Chapter 7

(Chapter song ‘Monsters' by Ruelle)

EZRA I let her out once. Once, after my human side is done. I need her. The animals we hunt can’t be killed by me.

After leaving town and walking to the cabin that is now mine, I strip off my clothes and call the wind because I allow it. She has no power here. She’s a tool I need and under Croak, I can make her do what I want.

She trots along the dark paths around town at first, but I know we have to go deeper to find who we need.

I know there’s been some sent to the woods to the east. A special group of Michael’s outside the city he’s from. I was part of this group before he made me his fetch hound. We were told to watch. For what? I don’t care. My wolf just did as told.

They should still be there.

I travel through the trees and it isn’t long before a familiar scent hits my nose.

At the treeline of a clearing, they sit and wait. Watching for any signs of whatever happens in that town.

They’re shifted and I see the Croak around their necks. My mouth waters and I feel the drool pool. The venom starts to flow as a low growl comes from her throat.

‘No. They’ll kill us. We only need one. We need a lie.’

She growls in my mind.

‘You'll kill. Just not right now. I have to be sneaky first.’

I shift back and peek from behind a tree. Who can I pick?

I see a guy who’s my height and skinny. He has almost a full vial. That’s him I want.

They’re talking randomly about stuff I don’t quite understand. Something about a robe guy and how they want to kill him. They want to kill everything if Michael would let them.

I walk out of the trees and one sees me.

“Ezra?”

Several stand and walk toward me. I hold up my hand and they stop. The moon shows they’re all dirty and their red eyes glow at me.

“Michael sent a message.” I growl.

A man with red hair steps forward. “Michael says you’re not with him.” He snarls.

“Well…Michael’s wrong! I am. You want his words or what?” I grit.

A blonde girl pushes to the front. “What are they? Can we be freed from here?”

I shake my head. “Only him.” I lift my finger and point to the filthy brown haired guy I pointed out. “He’s got work.”

“Why him?” The red head clenches.

“He’s a chosen. I don’t make the words.” I snap. “If you have problems, face Michael.” I narrow my eyes at all of them.

They all look everywhere but at me.

I meet the eyes of the man I need. “Come.”

I turn and walk into the trees. I glance over my shoulder and he’s following.

We step through the trees. I turn. “Michael’s far. Shift.”

We both shift and I feel her murder fill me. She has a hatred for him even though he’s her kind. He runs behind me through the trunks and when we’re far enough away, I determine that it’s safe to make my plan be real.

I stop and pretend to sniff the air. He barks and I turn my head over my shoulder. He looks me over and my eyes fall to the chain around his neck.

His wolf growls in confusion and I lick my lips as I turn to face him.

He backs up. I think he knows my plan.

His lips curl and he snaps a bark.

My wolf gets bigger and she jumps. He rears up and I hit him full force. The hunger for blood and making him quiet fills my wolf and I laugh in her head. I’m getting my Croak and that’s all I need. I don’t need him or his words telling on me. We have to stop him from screaming.

She wrestled him to the ground with bone crushing bites. It’s been a long time since she’s killed and I feel a release from her as his yelps become garbled. She snaps his neck and tears his body apart. Legs and ears fly in different directions. Organs and skin litter the forest dirt. Her fur is once again coated in death. He's sick so no loved felt for his kind. He can’t join us. He joins Michael and his death rights that.

I spit out his throat and pick the vial of Croak up out the blood soaked soil.

This will last me at least a few months before I have to hunt again. I just need the other stuff now and that should be easy enough to get.

Just as I turn to walk away, I hear a low growl come from the dark shadows of the trees.

I look back to see a pair of gold eyes. A big black paw steps into the light and sinks into the dirt. It’s followed by another and I follow them up to a huge black wolf. The same wolf I saw at the fight.

He snarls and growls.

With the vial behind, I bare my teeth and return the threat.

His shiny fur lifts and he makes himself bigger.

My own fur stands up as I back away. My claws sink into the blood of the dead wolf.

I can’t fight him with this bottle in my mouth and I’m not dropping it either.

It’s now a stand off. His gold eyes meet mine and my red eyes glow.

The tension is thick and the air is even thicker. The moon plays on his massive stature.

He makes himself even bigger and takes a step.

That’s all I need and make a break for the trees.

His deep, dark bark pounds on my chest. His paws quake the earth. His hot breath is on my fur as I think…

I’m not making it out of this alive.

The Croak’s worth it. Run!

