Total pages in book: 202
Estimated words: 193561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 968(@200wpm)___ 774(@250wpm)___ 645(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 193561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 968(@200wpm)___ 774(@250wpm)___ 645(@300wpm)
“Could some of us stand trial if we put him to death?”
“Ma’am, while I am but one member of the council collective and have no way to predict the future, I will say that we rarely intervene when a pack challenges their own alpha as it’s usually deserved. I suspect that if, after all I’ve seen here, Wyatt Meadows’ people put him to death … nobody in the SCC would likely bat an eyelash. If they did, there would be a whole lot of people standing up and taking the backs of the accused and I’m sure that would factor into any decisions or consequences.”
“The more you know…” I put in with humor.
“The more you know,” she mimics and her eyes twinkle before she meanders away to a cluster of older women all paying obvious attention.
“Good to see you’re feeling better,” I add, and she tosses a smile over her shoulder.
Mitch and I exchange loaded glances before he speaks up, affectionately slapping my back.
“Well, I’m heading home,” Mitch tells me. “I’ve just had a conversation with Brody and on behalf of the SCC told him I see no issue with him taking charge until such time as we can arrest Meadows. If an arrest doesn’t happen in a reasonable timeframe, we could make recommendations.”
“What would those recommendations be, you think?”
“From myself? Like your missus suggested - that the pack hold their own election.”
“Good. Glad to hear it.” I extend my hand and he shakes it, but doesn’t release it.
Instead, he leans in closer. “I’ll call when I’ve got the results of the soil samples, the water samples.”
“Sounds good,” I reply.
“Brody’s already got his eye on a patch of property an hour and forty-five minutes from your territory. Eighty plus acres severed from a former working farm and converted to a little resort with country cabins about twenty years back. Two hundred and fifty adjacent clearcut acres have been donated to become conservation, had a mix of soft and hardwood trees planted seven years ago and won’t ever be developed or clearcut again. Remaining acreage has a big house, barn, and the twenty-five cabins on site as well as some storage buildings. There’s also a big building suitable for a community building, warehouse, or factory. He’s talking about speaking to Mason’s father on partnership plans for a possible winery and distillery. Some of the buildings need a little work, some of them are in great shape. I’ve recommended he put in a request for financing with us. He doesn’t want financial help, but there are grants available for situations like this.”
Brody probably doesn’t want the SCC pulling any strings. I don’t blame him.
“Good to know. Thanks for the help.”
“Off the record… I hope you find the fucker and end him, Greyson. If that happens, send your incident report straight to me and I’ll do what I can to simply file it and close the case,” Mitch says, giving my hand another squeeze before letting go.
Incident reports. Fuck sakes. I know my council co-alphas will agree with me that we want as little to do with the SCC as possible. But closing the book on this Meadows situation is something I do want. As soon as fucking possible. Because I’m ready to help my mate move beyond this, show her what life is supposed to be like.
***
It’s dark and the Silver Hills pack is being seated for an evening meal. The few remaining sick are being cared for in their own homes by rotating volunteers. There’s been a third successful shift by the sick which resulted in most of them saying they feel a hundred per cent. Five more folks agreed to take the shifting drug as well as the one lone female who wasn’t sick but who also couldn’t shift. Another who couldn’t shift didn’t want the drug but tried to shift again and was successful. And my mate is beaming with joy. She has been for hours. She seems lighter on her feet. Her smiles are bigger. She’s laughed several times and it’s got me feeling a little lighter, too, though my mood won’t completely lighten until Meadows is dealt with and we’re back home. Back home where I plan to spend days in bed with her. In bed, then the woods. Then the shower, then bed again.
My mate and a few of the other women prepared a big pasta, garlic twisty bread my mate threw together, and salad feast for everyone and the mood in the mess hall is jovial.
Or it was, but now that Jared and Gus are walking in the men from the barracks to join the group for the meal, the mood shifts and it’s clear there’s a gender divide in this pack, definitely down to Meadows cultivating a culture of women being treated as second-class citizens.