30. Twenty-Nine

Twenty-Nine

Sloane

Four weeks later

A knock rasped on my office door. I closed my laptop. "Come in."

The doorknob twisted and the door swung open. I didn't look up from my computer wanting to finish this last order before heading to bed. "I'll be there in a minute. Go ahead and wait for me in our room."

"Uh, it's just me, Sloane." Mark peeked his head in. "Agent Weatherford is here to see you."

I pursed my lips and pushed away from the desk, standing. "Oh."

What did he want? I hadn't heard from him since he'd threatened to get a warrant. Did he finally have one?

Ugh. I'd better find out.

I padded across the office, my mind going a mile a minute at what Agent Weatherford could want.

Mark shrugged as I passed him and shut the door behind us. "He didn't say much. Just that he needs to speak with you."

I marched through the house, mumbling under my breath. If he thought he could walk in here over a month later, he was going to get a piece of my mind.

I jerked the front door open and crossed my arms over my chest. "Can I help you?"

Agent Weatherford turned around slowly. He gulped and fidgeted with the hood of his winter jacket. "Alpha Sloane, it is good to see you again."

I blinked and stiffened. Did he just call me Alpha Sloane?

He gave me a tight-lipped smile. "Sorry." He waved his hand. "I should have mentioned my father was a wolf."

I frowned, my jaw went slack as I inhaled. There was a faint scent now that I was looking for it. "I…I'm sorry…I don't understand."

He chuckled and looked down at this feet as he rocked forward. "I'm going about this all the wrong way." He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "Alpha Dane was my brother. Half brother."

I opened my mouth and dropped my hands to my sides. "What?" This man looked nothing like Alpha Dane. They were as different as night and day.

He grimaced. "I'm still doing this all wrong. We've been estranged most our lives. I've never met Lincoln or Sawyer." He swallowed hard and then blew out a breath. "I wasn't allowed on pack grounds. Dane finally offered me a chance to be a part of the pack if I helped him."

Oh. Things were starting to add up. Lincoln probably had no idea that the FBI agent who'd been wreaking havoc here was his uncle.

Agent Weatherford cleared his throat as he jammed his hands into his jacket pockets. "He wanted me to use my position with the FBI to put you and your pack under surveillance."

I squeezed my arms tighter. "I see."

His mouth worked and he blew out a frosty breath. "I would've done anything to be a part of the pack. I've always been denied a place in it." His brows knitted together. "I didn't realize how far gone Dane was or what I was helping him do."

I released my death grip on my arms and leaned against the door. "I'm not sure he even knew how far he'd gone," I said softly.

Agent Weatherford hummed. "I wanted to apologize, Alpha Sloane, and let you know that there is no investigation into your pack. Not anymore. I've made sure of that. Any evidence will point to my brother being the oppressor."

I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, and put my hand over my heart. "Thanks. I'm glad to hear it."

He rocked back on his heels and huffed. "I've also been looking into his second in command, Drake. He contacted me."

"He did?" I gripped the door for support. "Where is he?"

A red blush creeped across the agents cheeks. He glanced out at the yard. "I'm afraid I don't know." He ran a hand over his face. "I…um…thought that me and some of the other half wolves could bring him in, that maybe you would take it as a show of good faith."

I closed my eyes, my heart sinking in my chest. "My brother might be with Drake. Did you see him?"

Agent Weatherford nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, they had a male and female hostage it looked like. There weren't many of them. Ten, maybe twelve. That's it. We weren't prepared for wolfsbane to effect us and they got away, but I can tell you which direction they were headed."

"Please."

I dug my phone from my pocket and flipped through a few pictures as the agent continued talking. "They were in the mountains in Washington State. American Border Peak area. I think they were heading across the border into Canada."

I found a picture of Brandon and flipped my phone around so he could see it. "Was this the man they were holding hostage?"

I held my breath. My heart pounded and my palms got clammy, making it hard to hold the phone.

Agent Weatherford squinted and then smiled. "That's him."

Brandon was alive. I clutched the phone to my chest and sagged against the door as relief flooded me. I'd known it all along but to have confirmation, Mom was going to be thrilled.

Agent Weatherford scoffed his foot over the porch. "I'd like to help look for them if that would be all right? I know it doesn't fix what I've done, but I hope I can earn your forgiveness, Alpha Sloane."

He wanted a place in the pack. My jaw worked. This man had caused confusion and chaos at one of the worst parts of my life, but he was here offering to help. And he'd apologized and admitted he was wrong. Both good signs.

But could I trust him? He was Alpha Dane's brother. So? Lincoln and Sawyer are his sons!

I weighed my options another moment before coming to a decision. "I'll take any help I can get. Finding my brother is a priority." I opened and shut my mouth, my stomach flip flopped as I stood up straight. "We can also discuss a place here for you and any other half wolves that would like it. I know how important having a pack to call home is."

Agent Weatherford's mouth popped open, he stumbled back like I'd shoved him. "You would do that for us?"

This was crazy. I knew nothing about him, but my gut told me I could trust him. "I will. All I ask is that you never betray this pack again."

He dropped to his knees. "Alpha you are too kind. We will pledge our lives to you—"

I held up my hand. "No," I cut him off. "I don't want that. I want earned loyalty. I'm not interested in anything else."

Some men and women had returned home. Others had choose to stay and serve in my pack of their own free will. I was happy to have anyone, but it had to be their choice. That's what we'd fought so hard for and I would never lose sight of it.

He climbed to his feet and clasped his hands in front of him like he was praying. "Of course. My team will head back out right away. We'll find Drake and your brother and check in with you as soon as we know more."

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Thank you."

Dad had always said to have faith and good things would happen. There were days that it had been hard and I'd wanted to give up these past few months but I was glad I hadn't. The agent and I said our goodbyes and I headed back inside, typing a quick text to my search team leads, letting them know more help was coming and where to focus their attention.

Ten to twelve men. That was hardly an army. It was a small group of wolves that we already had on the run. As long as we caught up to them and stopped them, the last remnants of Alpha Dane's threat would truly be gone. And we were going to stop them.

I padded down the hallway to my bedroom and crept inside. Lincoln and Sawyer were waiting for me.

Sawyer arched a brow and got out of bed. "Everything okay."

I laughed out loud. "I think so. Agent Weatherford stopped by. He's dropped the investigation and he's going to help us find Brandon and Drake."

Lincoln frowned and hopped to his feet too. "What? How?"

Sawyer grabbed the bed post. "Wait. Is he our uncle? Dad never said his last name."

I nodded. "He is and he confirmed Brandon is alive."

I hated that they'd scared Drake and his men off but at least I had the confirmation Brandon was okay. And we would find him.

Lincoln surged forward, wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off my feet. He twirled me in a circle. "That's great news."

Sawyer came up behind me, sandwiching me between them. Lincoln caught my lips with his as Sawyer placed open mouthed kisses along my neck.

Sawyer brushed my hair to the side as he nibbled my earlobe. "I think this great news calls for a celebration."

"Mmmhmm," Lincoln mumbled against my lips. "We've got all night."

"All night?" I wiggled my brows as I laughed. "I think we have a lifetime."

I'd gone to Pack Wolf Blood to solve a problem and ended up creating a new one that started a war. A war that had brought a fair amount of grief but also triumph. And it'd brought me to my mates. The two men who I loved more than anything else in this world. It hadn't been an easy fight, but we'd won, and we were well on our way to our happily ever after.

Thanks for reading Wolf Crowned.