Page 25 of Wulf’s Pack

Chapter

Twelve

A s soon as we’re finished at the club, I call my first official pack meeting.

Bree and Carl follow me to my place, and the Kellers meet us there.

After brief introductions, we pull the dining chairs into the living room with the couches and barely have enough seating room for all of us.

I look around the crowded room and sigh. “We’re going to need more space.”

Matthew perks up. “I was looking at the rooms you use for storage when we were moving a few things in. It would be easy to knock down the wall between two of them and create a large conference room. I could do it in less than a week’s time.”

We need something more like a war room at this point, but it’s a good idea. “We’ll add it to the list of things to do, but we’ve got a more pressing issue.”

I explain what happened at the club to catch the Kellers up.

I don’t think they’ve ever been faced with a real threat before.

They all look scared, but they’re determined to help however they can.

Strength isn’t always about dominance. The Kellers face problems head-on, and they do it together. Their courage is admirable.

Skylar has been quiet this whole time, but she’s sitting with her chin up and her shoulders back.

That same grim determination the Kellers have runs through her veins too.

She was terrified when she showed up at Underworld and afraid of her own shadow, but even then she was fighting for her safety and freedom.

Now, with a pack behind her, it’s as if she’s got a purpose—to protect her pack.

She’s still afraid, but she’s gained a little confidence.

I’m relieved to see it. As luna, she needs that conviction.

We’re sitting next to each other on the dining chairs, and I’ve got my arm around the back of her chair.

She’s leaning into my side and holding my hand as if she’s been my mate for years.

It’s hard to be awkward with her when our wolves are so connected with one another.

Our bond may not be complete, our souls may not be fused together yet, but we are connected.

It’s amazing how quickly I’ve adjusted to having that connection.

She’s a stranger to me, but I already depend on her strength.

I kiss her temple, knowing she’s going to need the comfort for what she has to say next. “I hate to dredge up bad memories,” I say. “But we need you to tell us everything you can about your old pack. We need to know who and what we’re up against.”

Skylar pulls a deep breath in through her nose and gulps, but she lifts her chin just a little bit higher and speaks in a clear voice.

“I come from the Vail, Colorado, Pack. The alpha’s name is Victor Santos, and he’s evil to his core.

He’s a kingpin for a small organized crime circuit.

He deals in drugs—specializing in shifter drugs like silver and wolfsbane—weapons, and trafficking, both underworlder and human.

He’s ruthless, powerful, and rich, and he’s been building an army.

When I came to him eight years ago, he had twelve members in his pack.

Now they are one hundred strong with every member being a very dominant alpha male. ”

“Every single member?” Matthew asks, shocked.

Skylar nods grimly. “It was only possible because they had my omega influence. Otherwise, they’d have all killed each other years ago.”

Carl and Bree are sitting in chairs also, having given the couches to the Kellers. It made me happy to see it. It was a sign of respect for the weaker members of the pack. They were taking care of them, as a good pack should.

Carl leans forward in his chair, smoothing a hand over his beard and thinking very hard. “That’s good. It means his pack must be a little unstable since you left. We can use that to our advantage.”

I’m grateful for his insight. He’s never been a member of a sleuth, but he’s worked in security for decades.

Frankly, I got lucky when he joined. I need him.

I spent my youth training to be beta of my pack.

I have a good bit of knowledge, but I hated my position and never took it that seriously before I finally gave it up alogether and left the pack.

“We’ll take any advantage we can get,” I say.

“If they’re a small, well-trained army, we don’t have the manpower for a direct fight.

We’ll have to get creative. Find ways to turn them against each other.

They won’t have time to worry about us if they’re fighting amongst themselves.

And if we can dwindle their numbers any, all the better.

How loyal are they to one another and their alpha? ”

Skylar shakes her head. “His inner circle, the original twelve of his pack, are loyal to the core. They’ll die for Victor. The others…” She shrugs. “They like the money and power Victor’s pack gives them, but they’re not much better than a group of rogues.”

“So we take away the money and the power,” Bree says.

