Chapter 25

Setting his empty mug down after his third cup of coffee, Reeve looked at Heath. "I'm staying here tonight so I need you at the Silver Point Pack just in case Rudy's supporters make a move to free him."

"Do you know who they are?"

"Not yet," Reeve said, frowning, "but my gut tells me they are there. And if the word spreads about Josiah's death, they might view it as a perfect opportunity to install Rudy as the new Alpha."

"They can't do that legally without Rudy challenging Kahn," Heath muttered.

"They could if Kahn was dead," Reeve said. "That's why I'm staying here tonight; I'll be waiting if that asshole and his followers try anything. They won't know what hit them by the time I'm through with them."

"You really think something will happen tonight?"

"Yeah, I do. Someone already knows Josiah's dead…"

"And that's how Kahn found out," Heath mused.

"My guess is they don't know where Kahn is and hoped he'd rush back to the pack where it would be easy to kill him, leaving the door open for Rudy to claim the Alpha title."

"Shit! You sure you don't want me to stay here?" asked Heath.

"I need you there more," Reeve replied. "I'm pretty sure Rudy's supporters are some of the Silver Point enforcers, I just don't know which ones yet."

"Wouldn't it have made more sense for Rudy to recruit regular pack members? No one, not even Josiah, would have suspected that."

"They might have let something slip…they're not used to cloak and dagger stuff. On the other hand, none of Rudy's enforcers would be suspected since they work closely with him all the time."

"That makes sense," Heath murmured.

"I was told earlier this evening the Council is sending me more men, but until they arrive, we're on our own."

Nodding, Heath said, "How soon will they be here?"

"Sometime tomorrow."

"I'll double the guards on the compound where the Silver Point enforcers are, set up patrols, and institute a curfew for everyone else."

"Sounds good," Reeve said. "Call me if there's a problem."

Picking up the keys to one of the Council's vehicles on his way to the back door, Heath wished Reeve good luck.

Reeve barely noticed Heath's departure; his mind was focused on his mate. Whether he was ready to face Kahn's anger or not, it was time for him to head up to his mate's bedroom. Sighing, he rinsed out his mug before placing it on the counter and then, checking to make sure the door and windows were locked, he left the kitchen.

Reeve stopped at the foot of the stairs, pausing for a moment to listen, but there was only silence. While Josiah's death had accelerated the completion of his job, it had also increased the danger Kahn faced. Sussing out who wanted his mate dead had become his top priority and he feared it would be even harder to figure that out than it had been to find Josiah.

Reaching Kahn's bedroom door, he lifted his hand to it, hesitating before finally knocking softly. When there was no response, he tried the doorknob and found it turned easily. Thank the gods he didn't lock it. He opened the door as quietly as possible, just in case Kahn was asleep.

The room was dark, and Reeve's body blocked the light streaming in from the hallway. Stepping inside, he closed the door, glancing around the room until his eyes rested on his sobbing mate, curled up on the floor. Reaching Kahn, he knelt down, lifting him up to his chest. "Shhh…cari?o…everything will be all right."

Cradling his tearful mate in his arms. Reeve whispered words of love to him in an effort to soothe his pain. Pain that I caused. For the first time since childhood, Reeve felt helpless as he listened to the desperation in his mate's cries. It was breaking his heart, but there was nothing he could do but wait until Kahn was ready to talk to him.

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Peering out at the dark road leading to the Silver Point Pack, Heath concentrated on avoiding its many potholes. The lack of road maintenance shocked him the first time he'd driven on it, but after seeing the condition of the members' homes, it made more sense—it became obvious that Josiah didn't spend money on anything other than himself. Heath was relieved when his headlights finally illuminated the pack headquarters. Parking, he turned off the engine and stared off into the woods curving around the back of the building. If there was going to be any action tonight, he'd bet anything it would begin there.

Climbing out, he headed inside, calling out to the guard at the door. "Get Eddie."

"Yes, sir."

