Chapter 61

Gideon

~Crack~ This Is the sound I hear as I slam my fist down on my desk. "Nothing! We have nothing! Just bits and pieces of theories, no evidence, no witnesses!" I yell out as I throw my laptop across my office.

"You know what we need?" Ulv breaks my tirade.

"What! Not your bullshit, that's for sure." I snarl at my wolf. I am in no mood.

"To kick someone's ass! Let's go to the training grounds and spare a bit." I can feel his excitement and mine melding together. "Maybe a run as well, and if we still have some tension left, maybe our beautiful Luna will soothe us." Ulv's idea sounds like the perfect way to relieve my stress and tension.

"My friend, those are all excellent ideas." The scowl on my face is replaced with a devilish grin as I leave my office and head down to the training grounds. I can't help but think about what has pushed me into this horrible mood.

It's been two weeks since Amelie's Luna Ceremony, and we have nothing new. I still haven't heard from Alpha Flynn Kory or his Beta Frank Newman, Lacy Newman's father. Lacy did not attend the ceremony gathering, and Alpha Nox Jericho's only response was that she was not feeling well. Which doesn't make sense because werewolves don't just get sick, and if she were pregnant, he would have announced it. Something's not right as we already suspect.

I am also waiting to hear from Flynn on the state of the investment club that Nox was involved in. The list of investments is odd and counterintuitive to werewolf culture and lifestyle. The silver switchblade that Bane Nichols carried from the Red Star Pack and Halston Payne of the Dark Wood Pack that attacked the boys seem to be the ring leaders and connected. The other boys were manipulated to join the ambush. Alpha Dale Nichols, Bane's father, said the knife was picked up after a rouge attack in his territory, but the attack was never reported. As shaky as it sounds, they might be related to rouge attacks. That's the other problem. Not only do we have no evidence, but we have no idea why or how. What's really going on? Who are all the parties involved? When will they make a mistake? Where are they hiding Tate and Karen, and why?

I get down to the training grounds and grab a pair of shorts from the locker room. We have extras for after a shift. I'm not going to need a shirt or shoes. I was going to go for a run right after, so I'm letting loose. I step out of the locker room and find the two Delta Elite forces training together. Benjamin is the caption of force one, and Matt is the caption of force 2.

"OK, elite forces, let's put you to the test. Two from each team, a total of four verse me!" I give them my best welcoming smile, but I know it's dripping with mischief. They would not dare to defy their Alpha, but they also don't want to get their asses ultimately handed to them. Either way, it was going to hurt.

Four warriors are selected and surround me. Two come at me at the same time, one from behind the other from the front. The one in the front is slightly faster, I wait till he reaches me, and I turn slightly, tripping him and throwing him off balance, then I use the rest of his momentum to flip him into the attacker from behind right before he reaches me. They are down, and a third attack is launched from my right. He's brilliant doesn't go for a head shot but low for a body shot and a leg sweep. I block him, but he rolls out of my counter before I can get him. I like this guy. Then the fourth guy attacks, going for my shoulder. Tring to immobilize me so the others can get the upper hand. Soon all four were back on their feet and attacking. I fought them off and countered each of their attacks. They were getting more and more desperate to land a blow or attempt a submission. This is what I needed to blow off some steam. They keep come again, and again I can feel Ulv pressing to the surface. Soon enough, the four were sprawled on the ground, exhausted and beaten.

"Well, I guess that's enough for today." I chuckle and start heading to the tree line.

"Alpha, wait. Your phone is ringing" Benjamin starts running toward me with my phone in his hand.

"Damn it," I say with a sigh and take the phone.

I look, and the caller ID says Alpha Flynn Kory.

"Alpha Flynn, it's good to hear from you," I say as I answer the call.

"Alpha Gideon, thank you for taking my call. I wanted to talk to you about that investment opportunity we discussed during Amelie's Luna Ceremony." He's coding his message making sure to throw off any eavesdroppers.

