Treasure

The leaders met back in the Alpha’s conference room while Enforcers guided the remaining Pack members were put to work on burial detail or sent back to their rooms. It would take months to clean up the mess just from the mass execution; deaths would have to be simulated here and there so they didn’t arouse suspicions in the human system. The Council had recognized the value of being able to work within human systems, so they had a few Pack Doctors who functioned as Coroners and provide the coroner’s reports and death certificates needed. Those who held jobs in the human world would be first.

They sat around the table, fatigue showing on all. Doing what they had done had not been easy, and it had been an emotional time for the Pack having all their sins laid bare. They all had the same question in mind, but Royce Waterman was the first to say it. “How the fuck did we miss that Charlotte was still alive?”

“Blackstone covered his failure to capture her well, I guess. We were all so glad when he killed his father, he made us all believe he was changing his Pack for the good. He was the one who came clean to us, remember? He told us what his father had done and assured us the men responsible had been punished. It was an internal Pack matter, so we let it go,” he said. “He just sent it underground. The females who might have mated elsewhere never saw it and dismissed it as old rumors and gossip. As long as it didn’t affect other Packs, we had no jurisdiction,” Chief Enforcer Trestman said. “We found the dormitory they kept the women, it was like a whorehouse for their males. When one would have a baby, it would be adopted by a mated pair in the Pack. There are dozens of such children in the Pack now.”

Erik took a deep breath. “I’m disappointed they got death so easily,” he said. He looked over at the Council Doctor, Viktor Andromeyev, a man who had been practicing medicine since the days of leeches and bloodlettings under various names and Packs. “Viktor, where does this Pack sit mentally?”

“It’s a mess,” he said. “You’ve got around twenty-five women who just lost or will lose their mates, another ten whose mates are being imprisoned. The ones that weren’t involved seem shocked at the things that had been done. And then there are the kidnapped ones.”

The men leaned forward, this allegation was new. “What do you mean?”

“When we released the enslaved women from the dormitory, some told us they had been kidnapped from other Packs. They were tricked into coming with them while off Pack lands, then drugged and brought here to the hidden facility. If they weren’t mates with any of the men, they were turned into sex slaves. It goes back almost forty years, boss. The men working with the Enforcers are taking their statements, then we will start contacting their original families and Alphas.” The other Alphas were shocked. “Alpha Todd’s father implemented the practice and used it to build his Pack. Todd just did it better, without raising suspicions. He made up for the lack of fertility with quantity, and it kept his unmated males happy.” He looked at the others. “He planned to do the same with the women of the Arrowhead Pack, but they chose death instead.”

The three visiting Alphas stood to their feet. “Claire,” one said as he rushed out, the other two following. All three looked like they had seen a ghost.

Erik turned to his Chief Enforcer. “Mark, gather all the women in the trial room. The Council will read them and deal with this personally.”

As the women came into the room, the Council members used their dominance to force out the truth just like they had with the men. They were asked if they were mated, how they came to the Pack, and if they knew of any persons involved in kidnapping women that had not already been exposed. Warriors and Enforcers recorded the details, ensuring nothing was missed.

In the end, nineteen women and three girls were found to have been stolen from other Packs over the past twenty years. Todd had been smart; they were captured off Pack lands, and they took from all Packs equally. No one had noticed a pattern, thinking the girls had run away or been killed. It wasn't uncommon for a wolf to be shot if outside Pack lands in wolf form. The Council had never become involved because Alphas didn’t want to admit they couldn’t protect their Pack members. “Looks like we have twenty-two more trials tonight,” Erik said as they gathered back in the rooms. The fifteen men and seven women were already in the cells, having been named as being part of the kidnapping teams or having knowingly mated a kidnapped shewolf.

“Is there going to be anyone left by the time we are done,” Craig asked. “It’s scary how many of them didn’t consider what their Pack was doing to be wrong. They taught young men this is normal and good, taking another man’s mate and using her to breed. It’s a mess, and it could take generations to turn it around.”

“It only took two generation to screw it up, Luna knows how long to fix this Pack,” Royce said. “The real problem is we have completely decapitated the Pack. They have no leaders left with any experience, the remaining members are young, old or widowed, and frankly the very existence of this Pack offends me now. I think we need to liquidate it.” Liquidation was a last resort; the Pack would be dismantled, the members divided evenly among the other worldwide Packs. All Pack assets would be sold, the proceeds used to support the transitions. The Pack would be no more. “They should join the Arrowhead Pack as a sad chapter in our history.”

Erik held up his hand. “I need to bring the European Councilmen into the decision, but we don’t have to make it now. We’re tired and so is the Pack. We will take this up tonight.”

