The Porch Wolf Ch. 41-50

"LEO," Adrienne said as turned the key off. A dozen armed men moved out of the building and surrounded our car. "Don't do anything; we have a kid in the car."

The leader of the men came to my door and pulled it open. "GET OUT AND ON THE GROUND," he said as he pulled at my arm.

"Cooperate, I'll figure out what is going on," Adrienne said.

I could hear Vicki crying for them to leave me alone as I was put face-down on the hot asphalt and handcuffed with silver. The cuffs would burn if I struggled, and they cut off my mental links with the others. The security men searched my pockets, tossing my keys and other things into the car. "What am I being arrested for?"

"Quiet, rogue," the leader said. Men pulled me to my feet, one on each arm as they led me towards the building we had parked behind. "We appreciate your cooperation. Normally, our prisoners don't deliver themselves to the door of the Pack cells."

I should have known something was wrong. I got one last look at the car, still surrounded by gun-wielding guards, with a frightened girl's face against the window. The jail door opened, and the men marched me through. They brought me to a room marked "Processing." A man placed a coated silver dog collar around my neck and locked it in place. He affixed it to a chain hanging from the ceiling, a winch removing the slack until it was almost pulling me off my heels. "Mess around, and you'll dangle from it until you stop kicking," the guard warned. He removed my handcuffs as the men stripped the suit from me and passed it off for others to search. I had to undergo a cavity search, four men armed with cattle prods watching as a fifth put the gloves on. "Can you at least buy me dinner first, so I don't feel like such a slut?"

The teasing earned me a shock from a cattle prod but was worth it. The handcuffs went back on.

The men didn't talk to me beyond giving me orders, and I couldn't contact anyone else with the silver collar. The men escorted me out the other door, which led to a barred hatchway. It was unlocked and lifted, and then I was led down the steel stairwell to the darkened area. Four cells were downstairs, each heavy steel door with a slot to view inside, and a narrow slot to deliver food. If it were a traditional design, the inside of the door was coated with silver.

They walked me to cell number one. A guard removed my handcuffs before I was shoved into the room, the heavy door slamming closed behind me. On the raised slab, there was a thin pad with two sheets, a pillow, pillowcase, and a blanket. Next to it was a pair of orange scrubs and boxer shorts, plus some cheap flipflops. The room was underground and cold, so I dressed quickly and made the bed before laying down on it. I had no idea how long I'd be here, and I was tired. Closing my eyes, I fell asleep.

Adrienne's POV

As they took Leo away, I tried to open the door and go after him. One of the guards placed himself in front of the passenger door, shaking his head 'no' as I turned back to watch Leo disappear. Vicki was having a breakdown in the back seat, crying, and yelling for Leo. Liv was shocked, while Mike and Anita were tense. None of us had traveled with guns. They had all the advantages, and we would have to wait.

"What's going on, Adrienne?"

"I don't know, Liv. The guard called him a rogue, but that doesn't make sense unless..." I figured it out. "Oh, fish sticks."

"What were you going to say," Liv sent privately.

"We came here in part to have Leo's Alpha status confirmed. That might be the problem. Chairman Wolfe is coming; I'll get this straightened out." The guards snapped to attention as two men in expensive suits approached the vehicle. Chairman Wolfe, my boss, and the Midwest Region Chairman, walked towards us behind Council Chairman Daniel Sanders. He was head of all Werewolves, including Wolfe and six other Regional Chairmen.

I was now in Leo's Pack, and I couldn't link him.

The two leaders walked up on the driver's side. "Remove the girl," Chairman Sanders said. One of the guards opened the back seat and reached for Vicki's car seat straps.

"NO," Liv said as she pushed him away. Her wolf was rushing forward, and she started to shift. A second guard hit her with a Taser, causing her to seize up and drop to the floor. Vicki's screams got more panicked as her mother twitched by her feet.

"ENOUGH," Adrienne raged. "Mike, Anita, STAND DOWN." They sat back, unable to fight her Alpha command. "Lewis, what the hell is going on?"

"It's Chairman Wolfe, Luna Adrienne, and I'm not in charge here," he said.

