Chapter 10

Maya avoided looking at Garrett while they were all at the scene of the attack, which was harder than she expected since there was this pull between them that was unavoidable. Her wolf desperately wanted to go to him, to seek comfort from him, even as her human half snarled his pack was responsible for the destruction. Finally, Rafe finished his own circuit of the scene and headed for Caleb and Garrett, and Maya couldn't avoid them any longer.

Reluctantly, she headed over to the small group by the edge of the clearing. Rafe and Caleb had moved a short distance away to compare notes, leaving her and Garrett to wait. The sun was low in the sky and a chill settled over her that only added to the bone numbing sensation she already had from the leftover horror of the attack.

A heavy leather jacket settled over her shoulders, the warmth seeping into her immediately. She glanced at Garrett, who only shrugged. "You looked cold and I'm okay. Keep it until we get back to the cars."

She wanted to toss it back to him, but the scent of sandalwood and tobacco and dried leaves soothed her wolf, provided that comfort her wolf had been longing for during their time in the clearing. So she clutched the fronts of the jacket and wrapped it around her to warm her fully.

Eventually, the Council Enforcers came over, troubled looks on both their faces. The pale-haired wolf, Caleb, spoke first. "There are a lot of scents layered over each other in the area. It's hard to get a solid read on what happened."

He held up a hand before Maya could protest. "We understand the health and well-being of your wolves was primary when you all arrived on scene. I'm not making a judgement. I'm stating a fact. This may make it difficult for us to discern exactly who belongs and who doesn't."

"Typical," Maya snorted, bitterness dripping from the word. As usual, Saranac was going to get away with their deeds.

Rafe laid a hand on her arm. "No, Maya. Caleb said difficult, not impossible. We don't think it's a good idea for you to interview anyone at Saranac."

Garrett shook his head. "I doubt anyone would speak with her. Females don't work in an enforcer role in Saranac. They have other roles, no less important."

"Right, more submissive roles," Maya muttered.

"Protecting and raising pups is very important," Garrett said defensively.

"Sure it is, but a strong woman can do both, or more, even have a career. This is the twenty-first century, you know," Maya shot back.

"We're a more traditional pack, preferring to protect our females, cherish them."

"Tell that to the females we've rescued."

Garrett opened his mouth, but Caleb smoothly stepped between them. "Enough. This isn't the time nor the place. We have pups to find. I'll go with Garrett to talk to Saranac and Rafe will go with Maya to interview Dirigo. We'll meet up tomorrow morning at the conference room in the hotel and report to Charles. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded, and the group broke up. Maya started to shrug out of the jacket, but Garrett stopped her. "Keep it. You can give it back to me tomorrow."

He turned and melted off into the forest, a silent Caleb on his heels.

Maya waited a few minutes, then walked down the path to her car, Rafe falling into step beside her. "So, you two have a history?"

She shrugged. "I suppose. But we're on opposite sides now. Nothing can overcome that."

"Are you sure? I sense a mating bond forming between you two. Am I correct?"

She halted so quickly that he had to backtrack a couple of steps. "Why do you say that? Can you sense them?"

He shrugged. "Not exactly. We've been trained to look for the signs so we can diffuse situations during our jobs. Matings can complicate situations or they can solve them."

"This would definitely complicate the situation," she stated, resuming their trek to the car.

"I don't know. Seems like a mating between two rival packs could bridge the gap."

"Or cause a war. Trust me, nothing can bring our packs together. The animosity runs too deep. There would have to be changes in pack leadership on the Saranac side for change to occur."

"And what would Saranac say?"

"We would have to be wiped off the earth for the rivalry to end."

* * *

Garrett and Caleb drove silently back to Saranac lands and his father's headquarters. Garrett had called ahead to ensure the enforcers assigned to the region were available for interviews. They spent the next several hours talking to uncommunicative wolves, some downright hostile, and all of them were clearly clueless about any activity on the Dirigo side of the border. In fact, Garrett questioned how many of them actually patrolled the border and how recently, given their answers.

Judging by Caleb's frustrated scowl as the last enforcer left the room, he felt the same. He gestured to his former partner to take a walk outside where they couldn't be overheard and they went out the French doors onto the expansive back yard area to talk. After walking a distance from the house, Garrett let out a breath.

"They knew nothing. Maybe they weren't involved."