My wolf skids around corners in the leaf littered path.

He keeps right up.

I make a sharp turn and run into denser trees. I’m thin enough. He’s not. I weave around the trunks and leap the brush as it gets thicker in front of me.

I jump some brambles and my tail catches. I land on my stomach. I can hear him and my wolf whines. She scrambles to her paws and pulls hard. Her feet dig in and I feel pain explode up my tail across my back. I roll across the grass and heave breaths as the pain dulls. I lift my head and my tail. The tip of it is still in the brambles and I see it the rest of it turn dark red.

The growl hits my ears and I race to my feet. The moon is big and full as I run at full speed across the open field.

I can lose him in the trees across the way. I just need to get there.

I glance behind me and he’s barreling like a freight train.

‘LEAVE ME ALONE!’ I yell in mind.

The two of us run up and down the hilly pasture. I turn around, almost falling over, trying to confuse him. Really, I don’t even know. He makes a sharp turn after me and I turn back the other way. Dirt flies from my paws as I try to out maneuver him or at least tire him so much he’ll go away.

He catches up and tries to bite me. I jump out of the way and spin around. I bolt the other way and he tries to block me. I jump over him and sprint for the trees.

Past the trunks, he barrels through after me.

I need something…anything…then I see it.

A fox hole.

I duck and weave through trees and bee line for the hole.

I dash for it and disappear. It’s just big enough for me as I crawl through the tunnels. Hopefully there’s no one in here I won’t like.

I twist and turn in the intricate tunnel system. This seems like an everyone hole.

I see light ahead and realize it’s an exit.

Slowly, I step out and I’m up on a small hill. I peek over the top of it and I see him in the dark, trying to find a way to get me in the hole.

I watch him curiously. My wolf wants to go back and fight him.

‘No. I got what I want.’

I turn her around and we walk off into the night. My plan worked. When I do it again, I’ll have to go somewhere else. He knows us now. He’ll be watching. I have to be careful when I let her out.

Once at the cabin, I shift. I walk in and grab my bag. I walk out into the woods to the creek. I use a shirt and wash the blood off. Then I get dressed. I take my empty vial off and put the full one on. I lift it to my eyes a get lost in the translucency of the red liquid.

My wolf growls.

“This is why I’m Alpha.” I palm it, grab my bag and head into town.

****

OLIVER “IAN!!”

I slam the door to the pack house and strip off my sweatshirt.

“What?” He comes out of the dining room with a burger.

Once he gets to me, I snatch it from him.

“Hey!” He growls with a mouthful and throws his hands out.

I hold it up to his nose. “No food outside the dining room!” I growl and toss it into a trash bin by the foyer table.

“Fuck! You didn’t have to throw it…” He motions too the bin.

“Shut up.” I slam his chest with my sweater and flare my eyes as he takes it. “We have a rogue.” I push past him and head to my office.

“Wait. What?” He swallows and follows me.

Under the black wood stairs, I turn down a hallway of offices. At the end, I throw open my black, wood Ash sliding doors, revealing my dark office. I head to the other side of the room and open another door to a bathroom.

I wet a cloth and clean the dirt and sweat off me. I’ll have a shower, I just need to get the rogue off me now. I don’t like how she makes me feel.

“OK…Did you kill it?” He asks as he leans on the door.

I rub the cloth with more soap, wash my chest and pits. “No. She got away."

“Got away? From you?” His brows go up.

I side eye him as I wash my face again. “Yes. From me.”

“So, do you know where?”

I wipe the sink and counters and throw the cloth in a laundry hamper. “No. I don’t.” I say low.

I walk out and go to a another set of black sliding wood doors. I throw them open to a soft LED lit closet. I change my boxers, grab a fresh pair of dress pants and a crisp, white button down.

“So, what are you going to do?” He says as he leans his ass on my desk.

I snap my fingers and point. “Off! Couch!”

He groans and pushes off my desk and sits on the couch.

I tuck in my shirt and grab a tie. “We shore up border patrol. She’s a tri color wolf. Slim. Doesn’t smell like a regular rogue.”

“What does she smell like?” He arches a brow.

I shrug as I add cufflinks. “I don’t know, but she doesn’t make me want to hurl. It’s a weird exotic spice smell.”

“Yeah, that’s weird.” He nods.

“Find her and bring her in. I need to find out if she’s here because of Michael.” I order.

“OK.” He stands as I sit down at my desk. “Putting the rogue aside, I need to talk to you about this attitude you got.”

