scent as we passed by. Vampire. "One of yours?"

He laughed. "No. Cassie is the second-ranked vampire in the Minneapolis Pack. She's also the scout Andersen sent ahead."