41

Phoenix rubbed his hands nervously down his thighs. "There were a few things he wanted. Mainly, to clear his father's name."

When he paused, Savannah raised an eyebrow for him to continue. Emerald leaned against the back wall, a far more intimidating presence for the young rogue than even the Alpha made. Cale and Justin stood behind Savannah, each with a dark scowl on their face.

Eventually Phoenix sighed, having clearly debated with himself the pros and cons of sharing Zion's plans. Evidently, the time for keeping a friend's confidence was over the moment Zion murdered the most prominent Alpha on the continent. "He wanted to find proof that someone was really out to assassinate the Vinn Queen. Messages, emails, anything between the group of Alphas that could confirm their plans. Then the Captain would be justified in murdering them, the charges would be dropped, and he could live as a free man on the continent."

"Okay, that makes sense," Savannah pondered his words. "But did Zion really think Alistair was behind it? A royal assassination is a major crime to accuse somebody of."

Phoenix just shrugged.

After a few moments of silence, Cale spoke up, "He has the power to gain control of Vinlarhk's territories. The land is rich in resources. A lot of rebels and governors over the years have tried to fight the aristocracy for more land, more wealth."

Savannah slowly turned to him, surprise etched on her face.

"What? I did some research on Vinlarhk while you were away," he shrugged. "And besides, I'm sure lots of Alphas on this continent would like a stake in the wealth, too."

"Because they're greedy," Savannah mused, remembering Persia's words. "But to kill for it?"

Cale looked at her like she'd never seen the ugly side of life. Sighing, she nodded at Phoenix to continue.

"He also wants to find the Lava Mount Ruby."

"There you go," Cale lifted his hands as if to say case in point. "Zion wants the riches of the land, too."

Phoenix shook his head. "It's not just that. The ruby was given to the Captain by the Queen after he saved her from the assassination attempt. Zion only wants what rightfully belongs to his family."

"The ruby belonged to Victor?" This was news to Savannah. Talei had told her it had changed hands over the years as antique dealers brokered for it or thieves stole it. She'd never mentioned it was Victor's at one stage.

"And the other thing..."

Savannah didn't have to wait to hear it from Phoenix. "Finding his mate's killer."

"Mate?" Justin gaped, having not yet fully heard Zion's tragic backstory.

"I thought Bastien killed her?" Cale looked puzzled, ignoring Justin's question.

"Yes," Phoenix answered Cale. "But Zion wants to know who was paying Bastien. Who set up the hit? Who so desperately wanted Zion dead that they would kill anyone in their way, even if it was his innocent mate?" He said this with such anguish in his voice, that Savannah held up her hand to stop him. It was clear this wasn't easy on the young rogue.

"Okay, so why the conference?" she pushed her original question. "What was he hoping to achieve there? When Zion told me a little of his quest for answers, he said it wasn't Alistair who paid Bastien."

"That's true. He traced the accounts all the way to Catalya. But his working theory is that the events are all connected. He thinks it centres on the Alphas his father killed. Their families most likely want revenge, so they stole the ruby and used it to lure out Zion, not caring if they killed his mate along the way. What better way to bring a man pain?"

"This all sounds so horrible," Emerald came and sat beside Phoenix, taking his hand as her eyes glistened with tears. She was the most empathetic person Savannah knew, and was clearly absorbing the trauma of the sorrowful story.

"Alright, that makes sense," Savannah said practically. "I want information on all those Alphas. Find everything you can about them; their territories, their families, any police reports or news articles about the murders."

Even as Cale and Justin moved to obey their Alpha, Phoenix shook his head. "I personally don't think it's them. We've visited each of their packs. The families don't seem like the vindictive type. The current generation of Alphas—children of the fathers Victor killed—just want peace. They don't want to create any more trouble for their packs."

"What son or daughter doesn't want to avenge their father's death?" Justin scoffed.

Phoenix gave him a mild shrug. "Those who know their parents were involved in something unlawful. Maybe they don't want to continue the tradition, and are removing themselves from the conflict. Smart move, if you ask me."

Emerald gave him an encouraging smile, showing her support for this new non-violent side of him.

Savannah frowned, her mind calculating their options. "Then we're back at square one. Since we have no leads on what Zion's trying to find, we'll have to go after the man himself."

"He's eluded us for years. What makes you think we can find him now? You saw how he just slipped away, disappearing like a ghost after killing Alistair," Justin said, his tone a mixture of frustration and anger.