I finish writing the sentence I was and pause. “I wish you wouldn’t.” I clench.

“Look. I get it. Dad treated you like a hard ass and now you think you have to be one, but Oliver, when you do things like you did to the bartender, the pack sees that then they think it’s OK.” He leans his hands on my desk and I cringe.

I press my lips together and continue to write. “And that’s why you’re not Alpha. You don’t tolerate that level of disrespect. I just corrected a member that was out of hand.”

“Oliver. When you display this type of aggression, people who want to be you, use it. The rate of violence in the pack is rising. They try to emulate you. You may be a narcissistic asshole, but don’t turn the whole pack that way.” He motions to the side as he tries to find my eyes.

“Change the subject.” I side eye him and growl.

He sighs, lowers his head and shakes it. He knows I have no qualms taking him out. I’ve done it before without thinking twice. I strongly believe in a strong pack that takes zero shit. If people correct others disrespect, they have full right to. It makes my job easier.

When I assert my power, I make everyone understand that there is only first chances and if the first chance fails, then things get messy. Same with the justice system. There’s the political justice system then there’s my justice system. Humans call it street justice, I guess, but all I know is, I give people what they deserve, not what makes a good headline. I spare little and forgive nothing.

I know if I had my father’s seat on the council, this Unit would run completely different. It wouldn’t be so…soft and squishy. We’re military. We should be fucking acting like it and make the whole country fear us. Falcon should be top dog everywhere, instead of the joke it is.

I tell you, you put a proper Fredericks at the helm, people would be terrified to utter the word Falcon.

I’m sure that would never happen. The bunch of soft asses on the council now, have had their say. So, I work on my pack and make sure everyone knows that you cross us, there won’t be much of you left to take back. If my little brother doesn’t like it, then he can get out.

He sits down on the arm of the couch. “There’s also the matter of Andy.”

I drop my pen, side eye him and growl. My eyes glow gold.

He furrows his brow for a minute, then drops his head. He lets out a frustrated growl as he gets up off the arm of my couch and sits in the seat. He leans on his knees, turns to me and scowls. “Andy!” He snarls.

I close my eyes and push my wolf back down. I turn to my computer and casually push keys. “What about him?”

“He’s being transferred…here. To Falcon.” He informs.

I suck in my top lip, take in what Ian told me and lean back in my chair. I rest my elbows on arms and tap my fingertips together. I lower my head and close my eyes. I have to mentally prepare myself for this conversation.

“He’s requested a meeting when he gets here.” Ian says quietly.

“No.” I say low without looking up.

“Ollie. He’s our bro…”

“No…He’s not!” I bark.

“I understand how you feel, but family…”

“My family…doesn’t sexually assault women, Ian!” I clench my teeth so hard, they threaten to break.

He holds his hand up. “I get it. I’m pissed too, but…shouldn’t we try to help him?”

I sit up and pull my chair up to my computer. “No.” I say sharply.

“Ollie…”

“Get out, Ian! You don’t fucking mention his name in my presence again! Do you understand me?!” I turn to him and glare.

“Yes, Alpha.” He looks at me with complete disappointment.

I turn back. “You forget about him, too. You don’t need that kind of trash in your life.”

“Yeah, ok.” He stands. He turns to leave.

“Ian.”

He turns. “Secure the border tonight. I want that wolf caught.”

“Ok.” He mumbles and leaves.

Ian can be a solid voice of reason, but sometimes his heart can be bigger than his head. This is why he needs me. I keep him focus on the real world. Real stuff like the fact that our baby brother shouldn’t be breathing. Instead, we have to care for his ass in prison. The mental damage he caused will never be fixed. He should pay for that, but today’s politics doesn’t like that. Well, like I said, he may have to be locked up, that doesn’t mean he has to be comfortable while he is.

If you want to play in the mud, you coat yourself with it. Good guy or bad guy, we all get dirty in some way. Sometimes, these guys don’t understand that until someone like me gets in the mud with them then they know what its all fucking about.

The Falcon guys don’t like it because, like Ian, they have too much heart. They aren’t willing to throw the first punch, let alone end the fight the way it should end. The good guys standing with the bad guys dead at their feet. Only then, will other people will think twice.

Now, this rogue. She may have given me the slip, but I got her scent. I’ll hunt her down and show her what it means to cross me. Man or woman, they’re both dirty and rabid. Once I get the information I need from her, I’ll end her just like every other rogue.