Treasure Ch. 66-70

He paused as he walked over to a man sitting at a computer and handed him a memory card. "The initial investigation was flawed, and we now know why. The Council didn't find the truth because they were part of the conspiracy to destroy the Pack, along with Alpha Todd and Alpha Will Nygaard."

"Objection, Alpha Nygaard is not here to answer these charges," Mr. Restwell said.

"Alpha Nygaard's Pack was issued an arrest warrant for him when the attack started here. The acting Alpha, Carson, reported that his father went missing three days ago and has broken his Pack bond. All Packs have been informed of his rogue status and have been directed to look for him," the Chairman said. "Objection denied. Continue, Mr. Nygaard."

"The prosecution need not call any witnesses, instead we will let their own words establish probable cause. The first recording was made in the conference room of the Bitterroot Pack. We will pick up immediately after the hearing on Coral Nygaard was concluded."

"Objection, the Defense has not had a chance to review the tape and the use of recordings made without my client's knowledge is prejudicial," Mr. Restwell said.

"Source of the tape?"

"It was made by then-Beta Ron Carlson of the Bitterroot Pack, Mr. Chairman."

"Objection denied, the Pack can record their own proceedings. Proceed." The audio recording was played, and you could see the emotions play across the audience as the contents went out. The Alphas who had voted the Council out had done it largely on the content of this recording, and they sat stone-faced along with the Council. The shock and betrayal in the faces of the Donner and Casper Packs, that was difficult to watch, along with the pain and loss in the faces of the Oxbow and Adirondack packs. When the recording finished, the defense didn't know what to do, so Sawyer played the next tape. This was the confession of Theta Thomas, made the day before in the safe room of the Arrowhead pack, followed by his phone call with his Alpha.

When the recording stopped, the Chairman needed thirty seconds to get the room back under control, aided by the Alpha commands from the friendly ones. "The proceedings will recess for thirty minutes so the Council may determine if the charges should be held over for trial. I would remind everyone that the prisoners are under Council protection, and any attempts to harm them will be dealt with harshly." He gaveled the hearing to an end, and everyone waited standing until they had left the room.

The defendants were escorted from the room to a small office, where they were allowed to meet with their lawyers. "Here's your discovery," Sawyer said as he brought a box of documents into the room.

When he left, the lawyers let out a long sigh. "I've seen convictions on far less," Restwell said. "I would advise you to allow me to negotiate a plea deal that will save your lives."

"Never," Gruber said. "You find a way out of this."

He just laughed. "Right now, the safest place for you five is IN a council prison," he said. "Did you see the faces of the people out there? All the ones with family members that you killed, not to mention Alpha Rori and her claims. If they document what was on those tapes with money transfers and eyewitness testimony, you'll die, all of you. Not an easy death either, do you remember what happened to Alpha Todd and his men?"

"We did what we needed to do," Craig Forrest said. "I won't apologize, and I won't plead guilty."

"Then you and your line will die," Kemp said. "Your Packs will be decimated, perhaps even disbanded. You're dead, you just haven't realized it yet."

They talked for a while longer, until a guard opened the door to call them back to the hearing. They were led or wheeled in and sat again at the table before the Alphas and the Council called it to order. "The Council has found sufficient evidence to hold this matter for trial. The accused Alphas and Mr. Forrest are hereby removed from their positions, and their Packs will be placed under the supervision of the Council as follows. Mr. Malloy will be temporary Alpha of the Donner Pack, Mr. Zola the Bitterroot Pack, and Mr. Millner the Cascade Pack." The three men were retired Alphas, Zola from a European Pack, but not retired long enough to be on the Council yet. Charles had been elevated as an exception to the rule, as he was less than ten years away and he was the oldest of the suitable candidates.

The two Alphas and Councilman Forrest winced in pain as their Pack bonds were ripped from them. Their men, no longer bound by Alpha commands, were free to let their true testimony and feelings known now, and it wasn't pretty. "The blessed female is not a prize to be traded," one of the Donner Betas said with a snarl before the Chairman established order again.

"Take them to the cells," Chairman Coffey said. "Trial will be one week from Monday, eight o'clock, right here. These proceedings are complete." He banged his gavel and the Council and Alphas rose, walking from the room. Rori and the other Alphas followed, and she finally felt safe and accepted.

