The Porch Wolf Ch. 31-40

"Good morning, Alpha, Luna," Susan said. "We have no active work sites today, but we have a big problem. Todd isn't going for the deal," she said. "In fact, he ordered me to kill you and Vicki instead."

I drove over to my desk as everyone watched me for a reaction. "I kind of expected Todd would do that," I said. "Thank you for telling me."

"I'm sorry, Leo. I did everything I could to convince him, but he thinks with the two of you dead, his lawyer can argue the real criminals are still out there. What do we do now?" She looked beyond nervous, she was shaking, thinking the whole deal was going to fall apart now. If it did, she'd be left destitute.

"You do NOTHING about this," Adrienne said. "This is now Council business, and my job here was to make sure the agreement was enforced." She looked at the clock. "I need to call the Chairman and update him, then get my orders. I don't know how long I'll be busy," she said.

"Do what you need to do, one of them can drop me at home at the end of the day," I said. I reached my hand up, pulling her into a kiss. "Be careful."

"I'll be fine, you clean up this mess," she said before turning and leaving.

I watched her go, wondering what she was thinking. I didn't have a mind link with her yet since we hadn't mated, and she wasn't a member of my Pack. I didn't know what the Council would do, but I had my own problems.

"Susan, the deal was with you and I'll uphold my end. The sale goes through, you're still a Beta in my Pack, and you'll have your home equity loan paid off, and a job to support your family." Her relief was immediate. "Meanwhile, there's a lot of work to do. Bring me the bills."

She picked up the stack of them and placed them on my desk. "I need to get up to speed first. Let's start with current projects and work our way towards the bids."

It didn't take long, as there were only three jobs we were doing, along with contract snow plowing for a township. I was getting a better idea of how bleak things were when the door opened, and Jacob Burnley walked in. "Leo! I didn't expect to see you here."

"It's Monday, and I'm behind already," I said to my lawyer. "What brings you here?"

"Paperwork. Susan and I need to file the forms with the Secretary of State's office for the ownership transfer, and we need to visit several banks to take care of the financials. Do you want to go along?"

I had a lot to do. "Am I needed?"

"Not really, you've signed the forms, and I have your power of attorney if anything else comes up."

"Then go, I'll keep working here." Susan grabbed her stuff and left with him while I picked up the phone.

I spent the next hour speaking to every person that Volkov Construction had contracts with. I informed them that I had purchased back a majority share in the company, that we were not going anywhere, and that we would complete our contracts on time with quality. For those who had dealt with us before, I could sense the relief that I was back in charge. For the others, they were cautious, not knowing what the future would be with Todd in jail. We would have to prove to them that everything was all right.

The financials couldn't wait any longer, as many of the problems with suppliers would go away with the cash infusion I was bringing. I gave the company a zero-interest loan of two hundred thousand dollars, with Jacob taking care of the paperwork and the banking transfer. That gave me the money in the checking account I would need to take care of bills, and there were many of those.

The workers were another issue. Luis and Rufus were doing all right; they had filled in the gaps in work with Volkov by subcontracting for other jobs. Craig Price had more issues as the foreman; he'd had to lay off workers due to the declining amount of work, and the money issues were interfering with his purchases of supplies. Deposits for the current jobs had disappeared into the pit of debt that Todd had accumulated, and some of our suppliers had cut us off.

"Start making phone calls and getting crews together," I told Craig. "I'll straighten out the suppliers."

"How many?"

"I want the Herling job finished this week, the other two by the end of the month," I said. His eyes got wide, they had a lot longer in the contracts to complete them. "I know. Right now, we need to have some wins to show Volkov is back. The best way to do that is to finish the current jobs ahead of schedule. If we need overtime, I authorize it. If we need to bring people on, do it, start with Pack and add others where you need. Don't skimp on quality, just get it done, starting this afternoon."

"Yes, Alpha," he said. He started making calls from his desk. January was a slow time for construction companies since you could only dig and work in spaces that were closed off from the weather. The good news is that as soon as the weather warmed, there was a backlog of homes and other work. It was that backlog I needed to be able to bid and win on if we were going to turn the company around.

