15

Ranger

“I need you to meet with the quality inspector at Clinton Processing today at noon.” I fired off an email to Greg letting him know Mattox would be there.

“Yep,” Mattox’s irritated tone drifted through the speaker on the phone.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, boss.” Mattox sighed.

I waited.

“This was supposed to be Fallon’s job,” he finally said.

“And you helped load her suitcases in my Jeep despite knowing I didn’t want her here.” I pulled up the schedule for inspections this week. Government interference was a headache. Things were easier for the packs when we didn’t have to at least pretend we were meeting their safety criteria.

“Fair point.” Mattox chuckled. “I had this coming.”

“That you did.” I finished looking over the calendar. It seemed like we’d be good until I got back which was one less thing to worry about.

“Have you thought about hiring someone for these things?” Mattox asked. “A secretary or liaison to deal with the human sector.”

“Why would I pay someone else to do what I can do?” He was right though. I just didn’t want to admit it. Having control of all the parts in various aspects of pack leadership kept me focused, sharp.

I liked knowing how everything was handled even if it’d been a steep learning curve to get where I was today.

“Alright. It was just a suggestion. How’s the show going by the way?”

“Filming starts this morning.” I exited out of the schedules and checked my email for a response from Greg. It’d only been a few minutes, but he should be at the office soon.

“Are you bringing us home a Luna?” Mattox teased. He, along with a few others who I trusted, knew the real reason I was here.

But his comment made me pause for a moment as I thought the matter through. I had plans for a certain Luna candidate. My own games I wanted to play. Would it be better to wait until I was off the show and bring her back to McCaw Pack first?

Yes. My wolf growled.

“Maybe.”

“What?” Mattox sounded like he’d almost dropped the phone.

“No,” I said. “I was talking to my wolf.”

“Oh.” Mattox let out a relieved breath. “We definitely don’t need any of those princesses around here with more demands. Fallon is hard enough to deal with.”

“Do you want to say that again?” I glanced at the phone.

“Kidding, boss.” I knew he was, but it was fun screwing with him. “Anyway, I got word from Ivan that you wanted him up at the resort. Verifying with you before I put the request for transfer in.”

“Yeah.” The incoming email from Greg dinged in my mailbox. “I think it’s best to have some of my own security on the detail up here.”

“Good,” Mattox agreed. “I’m glad you finally came to your senses. I can send up a few more of our guys.”

“Just Ivan.” I closed the laptop. The security wasn’t for me. I wanted more eyes and ears in this place–a little more control–before I made my next move.

*

I got back from my morning run in the woods, following the fading scent of dusty sage and poppies to help calm my beast, and walked around the front of the resort.

A group of Alphas-in training were waiting on the log framed porch outside. I looked them over silently as they stepped back, giving me room to pass. There was one other Alpha who’d taken over his pack in the midst, a John O’Neil from Michigan, but he’d yet to show his face around the group. I was interested in making his acquaintance purely for curiosity’s sake. And it might be nice to speak with someone other than Chad who didn’t give me such a wide berth.

These were dominant males, no doubt about it, but they had the anxious tension that came from knowing your place was temporary and the itch to come into power of their own.

I nodded at the nearest shifter, an Alpha from up in the northeastern territories. “What are you waiting for?”

He studied me for a moment, seeing if my question held a double meaning, and then took a step back as a delivery truck came rumbling up the gravel road. “First shipment is coming in.”

“Shipment?” The cargo vehicle pulled in front of the resort. A driver got out to unload packages as a line formed on the steps. This didn’t concern me then. There was no one sending us snail mail.

Chad stepped out through the double glass doors of the resort, sipping a mug of coffee and dressed in that preppy sort of collared shirt that always made me cringe. He tipped his mug toward me. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” I jogged up the steps.

“No sponsor deliveries for the lovely Fallon today?” Chad asked casually.

I hesitated, looking him over and letting my senses stretch out to get a feel for his intent. Fallon would eat him alive if he tried to make a move so I wasn’t too worried. But this seemed like some kind of power play and I wasn’t about to let that slide. “She doesn’t need sponsors.”

I’d given the show enough of a donation when they’d not so subtly asked for it.

“My bad.” Chad followed me inside the resort. The camera crews were already getting set up in the lobby and carrying equipment down the hall. My beast growled at the display. I didn’t blame him. Hopefully we wouldn’t be here for much longer.

“Edith and Lilith would be fine too, but you know how the girls can be. Everything is a competition.” Chad leaned against the reception desk. “Can’t have them wearing last season cast offs and of course they like to brag about what they can get.”

Fallon hadn’t said anything about wanting a sponsor so I wasn’t going to put the idea in her head. We had more money than I knew what to do with sometimes. She had no problem telling me how to spend it though.

A scent flared my nostrils; the same one I’d chased through the woods this morning. The door opened behind us as the first of the Alphas came in with their boxes and packages. Trenton was there, smelling faintly like Aspen.

My wolf flashed in my eyes and I yanked him back with a stern command. Not here.

Why does he smell like her?

They are pack. I had to keep reminding him.

Chad watched me, turning to see what I was staring at. “Trenton, right? Who’d you get to sponsor your Luna candidates?”

Trenton held tight to the package. “A grassroots startup. You haven’t heard of them.”

Now I was curious too. Trenton was a fool if he thought the Tulia empire that built its fortune on buying and exploiting shifter businesses didn’t have its hands dipped into every grassroots movement there was. Plus, I was mildly curious what was in the bag.

Because somewhere in the past forty-eight hours I realized that anything pertaining to Aspen was my business.

“No?” Chad pushed, amusement playing across his face. “Are you sure about that? Let me see.”

Trenton clenched his jaw. He wasn’t going to win the fight. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wanted to see how this would go down.

But not yet.

“Ah, leave him alone.” I grabbed the back of Chad’s neck, giving him a gentle shake. “I don’t see you getting a package today.”

Chad brushed me off with a dangerous smile. Even though we knew of each other, we weren’t much more than acquaintances. Something I hoped to rectify while I was here. We were still testing, sniffing the other out, and it seemed like I’d just made the first move.

Things might be getting interesting soon.

Trenton used the moment to escape. I hoped whatever he’d gotten for Aspen was worth the save.

I’d be dealing with him later anyway.

Chad flexed his shoulders, staring me down. I waited for him to react. The other Alphas filtered in past us and still we stood there.

Chad broke first, sipping his coffee cup as his smile brightened. “No need for packages, my friend. The sponsors sent the girls their gifts as soon as we accepted the invitation to the show.”

“I figured as much.” I returned his grin, silently soothing the beast within. “Have you eaten yet? I’m starving.”