Rori and Chase were busy socializing and building alliances the rest of the evening. What they had pulled off, with Michael and Margaret's help, was nothing short of astounding. They had not only convinced six other Packs of the Council conspiracy but rallied those Packs and the Brotherhood to Oxbow Lake for the final showdown. In one afternoon, the Alphas had united their kind against the entrenched evil that had controlled them and said, "No more."

It was after midnight when the two got back to their room. They wanted, they needed each other, their bond would accept no less than their joining, no matter how tired they were. They made love slowly and tenderly, both enjoying the sensations of their bond and bodies. When they crashed over the edge, their bodies clinging to each other, all Chase could say was, "I love you."

She relaxed down onto the bed, her head resting on her chest while he remained inside her. "I love you too," she said, and with that they were asleep.

They rose the next morning at seven with the sunrise. "What do you want to do today," Chase asked as she finished in the bathroom.

"I want to see for myself where it all happened," she said. "Seventeen years ago today," she said as she started to cry.

"I'll talk to your uncle and see if we can arrange something," he said.

"I don't want a big production," she replied. "I don't know how I'll handle it, and I don't want a bunch of people around. That's why I want to do it early."

An hour later, they had been joined by Coral and Michael in his Jeep, bouncing along the bumpy trail towards the Arrowhead Pack ruins. They parked near the foundation of the Pack House and got out. Rori was shaking as Michael showed her where the buildings had been. She was crying as she imagined how it must have looked when she was a baby.

Her wolf couldn't take it any longer when they got to the safe room, where so many of her Pack had died. She shifted, destroying her clothes as her wolf came out. She let out a pained howl, then ran off for the woods.

"Stay here," Chase told Michael as he pulled his own clothes off and shifted. Coral was right with him, and the two siblings ran hard to catch up to his mate. They were miles away, running hard, but Rori was the fastest wolf they'd ever met.

Coral stumbled as the wind shifted, bringing a new scent to them. Chase caught it too and growled. "Rogue," he sent to the two women. "Rori, come back to us, it's not safe."

Coral veered off towards the scent, cresting a small rise until she could see what was on the other side. A man was kneeling on the ground, looking at a pile of stones. The smell hit her like a truck, causing her to stop and shift back to her human form. "It's him," her wolf told her.

Ch. 68

The man sat silently in front of the grave, tears rolling down his face and his eyes closed as he prayed. His focus was such that he didn't hear the wolves running towards him. It was only when he heard the bones crunching as one shifted that his wolf recognized the danger and he looked up. He turned around in panic; he was a rogue, being here on this land was dangerous even if the Pack no longer existed. He was going to run until he saw her; she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, young and strong, tall and athletic with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

Eyes that were staring into his as his wolf went nuts. "MATE MATE MATE," his wolf told him as his jaw dropped open. He was frozen, staring at her as she did the same.

She took in the strange man, her wolf pushing her to go to him as her human side wanted to make sure he wasn't dangerous. He was handsome; he looked to be in his late twenties, with shoulder-length shaggy brown hair and hazel eyes. His face was rugged, a short beard over tanned skin, and it was obvious he spent a lot of time outdoors. Broad shoulders and chest were covered by a blue flannel shirt that was tailored to taper to a trim waist. The shirt tucked into faded jeans; his thighs were thick and powerful, his whole body screamed power and sex appeal. "Who are you," she said softly as she stood there naked.

"Keith. Keith Sexson," he said. He looked behind her, seeing the big male wolf he pulled off his shirt and handed it to her so she could cover up. "Please, I will not hurt you, I could never hurt you. I am your mate."

She reached for the shirt, their fingertips touching as she grabbed it. She felt the shock, then a tingle ran up her arm and shot straight to her core. She gasped, pulling back she quickly pulled his shirt over her as her brother ran up. The scent of the flannel called to her wolf, it calmed her and helped her relax. Her brother was growling as he approached. "Cut it out, he's my mate," she said.

His growl immediately stopped, and he shifted into his human form. "He's a rogue, we don't know anything about him," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my sister's grave," he said. "I've done it every year since I lost her."

