The Porch Wolf Ch. 21-30

"He'll deny it, of course."

"Not much else he can do. The kidnappers are dead, and the phone may or may not be enough to convict, but it's enough to charge him. He's in enough legal trouble that he may never return. It's not the plan I wanted, but I did it because it gives me a way out of this."

"You're not turning yourself in then," I said.

"Nope. Doing that won't fix Brenda's plans for Vicki. I have to deal with her next, or you two will never have peace." He stood and put his hand on my shoulder. "This might be the last time we are together, my brother. I will return to Marengo Lake and challenge her."

"That's bold."

"Yes. Since I broke the bond and fled, I would be exiled. Her Pack might not let me live long enough to see her and issue the challenge. After all, it IS her Pack, and her mantle, that she is trying to protect."

"We could go to the Council," I said.

"She has done nothing yet that we can prove. I hired the kidnappers, and we don't know if she even talked with Alpha Todd. The only chance I have to save all of my children is to take out their mother."

I put my hand on him; I knew his mating was based in a business arrangement, but the mating bite didn't care. Rejecting the bond was weakening him by the day, and killing her would go against everything the mating bond was about. "Good luck, Ivan. I love you."

"I love you too. When the time is right, let Vicki know that she deserves a better father than me. I pray she has a good life." He walked out, Mike following him, as I sat back and thought. I heard the door close, then his car driving away.

I couldn't stop the tears.

Ch. 28

On New Year's Eve, I went to the hospital in an ambulance after the hit and run. New Year's Day, we almost lost Liv during her first shift and brought five families into the Pack. Yesterday, Alpha Todd was arrested and my brother said goodbye before heading back for a showdown at Marengo.

It had been a hell of a holiday week already, and I hadn't watched a single parade or football game.

Now it was Friday. Liv was still hampered by the stitched-up gashes on her leg, some of which had reopened during her last shift. She wasn't supposed to shift again until the skin had healed together, at least a week from now. Sharkbait was recovering well, and the restrictions on her activities were being loosened since she wasn't having headaches or dizziness. She still had a day or two left before I'd let her shift again, just to be safe. Anita's arm was giving her some pain, but her cast would come off in six more weeks. In the meantime, she couldn't shift. And me? I was an ad for The Scooter Store for two more weeks before I could get a walking boot, and my arm had to stay in a sling for another three days.

The most unhappy of us right now was Sharkbait. Liv was able to wrap her leg up tightly and get into a boot, which allowed her to go snowmobiling with Brent and two other guards. I knew that in the big picture, Liv wasn't the real target, Vicki was, so I was all right with them leaving. It would give Brent some time alone with her, and they could have a romantic lunch date alone.

With guards in a nearby booth. Still, it would be Liv's first 'date' in over five years. She didn't even know why she was so nervous about picking out the 'right' clothes until I reminded her that, at most, she'd take her snowmobile suit down to her waist. Now that the two could talk mentally, they would have a lot of time to get to know each other better.

They had been gone for an hour, and Vicki was NOT happy that she could not go. "We can't have your head banging around inside that helmet, Sharkbait," I said. "There will be other days to go."

"But Unky Leo, I've barely had any FUN this vacation!"

"No fun? Going to SeaLife wasn't fun? Going snowmobiling wasn't fun? Having your Unky Leo over for Christmas wasn't fun?" She wasn't convinced. "Eating prime rib until your belly looked like you swallowed a ball, then throwing up in the ambulance wasn't fun?"

"UNKY LEO!" I laughed at her attitude. "School starts tomorrow, and I can't do ANYTHING."

"You aren't going back to school, little one. We can't protect you there yet, so you're going to be staying home."

Her eyes got wide, and she punched a fist into the air. "YAAAAY! NO SCHOOL, NO SCHOOL!"

That was when Lois Temple walked into the room. "Yes, school, young lady," she said. It was like Vicki was a balloon poked with a pin, she deflated so fast. "I'll be working with your teachers to get the units and your assignments, and we'll do them up in your kitchen. That way you won't be behind when you can go back."

"When," she asked.

"When Uncle Leo finds the people who are trying to hurt you and stops them," I said. "I don't know how long it will take, but I will make it happen. You can count on me."

She leaned back into my chest as we sat on the couch together. "What should we watch next?"