"I don't know." Savannah buried her face in her hands, the events of the night catching up to her and draining her of all energy. A part of her just wanted to bury herself in a hole and pretend like this conflict never existed. Another part wanted to wring Zion's neck for causing it all in the first place, while the last fraction of her heart wanted to find him, forget his sordid history, and run away from everything with him. It was a fantasy she had no hope of ever living out, and that realisation only caused her heart to ache even more.

"I know who can help us," Justin suddenly said, snapping Savannah from her troubled thoughts.

"Who?"

His smile unsettled her. "A man who's desperate to find Zion first. Instead of wasting our own energy, why not piggyback off someone who's pouring all their resources into the search?"

It took Savannah only a moment to figure out who he was talking about. "Pierce? You want to team up with Alpha Pierce?"

Justin's grin broadened, knowing he was right.

"That's ridiculous."

"Hey, you said you didn't want anything to happen to Zion," Justin shrugged, a smug expression on his face. Personally, he couldn't care less if the rogue was thrown into the deepest dungeon or banished to the furthest desert. But his loyalty remained to his Alpha, and he'd stick by her through this and probably save her life from her own recklessness.

"Not sure who you're talking about, but I know someone else who can help us," Phoenix added. "Remember that guy who snatched you in Hierapolis the first time you stormed off after arguing with Zion?"

"Darek? The creepy human nerd who kidnapped me for a piece of computer tech? You've got to be kidding me." Savannah scrubbed her hands down her face and sighed heavily. Why was she suddenly surrounded by a bunch of idiots?

Cale and Phoenix shared a knowing look, before the Gamma turned to his Alpha. "I don't mean to be a buzzkill, but...now that Lord Alistair is dead, what's gonna happen to those photos he had of you?"

"What photos?" Justin, having heard nothing about the compromising pictures, was curious as expected.

"Did you really have to bring that up now?" Savannah hissed at her Gamma, beyond annoyed at his perfect timing. Why did he have to blab about something she wished could stay dead and buried?

"I just think it's important, and we should factor it into our plans," Cale said calmly while watching her pace the office. It was well beyond midnight, almost morning, but the crisis at the Alpha conference of Lord Alistair's death had thrown everyone out of their comfortable routines.

Justin, even more tense and keyed up than his Alpha, asked again, "What are these photos? Why are they important?"

Savannah sighed before turning to Justin. "Just some grainy images of me and Zion that were somehow sent to Alistair. If anyone else sees them, they might recognise Zion and put us all in danger." While it wasn't the complete truth, it would do for now. She hated having something to hide, but she wasn't yet ready for her family to find out how far she'd fallen while chasing her rogue mate across the countryside. She wasn't proud of her actions, and wished she could take them back.

Justin studied her for a moment, and she hoped he didn't notice the blush creeping up her neck. If he ever saw those photos, he'd be shocked, aghast, angry and disappointed in her all at once, and probably never speak to her again.

And she'd deserve it.

"The point is," she hurried on quickly, before Justin could push any further. Thinking fast, she had to figure out a way to minimise the risk of the photos leaking, for her sake and Zion's. "We can deal with it later. Right now, we all need some sleep and then in the morning we can visit Pierce and go from there. Got it?" She fixed her command with her most authoritative look.

They all nodded solemnly, Emerald pursing her lips as she tilted her head to study her older sister closely. It was as if she could see through the veil in her words. Because truth was, sleep was the furthest thing from her mind.

Savannah couldn't help planning how to delete the copies of those images. Ideas formed in her mind as quickly as she dismissed them. A few times her eyes collided with Cale or Phoenix's, a funny look passing between them.

Cale, meet me out back, she linked her Gamma.

"What is it?" he asked once they'd stepped outside, standing on the back porch. He crossed his arms against the brisk air that greeted them. It would be a while before the sun rose and warmed the cool earth.

"I have an idea."

"But you just said--"

"Forget what I said," she waved his objections aside with a flick of her hand. She needed to speak with one of the few who knew the significance of her dilemma. He and Phoenix understood how much those photos needed to be erased. "Do you think there's a way we can get into Alistair's personal office, find his phone or laptop and search his files?"

Cale sucked in a breath harshly before releasing it on a long sigh. "That's risky."

"It could be as part of the investigation into his murder. We could ask Elder Truett for access to his office to look for evidence of death threats or anything else sus."

"They have official investigators looking into it," Cale pointed out bluntly, beginning to pace the length of the porch, keeping his steps light and his voice even quieter.