I made one call to the Sheriff's Department to find out when the dump truck would be released from the impound. The deputy was surprised to find out that I now owned the company again; since the truck's title read Volkov Construction, there would be no issues getting it back when it was no longer in evidence. The problem was that just like my pistol, it wouldn't get there until the trials were over. After all, Todd's lawyer might want to check it out too.

While I was on the phone, I called the Ford dealer about a replacement for my totaled truck. There was a little sticker shock as I found out how much truck prices had gone up in the last six years, but they had what I was looking for on the lot. The insurance payout on my old truck would cover about a fifth of the cost, so the rest came out of my cash. It would be ready to go by four this afternoon if I showed up and signed the papers at three.

Susan was dropped off after all the paperwork was done, and she brought Italian Beef sandwiches from Johnny's Gyros in town. Trying to eat the messiest sandwich in the world with one hand didn't work, so I took my sling off for lunch before I ruined my shirt. It was worth every twinge of pain as I chewed on the beef and hot peppers, though.

I pulled the bills and the checks for the local suppliers and gave them to Craig. He left soon after, taking a few people and trucks with him to bring accounts current and pick up the supplies we would need for tomorrow. It hadn't taken him long to get the people he needed to kick the first project in the butt and get it moving again.

I made a few more calls after lunch. I tried Adrienne's phone, and it went straight to voice mail. I left a message saying I loved her and missed her, and I'd be home before five with my new truck. Then I called Liv to see how the morning went for them. "Did you Mom show up?"

"She did, and she stayed with us for an hour," Liv said. "I barely got a word in edgewise, between her apologies and Vicki showing her everything in her room. She said to thank you for saving our lives, and for helping us out."

This was good. Vicki deserved better than to be abandoned by her grandparents. "How is school going?"

"Oh, I think this class is going to be a handful," she said with a giggle. "Poor Lois! At least she can growl at them to get them to stop messing around. Hopefully, it will all settle down in a few days."

"I hope so. The last two weeks haven't been much of a vacation for any of us." We talked for a few more minutes, then I called Mike and asked if he and Anita could pick me up from the Ford dealer at four. Once all the personal stuff was done, it was back to work, paying the bills and checking account receivables.

I spent the last hour going over the maintenance histories of the equipment. It was as I suspected; maintenance had been pushed off to save money, and now it was coming due. I started to put together a plan to get it done before the spring season began.

By two forty-five, I'd had enough. "Susan, can you give me to the Ford dealer?"

"I normally don't leave this early," she said.

"School is ending, and I'm sure if you let the girls know you'd be welcome to stay for dinner," I said. "You have enough drama in your life, let us help you." She grabbed her keys and the guys loaded me up, then she dropped me off in front of the dealer on the way through town.

I checked out my new truck parked by the door. It was fancy, with leather seats and all the electronics of a car these days. I'd brought along the door and tailgate decals for the company, and those were put on the white truck while I was doing other things. The cost was coming of the business account, not my personal one, so it had to have the ads.

Anita dropped Mike off just before four, and he got me in the front before folding the rear seats up and getting help to lift the scooter in. "How was work," he asked.

"A lot tougher than retirement," I said. "It feels good to be doing something again, though."

"Donna's making fried chicken tonight. What would you have done last year on a Monday?"

"Chinese buffet. Eat as much as I could, then have the munchies two hours later," I said. "Is Adrienne back?"

"We haven't heard a thing." I pulled out my phone and tried calling, getting voice mail. This time I sent a text telling her I was on my way home and was hoping to see her for dinner. It was an adjustment for me, knowing my mate had her own career with the Council. I had no idea how we would reconcile her demanding job and its frequent travel with being my mate and Luna of the Miesville Pack.

I hoped she accepted me so we could find out.

Ch. 40

Council Mediator Adrienne McInnis' POV

I was pissed, and I let the Chairman know it as I drove my rental car away from Leo's office.

Yes, he was my mate, and he was making it DAMN hard to resist him. It hadn't started well, but I could understand him better than I let on. He wasn't over his fated mate less than five years after losing her to cancer. Could I blame a man for loving his mate that much?

Could I fault him for losing his ability to lead his Pack?

Could I blame him for hitting the bottle to dull the pain?

