Leader of the Pack (52 page)

“I already know. My messenger tells me that your favorite elder took the message, under orders that you were not to be disturbed. What, may I ask, was so damned important that you were ‘not to be disturbed’ for days at a time?” Cadifor’s eyes were on fire.

Anger this intense rarely surfaced on Cadifor’s face. Even so mention of what Cullen had been doing had him grinning again. Cadifor’s expression intensified, if that was even possible. Cullen decided that the truth was really the only excuse good enough to excuse his behavior, and there was no certainty that Cadifor would find it a good enough. “A bitch in heat that I intend to mate with. I don’t know how much you’ve heard about the inner workings of my pack recently,” he said seriously.

Cadifor sat back in his chair, and his face seemed to relax a bit. “I don’t know whether to call you a complete fool or offer my congratulations. Either way, I’ve been down that road.” He growled, thinking about the report and a few things that he read recently. “Who,” he said and a knowing curious expression crossed his face.

“Her name is Aislinn. She was a victim of Rafe’s little quest. She’s got druid ancestry, but no formal training. She’s in the reports.” Cullen tried to sound off hand about it, but he knew that the reports were the reason for this meeting. So being involved with a prominent name in the report might not go over well.

Cadifor tapped his pen on the desk and shook his head. “Leave it to you to make even mating a complex endeavor.”

Cullen smiled and nodded. None of his attempts at mating had gone without some incident. If this one went through, and he intended to make sure it did, then it would be the first.
And last,
he thought. At least the confession seemed to put Cadifor’s fire out.

“So here’s the situation. Shortly after your report, the Circle contacted us. I have been around as long as any living lycan, and I was shocked to find that not only do they exist, but they’ve been watching us since our inception.” Cadifor growled. “I don’t like finding out that there’s been a force in play for the whole of our existence that we never knew about. So your report tells me that one of their own went rogue and tried to create a new species of were or several new species. He intended to use them as his own personal army and take control of a point of power on your territory.”

“That’s it.” Cullen liked Cadifor’s tendency to be concise and up front. It saved time. The two men were like minded in many respects.

“No that would have been it. Except your man Keith went and handed over the prisoners from Rafe’s mismatch game to the feds. Not that I don’t understand how that happened. But all of our attempts at recovering them and dealing with it ourselves have been sidelined. I don’t know what the feds are doing with them, where they are being held, or if there is any real concern necessary. The last thing we need is the federal government pulling a Rafe and creating their own personal army.”

“I did consider that after I found out what had happened. Unfortunately, there really was no way for us to hold them at the reservation, transport them to where we could hold them, or find another solution to the situation that wouldn’t result in more deaths. I had enough bodies piled up from that night.”

Cadifor let out a heavy sigh. “And what of the unrecovered book and notes? That’s what the Circle wants.”

“I’ve got no real proof of anything pertaining to those.” Cullen growled, remembering Aislinn’s warning. “Aislinn had a vision that they were in the Tairneach manor.”

“No proof.” Cadifor stared at Cullen with consideration. “Still, you believe she’s right.”

“She hasn’t led me wrong to date.”

“Any other visions that we should be concerned about?”

Cullen resigned himself to the idea that he was going to be paying more attention to Aislinn’s visions in the future. “She saw a dungeon-like room at the Tairneach manor filled with people who wanted her help.”

Cadifor pressed his fingers into the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes as though he had a headache. “Are these the missing people you warned the feds to be on the lookout for?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you know that there are a number of druids missing?”

“I knew that Rafe was killing Senach for some reason. We never got a chance to find out why. Rafe’s dead. Even if the papers are at Tairneach manor, we had no reason to think that the Tairneach would pick up where he left off.”

“Well,” Cadifor said with a wicked grin. “Perhaps we need to ask Jenna what she’s up to then. I have to admit that I wasn’t happy the Tairneach allowed her to take the alpha position uncontested.”

Cullen growled his agreement. “She did facilitate the overthrow of Rafe’s power play that allowed us to kill him.”

Cadifor smiled. “We’ll take that into consideration.” He pressed a button on an intercom and told the voice at the other end of the speaker to get Jenna and bring her to his office.

Cullen’s face fell considerably. “I don’t like where this is going. Jenna has books for creating weres and is doing something with druids capable of making use of them.” The end of the comment was followed by a devilish grin.

“Can I ask what’s amusing you this time? I’m guessing it must have a female name in it.”

“Aislinn was right. Next time I’ll take her more seriously. She tried to talk me into raiding the Tairneach manor over a week ago. I didn’t want to risk the pack again so soon after such a large funeral. That’s why I tried to sick the feds on it. I figured a few of them killed in the face of an unknown situation and danger wouldn’t be a big loss.”

“Sounds like the woman will be quite the asset.”

“She already is.”

A knock stopped their conversation and Cadifor called, “Come in.”

Sauntering through the door, Jenna’s face went from smug to suspicious in seconds. She thought that Cadifor summoned her in order to get to know his new alpha better. The minute she saw Cullen, she knew that wasn’t the situation.

“Sit down,” Cadifor said.

Immediately, Jenna smoothed over her features and gracefully eased into the chair.

Jenna’s self-assured demeanor mildly impressed Cadifor. “Jenna I’ll get straight to the point. The reason I called you to this meeting is because of some trouble your dead mate was causing. At the moment I have a number of concerned parties in the manor are giving me a bit of a hard time. I have to give them answers, so I have some questions to ask you. Perhaps you can fill in the blanks that Cullen couldn’t.”

Jenna’s face went blank. Cadifor knew she wasn’t going to work with him. “I’ll do my best. I’m sure Cullen may have told you, Rafe was using mind control effects on the whole of my pack, including myself. I may not know as much as you might think. I spent a great deal of time asleep when he was in our manor.”