"I think that's an excellent idea. When do you have the time available?" I continue speaking vaguely. His phone might have been cloned. The precaution was necessary.

"I hope we can have that conversation in person." I was not expecting Flynn to request I come to New York City.

"How soon do we need to have this conversation?" I hope it's sooner rather than later. I need a solid lead.

"As soon as possible. My Beta and I have a lot to discuss with you. Let me know when you will be arriving. I hope to see you soon." Beta Newman wants to talk to. He might have information about Lacy.

"You will be seeing me very soon." I hang up after that.

I stand there for a moment. I am thinking over the brief conversation and my next move when Ulv interrupts my train of thought. "Are we going to stand around all day or are we going to get moving. We have a hunt to continue."

"It's an investigation." I turn around and start heading to my office.

"Don't care what you call it. I want blood." Ulv snarls. I couldn't agree with my wolf more. We both wanted blood for coming after Amelie and this odd plot to take over packs.

I mind-link my team. "Meet me in my office in 10 minutes." I quickly head back to the locker room and change back into my everyday jeans and shirt. When I get to my office, Tyson and Marcus are already waiting.

"Alpha, Matt, and Benjamin will be here shortly," Marcus tells me. I nod and sit behind my desk in my chair. About a minute later, Matt and Benjamin knock on the door.

"Come in," I yell. They quickly come in and take a seat.

"Alpha Flynn called, and It seems I will be traveling to New York tonight. Marcus and Benjamin, you and your team, will come with me. Tyson, you will say here and cover my duties, Matt. You and your team will guard Luna Amelie. I already know there is no canceling her calendar. She does not leave this house without you, do you understand!" I push my Alpha Aura.

"Yes, Alpha. We will guard the Luna and future Alphas with our lives." Matt bows his head in submission.

"Good. We will need to pack professionally for this trip. We will go to Alpha Flynn Kory's Pack, The Hudson Bay Pack, and his investment firm's headquarters. Tyson, who is our most trusted forensic accountant?"

"That would be Magen Peppers Alpha," Tyson replies.

"What is her birth pack?" I know we have a mole. I need to be careful who outside of this group we bring along.

Tyson quickly accesses the pack files on his laptop. "Cuyahoga Valley Pack in Ohio, Alpha Bowers sir. She was the head warrior's daughter."

"Perfect, let her know she will be joining our trip and be ready to head to the airport in two hours. We will take the Council's jet." Alpha Bowers was one of Amelie's relatives or a branch of the Ashwood family. I was confident Magen was loyal. "You are all dismissed. I'll meet you out front in two hours."

I get up and walk over to my broken laptop on the floor from earlier. "Marcus, can you get the guys to transfer my files to a new laptop and have it ready before we leave."

Marcus looks down at my smashed laptop and picks it up, "I'll have our tech team do it right away." He steps toward the door but turns around to look at me. "Alpha, we are going to get to the bottom of this. I know we will." He quickly turns around and walks out.

I let out a deep sigh. I wish I could be that confident. If we are leaving in two hours, I need to pack and say goodbye to my girls. I hate to leave Amelie at all while she's pregnant, but I don't feel confident parading her around, being that she's ten weeks along. Also, after the poisoning and the goddess's possession, I don't want her to leave the house, let alone our room. The threat is so real, but I feel powerless to stop it. It's the most frustrating part of this whole thing, the vulnerable feeling all the time. When Mandy died, I felt helpless because there was nothing I could do. I couldn't fight death for her. Now we have this looming threat that I can't do anything about, and I feel powerless just grasping at any bit of information, trying to make it more than it is just to have something. Desperation and powerlessness are not feelings I'm comfortable with or know how to deal with. This feeling that at any moment, all that I love and care about could be ripped away. I don't know how I could move on. I don't think I could. I would go crazy with grief.

I pull myself out of the hole I was spiraling down and bond-link Amelie, "Am, baby. I have to go to New York tonight. Do you want to meet me in our room so I can pack?"