Flicking on all the lights, he headed back to Rudy's office, checking to see if his computer was still there. It was a long shot but…eureka! Sitting down, he powered it on, tapping his fingers on the desk while waiting for it to boot up. Reeve's tech team had already searched it for information about the massacre, but he was sure they hadn't looked for data on who Rudy's allies were. They'd have no reason to do so since it didn't pertain to the investigation…until now! Clicking on documents, Heath inhaled sharply at the sheer number of files Rudy had. It was going to take a lot of time to go through all of them—time he didn't have.

Eddie entered after giving a sharp rap on the doorframe. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah…I want you to double the men guarding the Silver Point enforcers and Rudy, I want the rest on patrol."

"All night?"

"All night," Heath confirmed. "Reeve suspects there'll be an attempt to free Rudy tonight. Also, wake up the tech team and get them down here immediately."

"Will do…is that it?"

"For now," Heath muttered, his attention shifting back to the files on Rudy's computer. Reading the file names, he ignored most since they appeared to deal with pack business, but then his eyes narrowed on one. Dylon Royd…why does that name sound familiar? Opening it, he found an employment application and other miscellaneous information dealing with Royd's background. Clicking on the last item in the file, Heath's eyes widened as he viewed it. Fucking hell! It can't be.

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As his tears slowed, Kahn became aware of a strong set of arms cradling him against a muscled chest. It was just what he needed to soothe his troubled mind and ease his tears. Desiring more, he burrowed tighter against the savior, relishing the comfort he found there. In the past, he'd have been embarrassed by his breakdown, but not this time. Instead, he felt acceptance, understanding, and love…Love?

Kahn's body stiffened. Who's holding me? Turning his face until his nose was against the man's chest, he sniffed but found nothing. Strange…not a shifter, then…but who is he? Slowly he lifted his face, peering through his thick lashes at…What the hell? It was the last person he ever expected to see.

"Feeling better?" asked Reeve, smiling at his mate.

"Let me go!" Kahn pushed against Reeve's chest in an effort to put some distance between them so he could think clearly. He needed answers and, according to Heath, Reeve had them.

Reluctantly helping his mate to his feet, Reeve waited until Kahn moved away from him before he rose and walked over to a chair in the corner of the room. It wasn't his first choice at the moment, but after smelling his mate's fear, it was the only way to keep his hands to himself. After sitting down, he locked eyes on his mate but remained silent.

Kahn, his mind a cauldron of mixed feelings, stared at Reeve and tried to make sense of the love he'd felt while being held. Surely he had to be mistaken, but yet he couldn't shake the thought that Reeve was somehow important to him. Putting that aside for the moment, Kahn concentrated on his most immediate issue. "Who killed my father?"

"A shifter your father shot."

Startled, Kahn asked, "Why did he shoot him? Was the shifter attacking him?"

Shaking his head, Reeve replied, "Josiah shot the eyewitness to his crime and kidnapped Jackson's mother. He shot a grizzly shifter who tried to rescue her."

Blood draining from his face, Kahn sat down slowly on the edge of the bed. Closing his eyes, he shook his head in denial, wondering how to prevent his mother from ever finding out. Once the circumstances of his father's death became common knowledge, some would blame her for driving her husband into the arms of another woman. Never mind if it was true or not, because he knew people often made their own versions of the facts to suit their needs.

And why some might think his mother should just acknowledge her husband's love for Aunt Hope, the damage it would do to his sisters was incalculable…and something his mother would want to avoid at all costs.

Reeve felt his buffalo's distress at their mate's pain but knew only too well there wasn't anything to do but plow on until he answered every one of Kahn's questions. Then and only then, would his mate begin to heal.

"Where's my father's body?"

"I had my men put his remains in a freezer at the Silver Point pack house until you and your mother decide what you want to do."

"Who knows what my father did?"

"You mean with Jackson's mother?"

"Yes…and the shooting."

"Jackson and his pack…his mother, of course, and the eyewitness."

"What about the Silver Point enforcers? Were they there?"

"No, they are locked up until I can make sure…" Reeve stopped, unwilling to heap more on Kahn's very full plate.