Cadifor smiled at her sympathetically, but he didn’t intend to go easy on her. “I understand that Rafe used books and notes to create the weres in his army. Do you know what happened to them?”

Jenna remained unreadable. “I assume that everything belonging to Rafe was removed from the manor with the few of his men who had been left behind when we went to the Arnauk reservation that night. I didn’t find anything like what you’re suggesting. Though, I do have one of his men in holding. I could have him interrogated.”

Cadifor was amused at her attempt to sound cooperative. “Actually if you have one of them in custody, I’d like to have him turned over to the Council. They’re curious about some of the things that they read in the report.”

Jenna nodded. “Consider him yours.”

“That brings me to the next question. The alphas who are were been brought in because there are people missing from each of their territories. Do you have anyone non-lycan in your custody?”

“No. What do you mean non-lycan? Humans?” Jenna asked innocently.

“The Circle recently made contact with the Pack Council and asked our assistance in the recovery of a number of druids. Many of them were found dead and were assumed to be the work of Rafe. However, since his death, quite a few more have come up missing. Since Rafe involved us in his attempt at creating his own little empire, they’re seeking our help in resolving the issue of their missing people.”

Jenna shook her head. “I can tell you that there were at least a dozen of them left at Tairneach manor during the battle on the Arnauk reservation. We captured one when we returned and killed a couple others. The rest got away. I suppose they could be continuing whatever he was doing. I suggest Cullen keep a close eye on that stone circle of his.” She flashed him a winning smile.

Cullen hated to admit it, but if he didn’t know she was lying, it would have been a fairly convincing story.

Cadifor stared at her measuringly. He didn’t know if Aislinn’s visions were more trustworthy than Jenna. She was supposed to be an alpha and loyal to the Council. “Alright Jenna. Thank you for your help. You can return to the great room. The meeting should begin shortly.”

With a respectful nod and an elegant flourish, Jenna got up and left. The pressure made her a little nervous, even if it didn’t show.
Those damned druids had better be ready for me when I return.

As the door closed, Cadifor’s gaze slowly shifted to Cullen. “You don’t believe her.”

“I know Jenna. She’s up to something. It can’t be the same as what Rafe was doing. I don’t know what she could possibly want with druids and a formula to create weres. Though, after hearing her story, I have to agree with you. I shouldn’t have suggested the feds go after Jenna. We’re going to have to get those books out of the Tairneach manor before someone else gets them.”

“Not that simple. We can’t just go raiding the Tairneach manor. It violates any number of laws we’ve laid out. The Pack Council cannot be involved. Since I’ve called this meeting and approached her already there is no way a raid wouldn’t be seen as associated with the Council. We’ll have to find another way.”

Cullen growled. “The bitch has caused me headaches since she was old enough to spread her legs. I don’t see why I couldn’t deal with it and claim it was territory dispute.”

Cadifor smiled at his friend. “Because you would never normally do that, and everyone knows it. For now, we’ll hold the meeting. Deal with the feds, and wait and see what she does.”

“What are you going to tell the others?”

“The same thing I originally intended to tell them. The same thing I told Jenna. The Circle is real and they want our help. I’ll have them keeping an eye on the druids on their territory. That will make it harder for Jenna to take any more of them for whatever she’s doing.” Cadifor’s mouth tilted deviously at the corners. “No to mention we’ll be keeping an eye on the druids at the same time. Two birds, one nicely legitimate stone.”

Cullen cleared his throat. “Now that the serious topic has been dealt with… Are you coming to the mating ceremony?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss scenting the woman who managed to get her claws into you.” He chuckled. “When?”

“Probably this week. I need to talk to Sarah. She’s been arranging things. Since Aislinn was in heat last week, we’re going to have to get the ceremony over with in relatively short order. Just in case.” He was grinning again.

* * * *

Aislinn woke feeling incredibly uneasy, her head pounding as though she’d been hit with a sledgehammer. Looking around the dark room, she decided that it must be evening. The nightstand where the clock had been was lying on its side. The clock was probably somewhere on the floor, either under something or busted. Either option was a possibility.

She closed her eyes momentarily and tried to find Cullen. He was there, just quiet. She could feel him in her mind, but it reminded her of how it felt when she walked into the stone circle, fogged over. Save, this time, it was like he was calling to her from very far away. She wondered how far he could go from her before she’d lose him completely, and that thought bothered her a great deal. She tried to send her thoughts to him, but he didn’t seem to hear her. She didn’t like it at all.

Aislinn got up and made her way through the dark to the shower. Turning on the light, she ran the water. The bathroom, with the exception of the busted door, was the only room in the penthouse still in relative order. She stepped into the hot water, letting it cascade over her and feeling disappointed that Cullen wasn’t there to present the possibility of help with scrubbing her back. Standing there she contemplated whether she should call him about the vision or wait until he returned.

There was no doubt in her mind that a great deal of trouble was going on. Aislinn knew that she was meant to convey a message, and it felt urgent. Finally, she decided to ask Sarah what to do. Cullen’s concern about the meeting and this Cadifor guy, made Aislinn reluctant to add to his troubles. She didn’t want to interrupt him, if it would cause trouble. He already told her that he didn’t want anything to do with the people the Tairneach were holding.

When Aislinn left the bathroom and flipped on the light in the main room, she winced at the mess. That would be another thing she needed to ask Sarah about. She knew that she was supposed to have an omega deal with it, but figured it might be less embarrassing if she just cleaned it up herself. Picking her way through the debris, she managed to get to the bedroom, unsure how she got to the bathroom in the dark without breaking her neck. She fished some clothes out of the drawer, dressed, then headed for the elevator.