Rori came running up, sitting at Chase's side. "He is her mate? Congratulations, Coral," she sent.

Chase wasn't convinced. "How did you become a rogue?"

"I never had a chance to join a Pack, my mother could not bring me here," he told them. "It's a long story."

"It's a long walk," Coral said. She moved forward and stepped into his body, wrapping her arms around his sculpted chest. "I don't care if you're a rogue as long as you are willing to join our Pack. This is Alpha Rori King and Alpha Chase Nygaard of the Arrowhead Pack."

He froze as she said the name of her Alpha Female. "It can't be, their only daughter was Charlotte," he said as he looked closely at her wolf. "She died in the attack."

"She escaped that night. A lot has come out in the last year about that night, but since you aren't Pack you would have no way to know," Chase said.

"It's really her?" He got down on his knees and Rori approached so he could get a good sniff of her. "It's the Pack scent, by Luna I've missed that," he said as he hugged her neck. "I can't believe you are really here."

Rori shifted to her human form and stood up, and Keith was struck by the similarities with her mother. "I was found on a road a few miles from here by a pair of humans who adopted me," she said. "I grew up among humans, like you, but I did not know what I was until about a week ago. I have claimed her birthright and my land, I found and mated Chase, and now have a Pack of over twenty-five wolves. Coral here is our Beta, and my mate's twin sister."

It took him a moment to soak all that in. "How did you get away? How were you the only one who escaped?"

"We found out last year when we discovered the Pack who did it that they chased a female this way before raping and killing her," Chase said. Keith sat back on his heels, his eyes wide. "She carried the Alpha's child to safety before going back to fight the men chasing her, knowing that if they found the child they would both be killed. She gave her life to save Rori's, we know she was killed out here somewhere, but her body was never found."

Sobs racked his body, and Coral moved into his arms and started to hug and comfort him. "Cheryl... sweet Cheryl, thank Luna you didn't die in vain," he cried out. They let him exhaust his sorrow, and when he moved back from Coral's embrace, they both stood up. "Come here," he said as he took her hand.

"I was born in 1972 at a hospital in Minneapolis. My mother was the daughter of Arrowhead Pack Warriors, and when she turned eighteen, she didn't find her mate among either of the area Packs." He walked them to the pile of stones. "She had grown up with my father, he was the son of the Pack Betas. He was handsome and charming and attentive, and when neither had found their mate they turned to each other in secret. Their relationship went on for five years, and then he went to the Banff Pack for training with their warriors."

"Your parents were Arrowhead?"

"Yes." He looked down at the stones. "He was gone for six months, but when he arrived, he found his mate. She was a Beta's daughter and had just turned eighteen, and they fell for each other hard as all mates do. They completed the mating, and the Pack celebrated the discovery, promising a big party when he returned. My mother was heartbroken, but they both understood the danger of being together when they started having sex, and she had to let him go. Three weeks later, she learned that she was pregnant."

"Oh shit," Coral said.

"Indeed. He was a Beta, she was not, and she couldn't greet him and his new wife on their return with a baby on board. His mate might leave him, and if she found her mate, he might reject her. The pregnancy could ruin both of their lives."

"How," Rori asked.

"Their Alpha had warned against such relationships for just that reason, he would not allow a choice mating unless you had been unsuccessful in finding a mate for thirty years and had visited all the Packs. He could lose his position, and she would sent off in disgrace to another Pack." He reached down and moved one of the rocks. "Instead, she enrolled in college at the University of Minnesota, telling everyone she was working on her nursing degree. She remained a member of the Arrowhead Pack, but rarely visited. She waited until I had graduated from high school and joined the Marines before she returned to the Pack full time in 1989. By that point, my father and his mate had gotten pregnant and Cheryl was born in December of 1981."

"What about your Mom," Rori asked.

"My mother never found her mate, she died in the attack. Cheryl and my father were the only other family I had, even though I had never met them and could never join the Pack."

"Why?"