I looked to Charman Sanders. "Under my emergency order, I am placing Vicki Andersen in temporary protective custody," he said.

"From who? She's in MY PACK, Mr. Chairman, and today is her fifth birthday. It's awful nice of you to taser her MOTHER in front of her for her birthday!"

"Your lack of respect is noted, Luna Adrienne. Guards, remove the child and take the mother with her to their room. If she behaves, she'll be able to stay with her." He moved aside to let the men back in.

"Vicki, behave, and go with them. Help your Mom until I can get back to you," I told the frightened girl.

"Okay." She was still crying, but she didn't fight as one of the men unbuckled her seatbelt and lifted her from the chair. Another man pulled Liv out, helping her stand to her feet. Coated silver necklaces were attached around their necks, cutting off any mind links. Four guards then escorted them across the lawn towards the main building, while I sat in the seat and focused on my breathing.

I was a Mediator. I couldn't lose my shit. I had to focus on fixing the problem.

My wolf wasn't as patient. We were going to find out who was responsible for this, and rip their intestines out with a rusty spoon.

Ch. 45

Adrienne's POV

Once Liv and Vicki were out of sight, I thought the guards would let us go. I was wrong.

Chairman Sanders spoke up again. "Luna Adrienne, you may exit the vehicle. The two in back, they are your Betas?"

I got out as the guard opened the door, holding back my wolf. "Yes. Betas Mike and Anita Winters of the Miesville Pack."

He leaned into the open door and took a sniff. "Send them to a hotel for now. You may stay or go as you wish."

That was the last straw. "They are my Betas! They have a right to be here! This reception is an OUTRAGE, Mr. Chairman, and I won't stand for it! Release my pack members at once!"

I noticed the guards moving behind me as I spoke to the Council Chairman. "Be quiet, Luna, or I'll have you restrained in silver and tossed in the cell next to your mate." Chairman Wolfe had a look on his face that was begging me not to continue. I swallowed my next sentence and steeled my face, making it neutral again. "I have to arrange Leo's hearing. Chairman Wolfe, control your employee or get her the hell off of the Summit site." He turned and left, with half of the guards going with him.

Chairman Wolfe came up next to me. "I'm sorry it happened this way, Adrienne, but I could not stop it. Please, send your Betas away. Their presence will only make things worse."

"Why?"

"The Chairman received two legal petitions this morning. The initial ruling is that Leo is not eligible to be an Alpha. A banished wolf cannot be a Pack member, and Leo was banished from the Welch Pack."

"He formed a new Pack, Lewis. He didn't do anything with Welch."

"It's more complicated than that. Send your people away, and come to my office. The guards will escort you when you are ready." He turned and walked back towards the main house.

"Give me time to speak with my Betas. They will not leave the van." The leader of the guards nodded, so I got back into the minivan and closed the door. I shifted to using our link so the guards wouldn't hear. "I think I know what is going on."

Mike was pissed. "They have denied Leo his Alpha status? If they do that, what is our status?"

"Packless as well. They are giving the two of you a break by having you leave; technically, you are rogue wolves on Pack lands. If you do anything other than drive out of here, you'll be silvered and put in cells with Leo." I didn't like it, but I gave the order. "You are to drive out of here and find a hotel to stay at near Augusta. You will be too far out for the link, but I will check in on you periodically by phone. If you do not hear from me for 48 straight hours, you are to fly back home. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Luna," they both said.

"Good. While you leave, call every Pack member and inform them that our Pack status is in question. They are not to go on any other Pack's land until further notice, even if invited. I don't want to end up with anyone else captured or killed."

"I will call them myself," Anita said. "What about Sharkbait? They fucking SILVERED a five-year-old and hauled her off!"

"It's all about Vicki and her mantle," I said. "Leo doesn't have enemies that are still alive, and nobody is worried about his Pack becoming a problem. No, Leo's death would be a means to an end. If he isn't an Alpha because of his previous banishment, his entry onto Pack lands is a death sentence. With him out of the way, what is Vicki's status?"

Anita thought for a bit. "You're still her Luna, right? If Leo can't lead the Miesville Pack, you can?"