"I know the perfect show for you, young lady," Lois said. "It's a show called The Aquarium on Animal Planet."

"Do they have sharks," Vicki asked. "I won't watch it if they don't have sharks."

"They have whale sharks the size of a school bus," Lois said as she sat down in the chair and grabbed the remote. She found the shows and sat with us as we started from the beginning.

"That shark is HUGE," she said as she saw the whale shark, which was a slow-moving filter feeder. "The tank is SO BIG!"

"It's the largest aquarium in the world, with over ten million gallons of water," I told her as I looked down at the article on my phone. "It has about eight times as much water as the SeaLife aquarium."

She was absolutely fascinated, and Connie just brought us our sandwiches for lunch so we could keep watching. She loved the playful sea otters and the big sea turtle. We were still watching the episodes after it got dark when Brent and Liv returned. She was flushed and smiling. "Did you have a fun date," I asked.

"Mommy mated?"

"No, Mommy is not mated," Liv said quickly.

"Yet," Brent whispered.

She came over and smacked me behind the head. "What?"

"You knew we were mates and you didn't tell me!"

"You weren't ready yet," I said.

"I'm not ready for this NOW," she said as she put her hands on her hips, the same way Vicki did when she was upset. Laughing at her probably wasn't the right thing, and she smacked the back of my head again. "It's not funny."

"Momma have sex now," Vicki said matter-of-factly before she turned back to watch the show.

"No... I'm.... AAARRRGH!" She ran up to her room and slammed the door behind her.

"It went that well?" I shook my head.

"She wanted to know why I was so clingy, and I couldn't lie to her," he said. "She's frustrated. Her mind is saying no no no but her body and her wolf are saying yes yes yes."

"She won't be able to resist forever," Lois said. "Her wolf will keep pushing her until she accepts the bond."

"She's agreed to date me," he said. "She will introduce me as her boyfriend, hold my hand in public, and we've had our first kiss. She has to get used to the idea of having a mate before it can move forward, and I'll give her that time."

"She won't come down for a while, so you may as well watch with us." He lifted Sharkbait up off the couch, sitting on one end so she was trapped between us. She was crying over the sea lion who lost his eye to a detached retina when it was time for dinner. "Can you go upstairs and wash up, and bring Mommy down," I asked.

"Okay, Unky Leo," she said. By the time the two came downstairs to join us, most of us had already started eating. Her eyes looked like she had been crying. Brent helped get Sharkbait settled, cutting up her big piece of ham and putting a blob of cheesy potatoes on her plate next to the green beans. "Ham tastes better now," she said.

"A lot of things are different once your wolf senses kick in," I said.

"I'm figuring that out," Liv responded. "How could Brent know I was his mate? I didn't have a wolf."

Larry took that one. "We don't know how Luna picks out her mates. I have faith that she knew what she was doing and that you were always meant to be one of us." He looked across the table at her. "Is there something wrong with knowing you have a man who was made just for you, who will love you more than himself for the rest of your lives together?"

She sat back, a little shocked. "I always thought I would get to choose the man I fell in love with."

Donna picked it up. "Do you believe in love at first sight? The fairy-tale romance?"

"That's different," I said.

"Is it? You should be thanking Luna for the gift she has given you. You don't have to worry about him cheating on you because you'll be able to feel over the bond if he does. You don't have to worry about divorce because it's exceedingly rare among our kind. Talk to your wolf; she is already in love. I think your human is as well, you are just afraid of love."

"I don't have time for love," she said.

"You don't have time to live without it," I said. "I had twenty-five years with my mate, and they were the best years of my life. I would give anything to have her back."

Larry took Donna's hand. "We have been mated for over forty years now. She's the best thing in my life."

Mike took Anita's hand. "I will do anything if only to see my Anita smile," he said.

Brent took her hand. "You aren't alone now. You don't have to work to support yourself, and your life doesn't have to focus on your daughter. Vicki is growing older; she has Pack mates her age, and a whole Pack to look out for her. She's happy here. You don't have to sacrifice your happiness for hers, Liv. You deserve it, too."

"Momma, I want to go to the Atlanta Aquarium for my birthday," Vicki said as he finished off her ham. I started to laugh, and soon everyone else did too. The previous moment had been so poignant, so emotional, and Sharkbait didn't care. She wanted her sharks.