"The family bond would snap into place if I got too close to her or my father, and he and the Alpha would be able to tell. I was all right with it; I had grown up without a Pack and didn't want to cause them problems. My mother had told me about her, had shown me photos of her, and I wanted her to be happy. She was a good kid, loving and caring. She was happiest working with the children." He stood back up, pulling Coral into his side. "I did two tours in Iraq, then got out of the Marines and moved to Grand Marais. I started an outfitting service, bringing fishermen and hunters into remote cabins in the region."

"Wait, weren't you worried about running into werewolves up there?"

"No, werewolves avoid the Boundary Waters and Superior National Forest because of the wild wolf packs in the area. They don't want to disturb them, and that worked to my advantage."

"Huh. So. what happened that night?"

"I had gotten back from a trip and saw the fire on the news. As soon as I saw the aerial view, I knew it was the Arrowhead Pack. I drove down, but the place was crawling with Council and Pack wolves. I couldn't get anywhere near the compound itself, not for two weeks. I hung out on the fringes, hoping I could sneak in there when no one was around. I was taking a long run back to my parked car when I smelled it. A full week after the attack, the smell of death and decay was unmistakeable." Tears ran down his face. "I found her right over there, in the gully and covered by broken branches and rocks. She had been beaten and raped, even after all that time I could smell them on her. I memorized the scents I could find, hoping that someday I would have a chance to kill them myself."

Chase shook his head no. "The Council was in on the cover-up, Keith. They made sure the killers would not be found, at least until it couldn't be hidden any more last year. The ones who killed her did suffer for their actions, I can promise you that. I can show you the videos of their trials and punishments."

"Good." He took a deep breath. "I didn't have much I could do with all of them around. Even though I was fifteen miles away, I was still a rogue on Pack lands and would be killed on sight. I returned to my car and the next day I brought a shovel. I spent the day digging her grave and covering it with rocks. Everyone else had died at the Pack House, and I never got to say goodbye. Since then, every year on this day, I come back to be with them. I visit my sister's grave, and the place where my mother died."

"You're a good man, Keith," Chase said as he clasped his shoulder. "I can tell."

"So, he can join?" Coral didn't want to have to leave her brother, but she would to be with her mate if he wouldn't accept a rogue.

"Of course. I'm thrilled you found him, Coral. I was worried you would find a Next Alpha somewhere in Europe and leave us." He embraced his new brother-in-law as Rori hugged Coral. "Welcome to the Arrowhead Pack, Keith."

"Welcome home," Rori told him with a hug of her own.

He pledged his allegiance to them and felt the Pack bond snap into place. It staggered him a little; never having been in a Pack, he had no idea of what it would mean to his wolf. "You've got family, my love," Coral sent him.

"We need to head back, I'm sure Alpha Michael is getting anxious," Chase said.

"Can we run together as wolves," Keith asked. "I never got to run with anyone but my mother, and it would make my wolf happy."

"I'd love to," she said. Rori and Chase shifted while Coral pulled the shirt off and rolled it up, putting it in her mouth as she shifted. She watched as her mate stripped, rolling his clothes up around his shoes before shifting and picking them up with his teeth. They turned and followed Chase back towards the Pack House, running hard two-by-two through the woods.

Ch. 69

Alpha Michael waited nervously back at the old Pack compound. The place had always given him the creeps. Knowing what had happened in the safe room and how many had died on this very ground made his wolf uncomfortable. It felt like hallowed ground, and he retreated to his Jeep to wait for Rori to return.

It hadn't surprised him when she bolted. The number of shocks to her system was more than any person could be expected to withstand, and he had been expecting a breakdown to come at some point. Two weeks ago, she was a 'human' girl hiding out among the bikers and working on her fighting and her art. Now? She had connected to her wolf, recovered from a serious injury, met and mated the man fated for her, emerged a dominant Alpha and established her own Pack, all while on the run. "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" He laughed at his little joke, sometimes the hits just kept on coming.

She was a strong young woman, and Chase was the perfect anchor for her as she adjusted.to her new life. He had promised Colletta before they arrived that his Pack would aid the transition in any way they could.

He busied himself with work, using the spotty cell reception to send emails and check on the status of the Pack businesses and investments. The businesses were fully staffed by Pack wolves and worked over the mail to limit human interactions. The investments were just that, although a Pack member might be in charge. They had to be careful as their lifespans and lack of aging were not easy to explain to workers.