I shook my head, no. "I didn't form this Pack, Leo did. Technically, we have mated, but until the mating ceremony is over, I'm not officially recognized as Luna of the Pack either. Whoever filed the complaints is smart. They've found a way to clear us out of the way."

Mike jumped in. "If we don't have a Pack, then we can still be Packless wolves, right? We still have a bond, Liv and Vicki are ours."

"It's not that simple. Packless wolves are not a problem unless they band together, which we have done. Other Packs could attack us and wipe us out if they consider us a threat, and Pack Law would support it. Alternatively, they could offer us places in their Packs. Either way, they won't let us continue as is."

"Can you be our Alpha? You have a mantle."

"I could, but another can challenge me for the spot. How effective do you think I'd be if they just killed Leo? I'd be in no shape to lead you."

"Fuck," Mike said. "What about Sharkbait? If she doesn't have an Alpha, they can't force her and Liv to join a Pack."

"That's where you are wrong," I said. "If Vicki was of age, laws on mating would apply. Since she is not, everything changes. There is a specific Werewolf law for Packless underage wolves with mantles. The first Alpha without a mantled heir to find the Packless mantled child can claim her. In this case, she would be 'adopted' by the Alpha into his Pack and become his heir. The Council would enforce the claim, forcing the bond to shift."

"That's crazy," Anita said. "What about Olivia? She's not going to let her another Alpha take her daughter!"

"I'm sure whoever is behind this would offer Brent and Olivia a place in their Pack. It would secure their cooperation. Leo would be dead, and I would be grieving. I'd tell them to go, for their own good."

"Madness!"

"Yes. Now go, I need to find out who is behind this and get Leo recognized."

"Yes, Luna," Mike said.

I got out of the van as they moved to the front seats. The guards watched them drive away, the one with the motorcycle following them to the exit. I turned to walk towards the main house, and two of the armed guards fell in behind me. "I'm a Luna and a Council mediator, I don't need an escort," I said to them.

"Chairman's orders. He doesn't want any incidents, and you have already made threats."

The Chairman didn't know the half of it.

Olivia's POV

I was still shaking, not trusting my legs as we walked towards the main house. I'd seen videos of tasered people, but those didn't do it justice. "Where are we going," I asked the goon who was 'helping' me along.

"A guest room in the Council's wing," he said. "For now, you are in protective custody. As long as you cooperate, you'll be comfortable."

"And if not?"

"Protective custody can be in the cells, too."

That part, I understood. I looked up at Vicki; a female guard was carrying her in front of us, her head on her shoulder so she could see me. She was quietly crying, but she was all right. I tried reaching her on the bond, but it didn't work. "I can't link my daughter," I said.

"The silver collars prevent you from shifting or linking," the guard said.

I reached up and felt the collar; it had a small box on the front and foam on the outside. I went to pull it off; the foam-like coating compressed, then I felt my fingers and neck burn. I quickly let go. "What the heck?"

My guard looked annoyed. "Don't you know about silver?"

"It hasn't come up in conversation, no."

We were almost to the house. "Silver is commonly used in controlling werewolves. It burns on contact with the skin; those collars have a coating to keep it off your skin unless you pull on it. Don't try and cut it off either; if you try to tamper with it, the collar will give you a shock that makes a taser feel like a tingle. It will knock you out."

Damn. "Anything else this thing can do?"

"GPS tracking, so don't try running. We'll find you, and then you'll be in a cell lined with silver."

We entered the impressive plantation-style home and took stairs to the top floor. One of them opened a door, and I followed Vicki's guard inside. She set my daughter on a couch facing a television; I could see a bathroom and a bedroom through open doors. I went and sat on the couch, pulling my daughter into my lap. "It's going to be all right, baby," I told her as she cuddled up to me.

"There are drinks and snacks in this refrigerator, and we will bring your meals. If you need anything, inform the guard posted outside the door. Our security office just set GPS alarms both of your collars; if you leave the room, you'll get the shock, and we'll come by to toss you into the cells. Any questions?"

"Who do I thank for the hospitality," I said with a sneer.

"You should be thankful you have this, it could be far worse for you." With that, he turned and left.