"You don't want to get in shark cages with Great White Sharks swimming around you?" It was fun teasing her.

"CAN I? SHARK SHARK SHARK!" She was moving her arms like shark jaws, pretending to take a bite out of Mommy's shoulder.

"I don't think they allow tiny shark bait like to be used to attract sharks," I teased her. "The big ones want a steak. You're more like a fun-sized candy bar waiting to be unwrapped. If we put you in a shark cage, you might fall out!" She huffed and glared at me.

My cellphone rang, and it wasn't someone I expected to hear from. I backed away from the table. "Hello?"

"Alpha Leo, it's Susan Miller. Can I beg a few moments of your time?" Susan Miller was Todd's mate and the Luna of the Welch Pack. I still respected her, even as I wanted her mate's blood in my teeth.

"Of course, Luna," I said. I opened the bond to Mark and Anita as I drove to my office. "How may I help you?"

"Everything is falling apart over here," she said. "Todd was not granted bail, but even if he was, I don't have any cash to bail him out. I need help from you, and fast," she said.

"Todd owns a majority of Volkov Construction," I said. "Can't you borrow against that?"

"I do the books for the company, Leo. It's been losing money for two years, and he's borrowed against both the company and our home. We're completely tapped out, and with Todd in jail, the creditors will be all up my ass. I have less than a month until I have to declare bankruptcy." I had no idea it was so bad. "It's getting worse, because I'm losing Pack members to you and to other Packs, and they are quitting Volkov as they leave. My children and I will be out on our asses by spring at this rate."

I had to know something. "Your husband tried to kill me and my friends, Susan. Why should I care about his family being left destitute?"

Susan paused before she answered. "Todd told me what you warned him about at Wiederholt's. He did it anyway, and he missed his chance. I'm begging you, Leo. I know you aren't that man. Take back the company and leave my family enough that we can start anew somewhere far from here."

"And Todd?"

"Todd will do what he needs to do for his family, Leo."

I let out a sigh. I hadn't planned to get back into the business, but a large portion of the Pack I now had, and those that would join, looked to Volkov Construction for their livelihood. Todd might be the largest owner, but he wasn't the only one. If the company declared bankruptcy, many of them would lose a big chunk of their wealth. "We have a funeral tomorrow, and I need some time to bring in an accountant to look at the books with me. If it is as bad as you say, I will see what I can do. Bring the financials over tomorrow afternoon at three."

"I'll be there," she said. "I'm so sorry, Leo. I always liked you."

"Thank you, Susan." I hung up, closing my eyes as I started to think about it.

What a mess.

Ch. 29

Ivan Volkov (John Petersen's) POV
Marengo Lake Pack Border

The moment I stepped over the border on the north side, my fate could only go two ways. I'd be Alpha alone, or I'd be dead.

I had driven from Minnesota to northern Wisconsin, parking my car at a trailhead in the state forest that bordered the territory of my old Pack. Marengo Lake Pack shared no borders, and the nearest Pack was fifty miles away. As such, we'd never spent much time on patrols. I used to run the perimeter every week, or after a heavy rain, and refresh the scent markers. That was part of the duties of an Alpha Male, spraying my scent on the Pee Trees and our territorial claims.

I had waited for two hours after sundown before I moved, and no movement was detected. I couldn't believe it; with Leo pissed and me missing, she should have constant patrols going. A complete circuit took just over an hour in wolf form. It was fortunate for me and potentially fatal for her. I moved forward, setting a pace slow enough to stay aware of my surroundings, but quick enough to minimize my exposure. The Alpha's Home was three miles away; the other Pack houses were spread along the private road that circled around the small, private lake.

I stopped short of the homes, hiding in the woods under a thicket. I waited for five minutes, looking out for patrols. The Pack was not in any state of readiness for an attack. The homes had lights on, I could smell dinners being cooked, and I could see families through the windows. I moved between the houses, making my way to the edge of the clearing where Brenda's home overlooked the water. I could see the back of the home, and the shades weren't even drawn. I could see my children watching cartoons in the family room with Patrice, a seventy-year-old Pack member who was their nanny.

Brian was almost four now, and Laura was eighteen months. They were innocent in all this, just as Vicki was, but they would be irreparably harmed by what was to happen tonight. To save all my children, I had to take their mother from them. When tonight was over, all three of my children would have reason to hate me. They would live, though.

