Order of Protection Ch. 44-48

I got to my bed, completely exhausted and a little bit drunk. Some of the ladies had promised to take me shopping tomorrow, sure that I'd find things to spend my winnings on. I was really enjoying this little side trip.

Retired Alpha David's POV

It had been a rough two days for me since I left Sven and Linnea. I drove back to our Pack, to the questions of both my Pack and the Highlands group. I had met privately with my son and laid out what was going on; he was blown away by what I told him, but he promised to keep the secret. Alpha Esca was disappointed to learn that the Vermillion Pack hadn't been involved in Jessie's death. My son promised him he would keep up the investigation, and Esca's men would stay for another week in case we found the killers.

The flight to Moscow hadn't been fun, my knees were starting to ache with the arthritis and the flight was long. Wolves don't like to be trapped; being stuck in an aluminum tube with smelly humans was not fun. I couldn't drink enough to sleep, and only reading PenumbraMine's "Blue Butterflies" on my iPad helped me get through it. My daughter-in-law had turned me on to her stuff, and I was hooked despite finding it under the 'Chicklit' tab.

I was happy when I arrived and made my way to the taxis. I hadn't checked a bag, just my carryon as I was only staying a day. Winter had arrived in Moscow, it was cold, and a few inches of snow had fallen recently. I was dropped off outside the lobby of their building and walked in unannounced.

"Могу ли я помочь вам, сэр (May I help you, sir?)" The young blonde shewolf at the desk opened her eyes wide as my dominance struck her, not expecting an Alpha.

"Please let Beta David Clarke know that Retired Alpha David Larsen is here to see him."

"Of course, sir." She picked up the phone and made the call. "The Beta will be down in a few moments. May I offer you a drink?"

"No thank you." I started looking at the artwork in the lobby as she returned to her work. I noticed a few of the Moscow Pack warriors were gathering around, just in case. Alphas, even retired ones, didn't just show up at the Pack House without an invitation. The Alpha would be within his rights to expel the person, even kill them.

I wasn't shocked to see not just a surprised Patrick but Alpha Javier and some men emerge from the elevator. I turned and smiled at them as they walked up. "Patrick, Council Member Javier, I apologize for my lack of notice before entering your territory. I need to speak with you urgently,"

Alpha Javier sized me up, he was a legend in the European Council and I bowed to his dominance. "We should go to my office, then. Come." He turned and walked back to the elevator as Patrick came to my side.

I put my arm around Patrick's broad shoulders and pulled him close. "I'm so proud of you, my boy. How is your mate?"

He smiled as we entered the elevator with his Alpha and one guard. "She is doing well. You just missed my mother, she went to visit their Pack a few hours ago. She'll be back in two days."

"I'm afraid I won't be here," I said. "I leave tomorrow for home."

"It was that important to come see us?"

"Critical," I said. "And I need to see you two alone."

Javier raised his eyebrow, but only the three of us entered his office. I laid it all out for them, and their shock at learning Jessie was alive was not faked. Finally, I handed Patrick the jump drive. "Alpha Sven said this was for you, that you would know when to use it."

If they were shocked before, the contents shocked them even more. "We should take him down now," Javier said. "I can call the Council together, we can arrest and try him in under a week."

"No," Patrick said. "There's no reason to act quickly here. Let him twist in the wind for a while." He filled me in on what they had learned about the loans he had taken out, and how his empire was being sold off bit by bit to pay the interest on the loans.

I picked it up then, giving the plan we had worked out with Jessie, John and Sven. "We bleed him dry first. The police are investigating, he owes a lot of money, and we can push off a decision on Yevgheny's estate for months. If the cops or the Mob take him out, it is a much lower risk of us being revealed. In the end, if he dies our vengeance is satisfied." I looked right at Javier. "The moment people see this, they know Jessie is alive and she is in danger again. The two of them need time to train and prepare. If we create a power vacuum in their Pack now, it will just create more chaos. Better to wait until they are ready to take over her Pack."

"This pack isn't hers yet," Javier said.

"Maybe not, but it is her birthright, and once you meet her you will see the two have the power and character to be good Alphas to this Pack," I replied.

"With Jessie having a wolf and her hereditary claim, I would withdraw from consideration for this Pack," Patrick said. "Mischa and I are in no hurry to become Alphas, she wants to go to medical school. We will do it if asked, but I would let Jessie decide first. I'd even take it for a period of time until she is ready to take over, if she asked, but otherwise we will wait."

Javier leaned back. "I didn't expect that from you, Patrick. I thought the lure of the position would be stronger for you."

"Alpha, although I appreciate your confidence in me, my loyalty to Jessie makes it an easy decision. Before she was an Alpha, she was my friend and I was responsible to protect her. She's a good woman, and now I hear she's a good wolf too. I'm happy for her."

He looked at Patrick, nodding his head slowly. "We will let things ride for now, but if I think it's starting to go bad I'll call the Council together and have him arrested," he said. "Killing another Pack's Alpha heir, especially if they involved humans, is enough to have him removed and executed."

"But first," I said, "First we want to destroy his world. And Jessie has a lot of money available now to use on that."