"Or they haven't been here long. They had no details about the border when I asked them, particularly about the updated map your uncle gave you. Some of the landmarks and locations. If they were patrolling regularly, they should have been familiar with them, unless they're bad at their job."

Garrett shook his head, remembering the rigorous training all males went through as soon as they could walk. "No, that's not likely. Every Saranac wolf assigned to the border is strong and effective."

Caleb stared at the dark forest beyond them. "Your cousin is a bag of crazy, wound pretty tight. Who holds his leash?"

Brandon had been insulting, antagonistic, and completely unhelpful in his interview. If anyone seemed guilty, Garrett's money would have been on him. "Uncle Linc and my father keep a tight hold on him. He was on the western border with his father, but I guess they separated them for some reason."

"He's batshit crazy. I can't believe he hasn't gone loup," Caleb stated flatly, referring to the condition some wolves got when they lost control of their wolf and went on a rampage, slaughtering friend, family and anyone in their path.

Garrett had grown up with Brandon, after a fashion. Once his father decided he needed to be separated from Maya, he was sent to the western border and his other uncle for training. He spent years there with his cousin and uncle being toughened up, as his father called it. Having lived with his uncle, he could understand why Brandon was a bag full of crazy. His uncle was a sadistic, mean asshole who enjoyed tormenting anyone weaker than him, and lording his position over everyone he could. Fortunately, that part of the pack territory was sparsely populated, so he had few targets. Most young males learning how to be tough. It sucked. Garrett had welcomed going to the Council, even as he knew he was supposed to spy for his pack.

To be honest, Garrett wasn't sure Brandon hadn't gone loup at some point. There were some wolves who were crazy, unable to fully control their wolves without the presence of a stronger dominant. Brandon was never without his uncle or his father around, and he was fucking strong. Not as strong as Garrett, which had always been a bone of contention between them, but he was strong. Garrett thought he might even be stronger than the youngest of his uncles, Brandon's father, which explained why he was sent here to be controlled. But what if he had slipped his leash?

"Did you scent him at the scene?"

Caleb shook his head regretfully. "No, but it would have been easier. We could blame him for slipping his leash. It takes a special brand of crazy to attack weaker wolves and pups. Or a powerful threat. Most wolves are built to protect, not kill. Your cousin would have been my prime candidate, but I didn't scent him there at all and I don't think he has the smarts to camouflage his scent either. So, unless he can coordinate this, which I doubt, he's in the clear."

Garrett let out a sigh, relieved his uncle and father hadn't lied directly to his face. "So Saranac is not involved."

Caleb only cocked his head. "We don't know that. These enforcers didn't know the land or landmarks. Makes me wonder if they were brought in suddenly as cover."

"They knew some of it. They may have been assigned a different part," he said, defensively, though a part of him knew it was a losing battle.

"Maybe. But where are the enforcers assigned to this region then, who know it like the back of their paws? Maya could tell you every landmark, I'd bet. And, if your wolves are as well trained as you say they are, they would know too. So where are they?"

A damned good question. "Maybe they're out patrolling."

"Maybe. We need to speak to them. All of them. Your father said some of them are at the north-eastern border, several hours from here. Does that match what you remember?"

Garrett shrugged. "I was young when I left. But you know our border with Dirigo is long. It makes sense that we have a satellite up north and have barracks up there. And we probably switch wolves assigned there periodically so they're not so isolated. Other packs do the same thing. Saranac is not doing anything underhanded. We might be traditional and maybe a little old-fashioned, but we're not evil."

Caleb only looked troubled. "I hope you're right and not blinded by pack loyalty."

Garrett barked a laugh. "I know better than anyone how rigorous the training is under my family. And our Alpha is unforgiving of mistakes. But we've met plenty of alphas and packs who operate the same. Look at the Cascadia Pack."

Caleb grimaced. "That alpha was an asshole. Almost killed his own son and heir. Treated women like commodities."

"I could name several others. It was the traditional way. I'm not saying it's right. Change comes slow to some packs."

"It needs to come faster." Caleb let out a breath. "We can't do anymore tonight. Let's reconnect tomorrow and figure out our next steps with the team. I'll see you at the hotel."

He melted off into the night, headed for the parking lot and the rental car he drove. Once he was gone, another figure appeared out of the shadows. It was his father.

"How is the investigation going, son?"