Marengo Lake was living on borrowed time. When I broke the bond with Brenda, both of us were weakened. We each retained the Alpha mantle, but that just made her more of a target. An ambitious male could take her as his mate and get the Pack and Mantle, or could just kill her and take over the Pack. She would not be able to overcome an Alpha-blood male in his prime.

I could see the light on in the kitchen and dining rooms, but the curtains were drawn. The longer I stayed out here, the higher the chance of discovery. As a banished wolf, the entire Pack would descend on me and tear me apart. I moved through the shadows to the side door from the garage, shifted, and went inside.

I reached into the extra clothes bin, grabbing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Pulling them on, I made my way to the door leading to the kitchen. Amazingly, it wasn't locked either. I turned the handle and went inside.

Brenda was there at the table, but she wasn't alone. Two men and a woman were sitting with her. I could feel the dominance and power they exuded. It filled the room and made my wolf shrink back. "Sit down, Alpha John. We've been expecting you."

"Mr. Chairman. It is my honor." The Regional Chairman, Lewis Wolfe, stood up and pointed to his seat. I walked around the table and took his chair, which was opposite Brenda on the long side. "I will be brief. Now that you are here, the conflict between you will be resolved permanently. It is up to the two of you whether that resolution includes your continued existence. One way or another, you will not leave this table until that is done."

I gulped; the two men with pistols walking in from the living room were all I needed to see. One moved to stand where he blocked the exit to the living room and hall, while the other guarded the way to the kitchen. "That is acceptable to me, Mr. Chairman. I came here to reach an agreement or die."

He nodded. "This is not the only crisis I need to deal with. I am going to leave you in the capable hands of the National Council's Chief Mediator, Luna Adrienne McInnis." He gestured to the elegant woman at the head of the table, as the other Council member stood up. "Adrienne, please advise me as soon as this mess is resolved."

"Of course, Mr. Chairman," she said. We all stood as the two Council members walked out the door. "Sit," she said. I sat quickly; her reputation preceded her. Her skill set made her highly valued in disputes. She had been Luna of a Pack in Maine and had lost her mate ten years ago. She turned the Pack over to her oldest son and went to work for the Council as part of her recovery. She was open, honest, patient, classically beautiful, and intelligent. Strong males were drawn to her, and one word from her could calm an enraged Alpha. The force of her personality alone was enough to get them to sit and discuss things calmly again.

She was able to mediate conflicts in a way no other person could because she could make all parties feel valued as she found common ground and compromise. If she couldn't get us to bury the hatchet, a bullet in the back of the head was the next option. "I have had some time to discuss the history of this conflict with Luna Petersen. I would like to hear it from your side. Luna Brenda, you are not to interrupt at any time. If you have any comments, write them down and hand them to me when we are done."

"He's a lying sack of shit," she said before Adrienne slammed her hand on the table. She went white as she felt the glare from her.

"Rules are simple. I ask the questions, you answer them. You address all your words to me, not each other. I do this to take the emotions out. Emotions get in the way of facts and resolutions, so they will not be allowed." She looked over at me. "John, tell me your story."

Over the next twenty minutes, I laid it all out. My rejection, my bitterness, and my arrangement with Brenda so she could maintain control of her Pack. "I didn't care that she was a lesbian. It was an arrangement with a purpose; I was free to fuck around with other women as long as it didn't get back to the Pack. I screwed up, and I got a college girl pregnant. I hadn't considered the consequences, and by the time I realized she wouldn't get an abortion, she'd disappeared. When Brian was born without the Mantle, I realized I had a problem. When Laura didn't have it either, I knew Brenda would not stop until the Mantle was back with her eldest."

"Did she know who she was?"

"I didn't think so, but Olivia had called my phone twice, and I knew Brenda would be checking my phone records. We had several arguments about it; she blamed me, rightly, for stealing the birthright from her children and giving it to a bastard child. She'd never loved me, and I hadn't given her the one thing she wanted with our arrangement; a mantled heir. When she told me she would kill my spawn to get it back, I knew I had to act. A few inquiries got me the name of a person, who got word to another, and eventually put me in touch with the ones who I hired to kidnap Olivia and Vicki."