"I know. But seeing as we know more about the Silver Rogue, we're in a good position to help with the investigation." Savannah felt a glimmer of hope rise in her chest, whereas all night her insides had been twisted with turmoil and desperation. Not only was Zion on the run, Alistair dead, and her heart in tatters, but now her reputation was on the line and her pack would surely be taken off her if anyone found out just how closely she'd been willingly associating with the worst rogues on the continent. No matter how hard she tried, she could never justify her actions.

"Ryan could pose as a cyber analyst," Cale spoke, coming to stop in front of Savannah, "He can get past any firewalls and layers of security on Alistair's devices. While you and I sift through his filing cabinets, Ryan could make a copy of all his drives and files, and delete whatever you want. Wouldn't take him long."

Savannah felt her shoulders sag in physical relief. Cale's younger brother had completed online courses on cyber security, and he knew even more than Justin about informatics and communications technology. If there was anyone who could get past Alistair's privacy settings on his devices, it would be Ryan.

Savannah smiled to herself, then wrapped an arm around Cale's shoulders and squeezed him tight. "Super. Looks like we're going back to Villawood."

____________

"I need your help."

"You can't be serious. You beat up my border guards, then waltz in here and make demands?" Alpha Pierce stood at his front door, burly arms crossed over his chest as he barred Savannah's way in.

"They weren't cooperating," she shrugged. "I needed to get to you, so I did what I had to do." Behind her back, she shook out her fist which was still aching from the impact of the fight.

"Hm," the other Alpha stared at her thoughtfully, his eyes living up to his name, piercing through her very existence like he could rattle her with only a dark look.

"If you want to stand here all day counting the freckles on my face, I suggest you find a new obsession," Savannah quipped, pushing past him into his house as if she owned the place. She'd been to his private office only once before, when they'd finally agreed upon a trade deal that benefitted them both.

Pierce was a hard man to deal with, but Savannah had determined to soften his unrelenting heart. He and his pack had been screwed over too many times by Savannah's cruel grandfather Alpha Elbert, so she didn't blame the man for being adamant in his hostility towards her pack. Kaiden, and now she, had been working hard over the years to prove they were nothing like their antecessor, and instead could be trusted as neighbours and allies.

She hoped this particular visit would strengthen the fledgling bond and not bring it down like a house of cards.

"I suppose you want me to ask what I can do for you?" Pierce asked, following her into his office. He watched her skeptically as she studied his decor and paintings hanging on the wall.

"I actually came with a proposal," she turned to face him, an impish smile on her face.

Unamused, he leaned against his desk and folded his arms again.

When he tilted his head but remained silent, Savannah took this as her cue to launch into her hastily prepared speech. "I want to work with you. I know you're after the Silver Rogue, as am I. Together, we can cover more ground, follow more leads. Instead of--"

He cut her off with a raised hand. "Are you serious? What makes you think I'm going to share the credit of capturing the most wanted rogue with a joke of an Alpha like you?"

She gulped, hurt by his insult, and shared a look with Justin who had accompanied her. He shrugged as if to remind her this was her idea and all up to her to deal with Pierce's endearing personality.

Taking a fortifying breath, she changed tack. "It's just that, I so desperately want to stop this horrible rogue from whatever he's planning. My pack has suffered so much, and we can't afford any more losses. You can understand where I'm coming from, right?" she gave him a plaintive frown, seating herself on his couch while his Beta and guards stood alert, watching with speculative attention.

Pierce shared a look with his Beta Whitney, knowing full well the type of suffering inflicted by the Silver Rogue. His second in command had been poisoned, left for dead, his territory infiltrated by the unruly gang of rogues, his land blown to pieces by explosive charges as the rogues made their escape. Most packs on the continent had been touched by the destructive hand of the cunning and deadly rogues.

"Go on," he uttered lowly, his voice harsh with an irritated growl.

Savannah dropped her head in her hands, massaging her scalp with her fingers as though plagued by a migraine. "I've been under a lot of stress lately, since being taken by the rogues. It was a shocking ordeal," she paused, staring at the carpet as memories replayed in her mind. "I'm distracted, constantly thinking what terrible thing he's going to do next. My wolves are still suffering because of my absence. There are ongoing issues. Border problems. Disruptions to training and discipline. Our production is down--"

"Production? As in, timber production?" Pierce interrupted, his fists tightening.

Savannah smothered a satisfied smile, holding her own fists back from punching the air in victory. She'd caught his attention. "Oh yeah, among other things..."

Pierce growled, fixing her with a heated look. "I hope my delivery is still on track."

