Shattered Alpha

by Erin R Flynn

“Clear,” I said into the radio when the last of us were over and we were still undetected.

  “Clear,” Axel echoed back. “Three, two, one.”

  I led us around the pool and towards the guesthouse where the bulk of their guys would be, as it was bigger than a lot of mansions I’d seen. I froze as I saw the pool house not on the plans and heard a lot of heartbeats in there.

  “Hold up, we might have a snag,” I said as I gestured to Carter what I was worried about, and he nodded, heading over there.

  “Holding,” Axel replied. “Our asses are out, so we can’t wait long.”

  “We can’t hear anything you’re saying but only that you’re talking,” Brian warned in my ear. “We want the audio for the record.”

  “Got it,” we both said.

  Carter came back and leaned in so only I would hear and not the mics. “There’s over two dozen young humans in there that are tied up, and I smelled sex. Two lone guards. One was mostly asleep and the other inebriated.”

  “Fuck,” I hissed. “We have innocents here. Bring the guards out, and I’ll talk to those inside. Two with me, the rest move out.”

  “Moving,” Axel confirmed.

  Carter and Emilio handled the guards, and I shot out two cameras before ducking into the pool house, meeting the eyes of two scared girls who were awake.

  “We’re here to help. Stay down and quiet, and we will get you out of here, I promise,” I told them in Spanish. “You understand, yes?”

  “Yes, please help us,” one rasped, breaking my heart.

  “We will. I’ll be back. Keep everyone in here and quiet.” I met up with Carter and Emilio when they agreed, quietly waking others and whispering what was going on from what I heard until I got out of range.

  “We’re in position, front and back covered,” Brian informed us.

  “First round coming,” one of the ancients on my team warned, and I saw them race past me, each carrying a restrained and knocked out person. The amazing thing was we got to use tranqs for this since it was with the shifter council and in another country. We could never get away with that in America, so it actually made our job easier and safer. And that was awesome given the numbers we were going in for.

  I stayed closer to the building they were emptying as Carter covered near the back wall so we had their path between the two of us and they were covered. I scented something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, glancing over my shoulder to realize we had a problem.

  “Mother fucker,” I grumbled. “So the exotic animals aren’t all locked up or a white lion like that other cartel.”

  “What do they have?” Axel asked in my ear.

  “Wolves. The fucker has a pack of fucking wolves on the estate he lets loose like fucking Dobermans.”

  “Oh fuck,” someone groaned.

  “I don’t get it,” Brian admitted. “You said natural animals would fear you and stay clear.”

  “She’s a female wolf,” Axel reminded him, the duh implied in his voice. “Wolves are matriarchal, so how strong she is won’t scare them. It will intrigue them.”

  “We don’t have animal tranqs,” Carter worried.

  “Funny how we keep needing them,” I grumbled, not finding it all that funny at all. I let out a soft growl in warning when the wolves were about fifty yards out. I hadn’t scented them because the compound was fucking massive and we’d already had a few extra surprises. “Axel, I’m open to suggestions here.”

  “You’re going to have to shift to get them locked up safely, but see if you can keep them at bay.”

  “You act like I’ve been around natural fucking wolves ever,” I snapped.

  “Woman, you have one of the best I’m going to tear off your nuts looks that scares grown men from a mile away. You want the vibe you’re not angry at them but not ready for them yet either. They’ll sense what you’re projecting.”

  “Sure, Yoda,” I grumbled, trying to push that feeling out of me like I would seduction in the club or to have fun. I felt the wolves stop and ease back as if they understood I acknowledged they were there and like me—at least in their minds—and would get to them. “They’re hanging back.”

  I almost felt the collective sigh on our side because while ancient vampires could outrun natural wolves, we didn’t want any ruckus or potentially hurting the animals, as none of this was their fault. I really felt better when I heard one of the Mexican government contacts say he’d called a rescue agency that would help get the animals and take them somewhere safe, like our animal control but they worked directly with zoos from what I understood.

  Hey, as long as someone else had a plan or knew what to do because I was at a loss.