I consider her. I can see the intelligence in her eyes. She’s sharp. And she moves like a fighter. “What’s your background?” I ask her. “Have you ever been a member of a pack before? I know cougars are usually solitary. Have you got experience working with a group like this?”

She sits back and shakes her head. “I’m sorry, no.

You’re right: Cougars are extremely solitary.

I never knew my father, and I moved away from my mother as soon as I was old enough to break out on my own.

I work in computer science as a video game developer.

I can fight, though,” she says a little defensively, as if needing to validate her place in the pack.

“After my ex beat the shit out of me, I started taking self-defense lessons from a panther. I’m trained in human mixed martial arts, and in my cat form as well. I’m also trained with guns and knives.”

Wanting to put her at ease, I say, “I’m glad to have another fighter, but having someone handy with a computer is also a huge asset to a pack. We’re lucky to have you.”

Surprise flashes in her eyes, and she relaxes again. I grin at her. “Video games? You need to meet my ex-clan brother, Oliver. He’ll geek out over the video game thing and teach you just how useful computer knowledge can be.”

Bree sits forward, interested. “Hacker?”

I smirk. “Not officially.”

Carl snorts.

Bree meets my smirk with an understanding nod. Then she sits back again and gives me a casual shrug while examining her fingernails. “I wouldn’t say no to that meeting. I dabble on the dark side of the computer world occasionally, but I’m hardly an expert.”

My grin turns to a full-fledged smile. “I’ll set it up as soon as we get through this crisis.”

There’s a beat of silence, then Preston raises his hand. I want to laugh. This isn’t school. But I don’t want to embarrass him or discourage him from chiming in. None of the Kellers have spoken much. “What’s up?” I ask him.

He sucks his lips between his teeth as if nervous to say what’s on his mind.

I give him an encouraging nod, and he clears his throat.

He looks at Bree. “How much dabbling on the dark side can you do? Could you possibly get into the pack’s financial records?

If they’re working in so many illegal revenue streams, they’ve got to be laundering the money somehow.

If I could look at their books, I could probably find enough evidence to bring it to the FUA. They would freeze their assets.”

I grin so wide my face hurts. Pride for my small, resourceful pack wells up in me. “That’s an excellent idea.” One I never would have thought of on my own. I glance at Bree. She’s lost in thought. “I could try,” she says, “but I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“We don’t need to hack in,” Skylar says.

“I was Victor’s prize possession. He took me everywhere—ready to use my gifts to get people relaxed so he could manipulate them into doing his bidding.

I was in on every meeting, including the ones with his accountant.

I paid attention, hoping one day I could escape and take him down.

I know his banking account logins and passwords.

Most of his records are probably localized to his office computer, but could you get what you need from his online banking accounts? He used the ski lodge as his front.”

Preston considers this and slowly nods. “I can probably find something. Maybe not how he’s moving the money, but enough to flag him by the IRS. Enough to make them look into him. Along with your testimony, they’ll freeze his accounts for sure.”

“If you know so much about his operation,” Elise says, “couldn’t we just go to the FUA? Couldn’t they do some kind of raid?”

I nod, but Skylar’s shoulders sag and she sighs.

“I considered this, but Victor is crafty and careful. He’s got a whole team of lawyers who could make things difficult, and he’s always got an escape plan.

The FUA has to play by the rules, and Victor knows all of them.

He’ll see them coming from a mile away. He’s probably been waiting for it since I left.

Especially since all that video footage of me was at FUA headquarters. ”

The entire group deflates at this news. “We could still tell the FUA everything,” I say. “In fact, we should, just to cover all the bases. And if we can get the money frozen, that will help a little despite them being ready for a shakedown.”

“So we still need a way to thin their numbers,” Bree says. “Are we thinking of bringing the fight to them?”

Carl shakes his head. “It’s a lot easier to defend than go on the offensive.”

“But they won’t expect it,” Bree argues. “We could watch them. Take them out one at a time.”

I grimace. “We’re hardly SEAL Team Six.”