Garrett stiffened automatically and faced his father. His father's expression had none of the pride or fatherly love Garrett had often tried to cultivate as he was growing up. Instead, it was stern, cold, remote, more like a commanding officer in the military than a parent. But that was the way of a pack. Strength and dominance was needed to keep the wolf in check, to ensure no one got out of line or went loup. A clear line of succession was needed to control the lower dominant wolves and provide added protection in case their controls failed.

"So far, as you predicted. Nothing led them back here."

"Because there's nothing to find, isn't that right?" His father stepped closer, peering into Garrett's eyes, sending out a wave of dominance.

But it was interesting. While Garrett felt the dominance wash over him, it didn't force him to his knees, compel him to bare his throat to the superior wolf. In fact, if Garrett were to truly assess it, he would think they were even in strength or maybe Garrett was edging him out a little. Judging by the narrowing of his father's eyes and the tightening around his mouth, his father was realizing the same thing and not happy about it.

To avoid the inevitable battle, Garrett bared his throat, acknowledging his father as superior. But it gave Garrett something to consider as he made his plans for where he fit in the overall hierarchy of Saranac and gave validity to the plan his father floated before about him being a potential leader in the pack someday. Judging by his own dominance, especially as compared to his father, which was just below the Beta, Garrett could compete someday for a top position.

But he let none of that show in his expression, keeping it carefully respectful as he kept his neck bared, despite his wolf growling in protest. "No, sir. Nothing to find. Only…"

His voice trailed off and his father let an eyebrow rise. "Only?"

"Caleb has questions about the enforcers we questioned today."

His father rocked back on his heels thoughtfully. "Does he? What questions?"

"He suspects they don't know the border well enough to have been stationed here very long and wonders if there are other enforcers we should talk to." Garrett held his breath, wondering what his father would say.

His father slowly nodded. "Good observation. They have only been here a week or so. We rotate the den assignments along the border, the northern and southern border assignments, every few months. Since the border recently changed, they may not be familiar with the new boundary." He gave Garrett a narrowed look. "Do you think your friend might believe that?"

"I said as much when we spoke."

His father clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a broad smile. "Good boy. I knew you were loyal. That's exactly what happened, of course. Sad thing about Dirigo. But we had nothing to do with it. I was working through rotation schedules and training some of the new recruits when it happened."

"Of course," Garrett said, not bothering to ask why his scent had been at the scene. He sensed his father wouldn't respond, anyway.

"Our Alpha has his eye on you. Says you have promise as a potential leader for the pack. Keep up the good work and you could be one of the top enforcers soon. Maybe someday a den leader or even the Beta. Learn from your uncle and be smart."

Garrett gave a tight smile and followed his father into the house. He heard a noise off to the side of the house. His father paused, glanced to the side, but then walked on as if he didn't see anything. Garrett, however, couldn't walk away and he strode the few steps around the corner that was shrouded in darkness.

His cousin had cornered a female against the house and was pawing at her. She was barely out of her teens, if she was even twenty. A small, petite female, she still fought against his much larger cousin, but he wasn't having any of it. A swollen lip indicated Brandon had already clipped her once for arguing with him. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her shirt was torn half off.

"Enough, Brandon. She's not interested."

Brandon's head turned, and he snarled, his eyes golden in the darkness. "Back the fuck off, cousin. She's mine."

"I don't think she wants to be. So why don't you let her go?"

Brandon straightened, a sneer on his face. "Why don't you just fuck off? The females need to know their place and she needs to learn it."

Forgetting the female, he took a step for Garrett and swung wildly, which Garrett easily ducked. But it was enough for the female to take the opportunity and run. Garrett grabbed Brandon before he could turn and give pursuit. Before he could give Brandon a taste of his own medicine, his fist was held in place.

"We do not fight among ourselves, Garrett. Clearly you forgot that while you were away." Garrett's father held his fist in an iron grip.

Garrett loosened his hold on Brandon, who wrenched away, glaring his hatred for Garrett. "He was attacking a female."

"She is his destined mate. She needs to learn her place. She has been trying to escape, and that is not acceptable."

Garrett frowned. "She clearly doesn't want the mating."

"That is irrelevant. Like all wolves in Saranac, she will do her duty or she will die. You have just made it harder. I will give you this one pass because you have just returned. Don't make the same mistake again."

His father turned and stalked away, following by a seething Brandon. Garrett stood in the darkness for a long time, wondering what had changed in his pack, or if he was the one who had changed.