  “First floor clear, moving to the second,” Axel updated us seconds before Emilio said the same about the building we were working on.

  “There are a lot more than we guessed,” Brian said.

  “We know,” Axel and I replied together, able to hear the extra heartbeats and feel them. I went a step further and sent out my power to search the area. “At least another forty besides our pool house rescues.”

  Someone snarled on coms, and then alarms went off and lights turned on all over the compound.

  “What just happened?” I demanded.

  “They fucking booby trapped the godsdamn doorknob to their bedroom,” someone answered. “It tases you if you touch it and sets off the alarms apparently.”

  “Sedate and get them out later,” I ordered. “You’re so cleaning the hot tubs and maybe the whole club with a fucking toothbrush. Someone move to the pool house to cover them.”

  “On it,” Emilio replied.

  I flinched when I heard gunfire in the guest house, worried about our people. I let out a heavy breath when they let us know it was cleared. Moments later someone figured out how to cut the alarms, and while people were up, we’d taken most of the security out. It was almost amusing to watch so many “badass” cartel guys run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

  There were several less than flattering comments made as they basically all came out to us as if they were going to save the day and instead their guns were taken away like toys and they were shot with a tranq. It was actually hard not to laugh when Nikos said it was about the human equivalent to shooting fish in a barrel.

  But the wolves got impatient with all the madness and elevated emotions they were getting. They gained ground towards me, and I was more worried about them getting hurt as once we gave the all clear, the humans wanted to break down the gates and see the haul.

  “Carter, get my stuff, okay?” I said into the coms as I turned around to face the wolves and started taking off gear. I had good stuff now, and I wasn’t about to shift and ruin it. Plus, I didn’t have a change of clothes on me. Which was stupid in hindsight to leave my bag with more clothes at the staging area, but I was still fairly new to being a wolf myself.

  Wasn’t there at least a decade of grace period for messing up like that?

  I shifted when I was undressed and felt Carter there, trotting over to the wolves. One pulled out in front of the others, his tail highest of them, obviously the Alpha of the seven in their pack. He gave a few yips, and for some reason I had this insane notion of it being the wolf equivalent to “hey baby, what’s your sign?”

  I really had no idea what to do, so I went with the safest bet and raced past them in a playful manner so they gave chase, but really I was following their scent to find their crates or wherever they were kept. I was glad we were rescuing them too because it ended up being some crap pen that didn’t look like anyone took care of, not even a fucking water bowl and tons of old shit no one handled.

  Just a bit longer, I promise, guys. I led them in there and then leapt over the fence they couldn’t to get back out and closed the gate to lock them in. They whimpered, probably hating it in there as much as I would. I met them at the gate and licked a few of their faces to tell them everything was okay, then raced back to meet up with Carter and my cl
othes.

  He’d brought them over to our vehicles at the back where they were loading up the last of everyone. He pointed to which one, and I sniffed them out, shifting back when I reached the open SUV.

  “ Holy shit ,” one of the DEA guys hissed. “For tits and an ass like that, I’d let her be the boss of me too.”

  “Havers is a very fucking lucky man,” another agent agreed as I hurried to slip on my panties before reaching for my bra. “She’s got the perfect body, and she’s smart.”

  “And loaded I heard,” the first one added. “She owns that club and a fucking mansion. I heard she’s totally loaded and brings whoever he wants to their bed. There’s a dungeon in that club, and he gets to chain her up.” My cheeks flushed as I rushed to get more clothes on.

  “Shit, he gets other women too? God, I would give anything to get her under me, much less chained up and have that sort of fun with her. Shifters are always horny, right? Or around the full moon all they do is fuck, I think. Could you imagine doing her for three days straight until you passed out?”

  “No, but I will now. Wow, I would propose in a second. Hasn’t it been like a year for them? Is he not the marriage type? I think I need to visit Chicago—”

  “No, you should stay far, far away from Chicago,” Brian said, his tone dark and pissed. I glanced over my shoulder and saw he was seconds from pounding them. “And she can hear you, assholes. There’s no way you couldn’t see how uncomfortable you were making her as you leer at her like it’s a fucking peep show instead—”

  I darted over there to his side before I’d even gotten on my socks and shoes, yelping when I stepped on a big rock. “Bri, it’s fine, okay?”