As they started to get up, Alpha Martin entered the room with the two other Alphas. “Gentlemen, two of my missing women have been found here and need to be returned to their families.”

“I will not delay that any longer, Alpha,” Erik said. “Take the Gulfstream; you can take your people and those from the Packs that surround you. Just call them and have them meet the plane in Syracuse,” he said. “What are you doing with the five prisoners?”

“I’ll be sure to tape it, sir, but I can’t leave my Pack members here a moment longer than necessary. Their families have been besides themselves with grief, and they need to go home.” He thought of the five. “I don’t want the women to be flying in the same plane as their tormenters.”

“Take a panel truck and another vehicle from the Pack garage,” Alpha Wright said. “It will take thirty hours or so to drive straight through to the Pack. If you force them into wolf form, silver and sedate them, it will go quickly. If you want, I can send a few of my men with to help with security and driving.” Only the three leaders of the Adirondack Pack had come. “I’m sure they won’t mind watching them get their justice live instead of on tape.”

“I’ll get a few volunteers as well,” Alpha Friendt said. “I’ve got unmated ones who would appreciate an East Coast tour, maybe stop at a few Packs on the way back home.”

“Thank you,” Martin said. “I will have my Beta arrange the transport, you can have your volunteers report to him.” He shook the hands of the two Alphas, then turned back to the Councilmen. “My father and I thank you for the use of the Council jet, and will leave as soon as it is ready.”

“Eat breakfast first, I’ll arrange the flight,” Erik said. He looked at the two American Council members as he left the room. “Your recommendation is liquidation?” Both nodded. “I have to make a call.”

The captured women from three Packs were on their way back home by noon, along with Alpha Mitch and Charles. The Pack was designated for liquidation, which brought a whole bunch of new problems forward. Every Pack in the world was affected, and dozens of people would require transport to their new Packs once the divisions were made. Erik set a date to start the liquidation, five days from then, allowing the Adirondack Pack time to carry out the executions and return.

The twenty-one in the cells would wait. Every Pack had been affected, it was only fair they were at the trials and punishment.

The Suburban and the panel truck pulled into the circular drive in front of the Adirondack Pack House, where the entire Pack was waiting for them. The Beta got out of the truck as the volunteer escorts got out of the SUV and were warmly greeted by the Alpha pair and Charles. “Take them to the cells, we will deal with them tonight,” Alpha Martin said. “Jackson, thank you for bringing them here. Once they are settled, get some rest.”

“Thank you, Alpha.” He waved at a few men, then got in and drove around to the security building which was guarding the entrance to their underground prison. It only took them a few minutes to carry each of the small cages out of the truck, the unconscious wolves inside them. They were placed in cells and the silver removed, when the drugs wore off they could change back to human form until it was time.

Night came early in the wintertime, and Charles had a long time to consider their execution on the flight back home. He spoke to his son and daughter-in-law, who agreed to the plan and got the necessary permits from the human authorities. There was an old barn on their property that was dangerous and needed to be torn down. Martin told them they were pulling it down then burning it, and got the proper permits. With the recent snows, there was no worry about the isolated building spreading a fire.

The entire Pack stood as silent witnesses, joined by cameras and the visiting representatives of the other East Coast packs. They had all watched the trial, but now the kidnappings had affected them too, and the ringleader was being punished here and now. Eight Alphas had made the trip, most bringing along family members of those taken. Two brave women who had been freed were standing tall, eager to see justice. Alpha Martin waited until the five men were secured to the floor, their bodies chained spread-eagle to bolts in the ground, and then stepped forward. “Fifteen years ago, these men led an unprovoked attack on another Pack, wiping out the men, women and children. Among the victims was my only sister, pregnant at the time.” He paused to gather himself. “Luna Joanna was unable to shift, and these men attacked her, broke her bones, then left her helpless in her home as they burned it around them. Justice requires the same to happen to them.”

He picked up a sledgehammer and walked inside to where Todd was chained down. “This is for my sister,” he said before he brought it down on his thigh. There was a sickening crunch as his femur was crushed. He handed it to his father, who took out his other leg. There had been no shortage of people wanting a piece of the five, and the line moved quickly as arms and legs were crushed. Their howls of pain into the gags gave no one pause, their wolves delighted in the punishment they were getting.

When the line was done, Martin lit a Molotov cocktail and stood before the men. “May you all burn in hell for the rest of time,” he said before he threw it to the back wall of the barn. The flames caught quickly; his men had spread kerosene around, and the flames soon forced the Pack to retreat. The screams lasted for a few minutes before they stopped, and ten minutes later the burning structure collapsed upon them.

Martin hugged his mate and father, then they walked back to the Pack House. They would fly back for the liquidation, and then there was one thing left to deal with. He had a niece out there, and it was time to bring her home.