Could I fault his wolf for hiding the knowledge from him when his wolf knew his human side couldn't handle it yet?

No. I couldn't blame it at all, because every wolf who survived the loss of a mate did the same things. Some pulled through faster, some killed themselves to join them. His mate made him promise not to do that, but she couldn't make him love again. It took a little girl with an Alpha mantle to break the shell around his heart.

I had time to do the rest.

If he'd been able to shift and had taken me into the woods that night, we would have completed the mating that night. My wolf had already chosen him, and his wolf had accepted her. It was the other halves that we had to convince.

As I filled the Chairman in on what had happened with Todd, I was filled with anger. It wasn't at Leo, who had handled the situation better than I could have hoped. He was a good Alpha, who looked at the good of the Pack and not just himself.

It wasn't at Susan, who did her best to convince us and reported back to us his reaction.

No, it was at Todd. He threatened the life of my future mate and our Pack heir. For that, I wanted his balls hanging from my rear-view mirror, and his head on a fencepost.

"How is Leo handling this," the Chairman asked me.

"He acted like he expected him to reject the offer," I replied. "Todd used to be his Beta, he's known him for years. He told Susan that it didn't affect the deal he had with her. She's going to keep her job and her home, and she's already in our Pack."

"Our pack? Do you have news for me, Luna McInnis?"

Shit. That slipped out. "My personal life is on hold pending the resolution of this mess, Mr. Chairman. I have not mated, nor have I promised anything as of yet."

He chuckled at that. "Noted. I do appreciate your dedication, Luna."

"Thank you. Now, the deal Leo made would have had Alpha Todd admit to hiring the kidnappers, tying a nice little bow around the FBI investigation and leaving it in a file cabinet in the basement. Since he has refused, the next best thing would be if he were to expire before this goes to trial. The sooner, the better."

"I agree. How do you propose we do this?"

"WE don't do anything, Mr. Chairman. I've got this handled. I will inform you and the rest of the Council when it is resolved."

He didn't say anything; he didn't have to. When he thought it through, he'd realize I'd given him plausible deniability. If it worked, he'd take credit for resolving everything and protecting our secret. If it went south, he'd truthfully say he never ordered me to do anything. He'd then blame it on the mate bond, with Leo driving me to commit the acts he'd never authorize himself. "I'll wait for your call then, Adrienne."

"Goodbye, Mr. Chairman." I cut the call and pulled over to the side, finding the name I needed and setting the map program on my phone to give me directions. It would take me almost an hour to drive upriver to Stillwater.

Stillwater was a logging town, with beautiful Victorian homes along the Stillwater River northeast of St. Paul. The suburbs had filled in between it and the Twin Cities, and now antique malls, cafes, and shops filled the narrow streets of downtown. It was also the location of the State Prison.

I drove through and into the open land north of the city, finally turning at the fire marker into a gravel driveway. Signs warned against trespassing or soliciting, and cameras pointed towards the road. A cattle gate ahead of me brought me to a halt about fifty feet from the pavement. I waited, knowing the Pack would send someone out when I didn't turn around.

It only took a few minutes before a man driving an ATV approached from the other side. He got off and walked around to my window as I rolled it down. I let my dominance out; it combined with my werewolf scent to bring him to a halt, his head bowed to me. "Ma'am?"

"Luna McInnis of the Council, here to see Alpha Mark Conway. Open the gate."

"Yes, Luna," he said as he practically ran for the gate. He opened it, and I drove through, not waiting for him. He would have linked his Alpha already. Sure enough, when the driveway opened to the large Pack House and some smaller homes, Alpha Mark was waiting at the steps with Luna Belinda.

I parked at the base of them, the Alpha coming down to open my door. "Luna McInnis, welcome to the Stillwater Pack," he said.

"Thank you, Alpha. Is there a place we can speak in private?"

"Of course. You remember my Luna, Belinda?"

We greeted each other with the traditional touch of the cheeks. "You look radiant, Belinda. Are you expecting?"

"Eight weeks along," she replied.

"Congratulations to both of you. Belinda, you should sit in on this meeting, if you have time."