She gave a dramatic sigh of resignation. "I can't guarantee anything after all that's been happening lately. There are likely to be delays for months--"

The male Alpha grew angrier by the second. "But I need that timber for my new housing estates! It's important, and you promised--"

"And you promised me upgrades to my telecommunications!" Savannah stood to her full height, throwing all her authority behind her words. "How can you be working on my new tech when you're pouring inordinate amounts of energy into the search for Alistair's killer? You don't even know if it was the SIlver Rogue or not!" She threw up her hands in exasperation. "So I propose a deal."

Crossing the room, she slammed her hands palm down on his desk and leaned in close until she possessed his full attention. "We search for him together. You include me on everything you find out, and I help you capture him. I know him better than anyone else. He hurt you and your pack. He abducted me and used me for his own ends. Together, we can bring him to justice."

"What about the reward for his capture?"

"You can claim it all. I'm not interested in money. I just want my family and pack to be safe from his menace." And my heart to stop aching so bad from his betrayal. "Is that too much to ask for?"

Pierce took a deep breath, never removing his eyes from hers as he contemplated her offer. Finally, he released it with a slow sigh, a semblance of a smile tugging on his lips. "Fine. But we do things my way. Tomorrow morning Whit and I leave for Villawood, the centre of the investigation. I guess you can tag along."

"How kind of you. I'll be ready by sunrise. My trusty Beta will remain in charge of timber production, and you'll have your order by the date agreed upon."

"If it's even a half day late..."

Pierce didn't need to finish his threat. Savannah was shaking his hand with a sly smile on her face, then she filed out of his office, casting a victorious glance to his fuming guards who waited by the door with cut lips and bruised eye sockets.

"Alpha! Tell us a story!" A little pup ran up to Savannah and tumbled down at her legs, rolling in the grass with excitement.

Savannah took a deep breath, tasting the smoke of burning pine on her tongue. The new moon was hidden in the sky, shedding no light onto her territory, so her wolves had built a large bonfire in the centre of town. Fire Nights were a regular event, a chance for the pack to come together and share food, music, and stories. There was always much laughter, time to unwind and thank their King for the blessings of the month, and of course welcoming new pack members.

The Alpha watched Phoenix playing a game of footy with the other young warriors and some excited teens, with Emerald cheering from the sidelines. She saw her parents chatting with Charles, Lexi, and a few older couples from their generation.

Even Caleb and Miranda were here, Kaiden's former head guard and his girlfriend. They'd had an on-again, off-again relationship for years, working through trust issues and previous relationships, but the couple had finally reached a point of commitment a few years ago. They were trying for their own pup, but had sadly miscarried a couple times. Savannah watched with empathy as Miranda cuddled Lexi's youngest child to her chest, a look of longing in her eyes.

"Come on, a story?" Daisy, the young pup who was begging for a story, looked up at Savannah with her beautiful brown eyes.

The Alpha's heart was a million miles away and her mind was drifting between memories and future dreams, but how could she say no? "Okay." Standing from the log seat, she brushed off the back of her pants then clapped her hands together. She used to love telling stories around the bonfire at Fire Nights. How many times had she, her siblings, and friends acted out plays and dramas for their pack members? Telling stories was in her veins, so it should be no surprise her own life had turned into such an epic tragedy.

"Once upon a time, there was a mighty Alpha who ruled over all the southern continent," she began, drawing everyone's attention. Standing taller under the weight of her pack's eyes, she continued, "Everyone loved and respected him for his wisdom and knowledge. Then, one terrible night," her tone took a dark turn, her voice growing husky with intrigue, "the powerful Alpha was ambushed by the deadliest rogue on earth, and was shot point-blank in the chest."

Everyone gasped in such a predictable way that Savannah couldn't help smiling dramatically. "All the pack wolves were shocked! Incensed with rage at the death of their leader, they launched the largest manhunt in wolf history. The lethal and elusive rogue was now on the run, while his mate was doomed to a life of despair." Savannah's voice rose, anguish filling her intense words. "And she withered away from heartbreak. The end!" Clapping her hands with flourish, Savannah bowed low and grinned crookedly at her listeners.

A little voice at her knees piped up, "That...wasn't a very happy ending," Daisy frowned, on the verge of tears.

"Well, my sweet cheeks," Savannah knelt down and patted Daisy's chubby face endearingly. "Life isn't always filled with happy endings, so get used to it." With that, she turned and stalked into the forest, hearing the distressed murmurings of everyone she left behind.

"Savannah!" her mother called her back, unmistakable reproach in her voice.

"I'll go talk to her," Justin offered before jogging towards the forest where his Alpha had escaped to.