Snapping his eyes open, Kahn glared at Reeve. "Finish the sentence…until you can make sure of what?"

Staring at his mate, Reeve said in a very hard voice, "Until I can make sure none of them is a danger to you."

Kahn's eyes widened and fear once again settled in his belly as the full implication of what Reeve said became clear. I'm a fucking fool. He'd thought it was all over after he learned of his father's death, but that was just another example of his stupidity. Heath warned him about Rudy and how his own death would benefit the asshole and, as usual, he hadn't taken it seriously. And why should I have? All the underhanded conspiracies used to seize control of packs had become ancient history once the High Council passed the Law of Primogeniture, stipulating the line of succession to Alpha positions. Killing a legitimate heir hadn't happened in centuries, but then that was also true about the killing of an entire rival pack—and look what had happened. The reality of his situation sank in until Kahn was sure he was drowning. Standing quickly, he searched the room for his backpack, finding it on the floor in the corner. Seizing it, he started throwing his clothes into it while muttering "We have to leave…find someplace my mother and sisters will be safe."

"Over my dead body!" Reeve snarled, rising quickly and heading over to his mate. Grasping both of Kahn's arms, he forced his mate to look at him. "Dammit, the safest place for you and your family is here where my men can protect you. Out there, it would only be a matter of time before Rudy found you. Do you really want to risk that? Risk Rudy claiming the Alpha title? Put your sister at the mercy of Rudy? Is that what you want?"

Staring up at the man standing way too close to him, Kahn felt his cock twitch at the feel of Reeve's hands on his skin. Finally pulling his gaze away, he shook himself free and took a step back, trying to make sense of his reaction. Turning away so Reeve wouldn't see his bulge, it took Kahn several moments before his brain kicked in. "Of course not," he snapped, as he moved further away from temptation.

Turning around, he finally spied the jeans he'd had on earlier in the evening and picked them up. He felt too exposed and desperately needed the protection they could give him. Stepping into them, he kept his eyes down, refusing to add any more fuel to the fire already burning inside him. This wasn't the time or place for a quick hookup, regardless of how much his cock thought otherwise. Moving around Reeve, he struggled into a long-sleeve shirt as a further deterrent. Then he finally turned around and looked at Reeve. "We are not staying and, according to my friend who's a lawyer, you have no right to keep us here anymore…especially since my father is now dead."

Picking up his phone, Kahn slipped it into his pocket, then checked to make sure he had the keys to his condo. "If there was ever a time for my family to escape, this is it. Rudy's in custody and so are the Silver Point enforcers. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to wake up my mother and sisters."

"Fine!" Reeve bit out, his eyes glowing with anger. "You can go but your mother and sisters can't."

Kahn stared at Reeve, matching his anger. "Like fucking hell they can't! You told me they were clear of any involvement!"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Reeve stood in front of the door, blocking the exit. "They are."

"Then why can't they leave?" Kahn shouted, his frustration over the entire situation reaching boiling point.

"There's the matter of Josiah's estate…and I need to ascertain what involvement, if any, your mother may have had with missing Silver Point Pack funds."

"My mother knows nothing about it…my fucking father kept her out of the pack's business from the beginning," Kahn snarled.

"If that's the truth, then it shouldn't take my team long to verify it. Unfortunately, it'll take me several days until they get to that so until then, your mother and sisters will stay here…with me."

Kahn clenched his fists as he stared down Reeve. The man was playing with him, but he couldn't figure out what the end game was. Refusing to let his mother and sisters leave guaranteed he'd also have to stay. But what did Reeve hope to accomplish? Until he figured that out, it was best he retreated, and let Reeve believe he'd won. In the meantime, tomorrow, he'd call his friend to find out what rights his mother had. It was one of the few things he'd learned from watching his father all those years—find out your opponent's weaknesses before you engage them. "Fine…I'll be staying until then." Turning away, Kahn sauntered over to his bed, threw his backpack on it, plopped down next to it, and closed his eyes.