"For the most powerful woman in the Council, I will make time," she said as she led me inside. The Pack House was of typical design; three stories plus a full basement in an E-shape. It was large enough to house fifty wolves, with dining, entertainment, and offices downstairs and living quarters in the basement and the upper floors. The Alpha offices were straight ahead, through heavy dual doors.

I sat in a chair in front of his desk as Belinda offered me a coffee. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice," I said.

"Luna, this isn't a social call, is it." Mark was nervous, and Belinda might not have been informed of everything. I wanted her in here to gauge her reactions.

"It is not," I replied. I opened my messenger bag, removing the two photographs I'd taken off the Council registry. When werewolves changed Packs, reports had to be made to the Council. "These two men and their families joined your Pack recently," I said.

He looked at them and nodded. "Parker Nielsen and Thomas Conboy, transfers from the Welch Pack. Parker is newly mated, and Thomas has a mate and a young daughter. Both transferred after Alpha Todd's arrest. They had already quit the Welch Pack, which I understand is no more."

I handed him Council warrants for their arrests. "Parker and Thomas participated in an attempt on the life of Alpha Leo Volkov; specifically, the two of them went after the passengers in his back seat. One passenger was a human, who was bitten on the ankle and underwent a forced turn. The other was a girl, not even five years old, who is Leo's heir and holds the Alpha mantle."

You couldn't fake the surprise that took over both their faces. "I didn't know," Mark said. "I'll have them brought here immediately."

"Not yet," I said. "These two are a small part of a much larger problem. Alpha Leo wants them brought to his Pack to face trial and receive Werewolf justice. However, the biggest problem our people have right now is in jail in Hennepin County."

He sat back. "Alpha Todd."

"Yes. The human authorities have all the proof they need to put Todd in jail for the hit and run, but we both know that he was set up on the murder and kidnapping charges." Alpha Mark raised an eyebrow. "Let's speak frankly. Nobody would be using your Pack members for the kidnapping of a child without you knowing about it. Don't waste my time on denials; I know Alpha John of Marengo came to you with the contract, and I know you sent your people to do it. The Council doesn't like activities that bring human interest, and your Pack is taking far too many risks."

He sat back as Luna Belinda tried to gather herself. Clearly, she hadn't known that her mate was involved in the kidnapping attempt that left an innocent human and two of their Pack members dead. "You want something, or you'd have warriors here with silver chains already."

"Yes. We are more worried about the FBI and Law Enforcement's investigation into Olivia and Vicki Andersen that your illegal activities. This investigation needs to end in the next few days. If left unchecked, it's not just you that is in danger. It could affect Marengo Lake, Welch and Miesville."

He nodded. "And the only way it ends is if all the principals are dead."

"Exactly. Todd hired your two, and when all three are dead, they declare the case solved and move on. You know the objective, and the Council and I don't want to know the details." I tossed him the arrest warrants. "If this situation resolves itself in the next week, I will convince Alpha Leo to withdraw the charges with the Council against Parker and Thomas. You know the penalty for attacking humans or Alpha heirs; their pelts will be hanging from Leo's fence by sundown if the trial occurs. I'm sure they will be highly motivated to find another solution."

Belinda came up behind her mate, her hands on his shoulders, her body shaking. "What about us?"

"If the situation resolves, you can consider this visit to be a warning to you. Keep your Pack in legal activities, and stay off the human's radar. If the Council has to spread the net wider to quash this problem, anyone involved in the kidnapping will not be spared." Her mouth dropped as she figured out what this meant to them. Her hand dropped to her stomach, instinctively protecting her child.

"I will make sure this problem is taken care of," Alpha Mark finally said.

"Don't fuck it up. The last thing we need right now is to draw even more attention to the case." I set my cup down on the desk. "Thank you for meeting me. I can find my way out."

"I'll walk with you," Luna Belinda said. We left her mate behind; he would be linking his leadership and making plans that I did not want to know about. "I can't believe this happened," she said as we walked towards the front door.

"You have a limited time to change the way your Pack operates before it destroys itself," I said. "You'll need to push Mark to make the changes. Encourage him, guide him, and threaten him if necessary to get there. If the other Alphas find out what he has done, it won't just be Alpha Leo coming for him."