It took a few minutes before Vicki spoke up. "My wolf is mad," she said.

"Mine too. She doesn't like not being able to talk to her Pack. Don't touch the collar; it hurts." I set her beside me and picked up the remote from the coffee table. "Why don't you find something to watch while I check this place out?"

She started looking for Animal Planet while I looked around. We were on the third floor with locked closed windows, not that it mattered. I couldn't see the building where we had parked, and I couldn't link the others. No phone was in the room, and my cellphone was in the car. I couldn't communicate with anyone but the guard, and I wanted nothing to do with them.

I found some snack-sized bags of animal crackers and goldfish, a bottle of orange juice, and a Coke. Taking them back to the couch, I sat with Vicki on my lap. "No shark shows," she said with a frown.

"Hmmm... do we have Netflix?" I checked, and soon we were watching a Disney documentary called "Oceans." We ate our snacks until the adrenaline crash hit and she closed her eyes.

I woke as I heard the door to our room opening. A woman was coming in with a tray, dressed as a maid. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were sleeping," she said. "I didn't know if you'd had time for lunch, so I brought some sandwiches and chips."

"Thank you," I said as I moved Vicki off of me. "Do you have our bags? We don't even have pajamas."

"I will ask," she said. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I want to speak to Luna Adrienne," I said. I needed to know what was going on around here.

"I will ask," she said as she left. I ate the Club sandwich as I waited.

And waited.

Ch. 46

Adrienne McInnis' POV

"Chairman Wolfe asked me to come to his office." I had walked into the Pack House, following Lewis' scent to the offices on the right side, and the guards had stopped me.

"He is not ready for you, and frankly, Luna, you haven't calmed down enough for us to let you talk to him. Please join us in the dining room. There is time for you to eat, as I understand you've been traveling all day."

"Fine." We headed towards the dining room. "Where is my luggage?"

"It's in your van," he said. "Once you know you'll be staying, you can have it delivered to the front gate."

I stopped and stared at him. "I'm a Luna and a Council Mediator, boy. You're the ones who kicked my people out. Call them and get our luggage here now."

He wasn't about to do what I wanted. "Ma'am, everything I've done has been on direct orders of the Council Chairman. I don't work for you, and you can't intimidate me. I'm Alpha blood, just like you. I don't have a mantle, but you won't push me around, either."

I stared him down. "We all do what we're told, in the end," I said. I walked into the room and heard my name shouted from the corner. Anthony and Pamela had a table along the side, and I rushed over to embrace them. When I let go, I glared at my escorts. "He's my son. Back the hell off; you can keep your eye on me from the door." The guard nodded and backed off.

"What the fuck, Mom? What's going on that you need a security escort?"

"That's what threatening the Council Chairman gets you, I guess." His eyes got wide. A few of my friends from the Council and other Lunas pulled up chairs to listen in. One of my friends brought me some food and a glass of milk. "So it all went to shit when we arrived. My mate is in the cells, my Pack mates are in 'protective custody' somewhere, and my Betas have been kicked offsite. They haven't even shown me the legal filings, and we had no chance to defend ourselves before the initial ruling."

"When can you find out," Anthony said.

"He wants to see me after I calm down, apparently," I said.

"Great, that won't take long," Pamela said, which caused Anthony to bust out laughing.

The laughing spread like wildfire, finally reaching me. "I'm not THAT bad! I have to maintain control of my emotions for my job."

Anthony wiped his eyes. "When it doesn't involve family, you have a poker face. When it was me, you were like a momma bear on a rampage."

My babysitter came over and leaned down next to me. "The Chairman is ready to see you," he said.

"About time." I drained the rest of my milk and wiped my hands on the napkin. "If I don't come back, I'll be in the cells or the morgue, and I won't be the only one."

"Kick his ass, Mom," Anthony said.

I knew most of the people in the room, and there were three people whose reactions I questioned as I walked by. The first was Luna Brenda of Marengo Lake. She was sitting at a different table than John was; he looked mad, as I'd expect a father to feel after hearing his daughter had been silvered and placed in custody. Brenda looked like that girl that tattled on you, then smirked as you got sent to the Principal's office.