  “Sorry, we weren’t looking at your face,” the first admitted, looking like he wanted to melt at realizing I’d heard and then what he’d just implied.

  “Yes, clearly I caught that,” I drawled, grabbing Brian’s arm and tugging on it so he moved away. “Let it go, Bri. It’s hard for even us to get how well we hear, okay? I’ve had to hear way worse when people talk about how awesome you are and I’m just some slut werewolf who’s not hot enough to nab you.”

  “What idiot would ever say that about you? ” the first guy scoffed, and I felt my cheeks flush even hotter. “You’re like a fucking fifteen on a scale of ten.”

  “Dude, not helping, and more look like they might pound us,” the second warned, pushing his buddy to move away from us.

  I flinched as I realized Carter and several others were behind us. “It’s fine. People talk. I wasn’t called any bad names this bust or interagency fun, so it’s an improvement over most every other time.”

  “I’m sorry I got upset,” Brian muttered as I pulled him over to the SUV with the rest of my stuff.

  I shrugged as I pulled on my socks and boots. “I’m not mad. It was nice of you to defend me. I just didn’t want you to get into it with another agency because of me. I mean, I’m fine.”

  “I know, and I know you can handle it, take care of it, but I just got so pissed they were talking locker room shit because you had to shift to keep us all safe, not because you just felt like stripping. They should be more professional than that, and you were blushing so hard—sorry.”

  “Thanks.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. He hadn’t done anything, but he was sorry I’d been in something so awkward. Plus, normally I’d joke about it and tease him, but things weren’t okay with us, so that made it more awkward and hard. I honestly had no clue what to say.

  “They are right and I am a very fucking lucky man you ever looked my way,” he whispered and then walked off to get back to it. I blinked after him, my whole body flushing at him saying something so sweet. Which honestly made me thrilled I could get so hot and bothered by something he said, as if that was a huge sign we could move past what happened, still be together.

  I needed the hope.

  And we needed the win we got. We not only took out a huge cartel that night, but tons of product and everything no one wanted on the streets. Along with reuniting over two dozen underage boys and girls with their families they’d been taken from. It was the win we needed and reaffirmation that the world needed us to do better— me to do better and give my all to my job and protecting people.

  Even if it came with hits to my personal life and blew it apart every other day. I would work through it, get strong, get better, and not just keep moving but lay that fucking foundation so I could hold up all the shit I needed to… Because I was queen. I was Alpha.

  And I wasn’t ever, not ever going to break or quit.

  21

  The mob case got thrown out again, but I will go back and retestify again if they can pull it together because that’s the job. Or we find new evidence and get them that way. We’d done it before, and we’ll do it again. Well, Brian’s office will as it isn’t my jurisdiction.

  Dain went on a weekend bender but then was right back to work on Monday. He seems different according to Tasar and Alok, and they’re worried. I don’t know how to help him. I wasn’t just being a flippant bitch when I said I couldn’t handle what was on me. It was too much, and I have to focus on myself or everything we’re building will fall. I believe that now, glad Simone and others helped me see it before it was too late.

  In addition to his position with the FBI as trainer, he is reviewing every council law on my behalf given Councilwoman Haton made a promise with me to do that so I wouldn’t pummel them all for the Wild Salvation bullshit. That elder’s dead, and Alena made a big deal about it as a threat not only for anyone wanting to go against our family but to remind those in power that there is always someone more powerful who will take the baddies out.

  There are a lot of fucking laws though, and so far they seem pretty valid for keeping order and peace even if I’m not a fan of some of the freedom lost. I said as much to which Haton replied:

  “You Americans and your illusion of freedom you so desperately cling to. No one is ever free besides in death. You all have chains you ignore as part of the price of your other freedoms. There is more bullshit propaganda spewed in this country than some dictator states. And that’s not about freedom of speech but trapping people in fear and lies, which is another way to chain them down.”

  Well fuck, that was just bright and shiny and not wrong, so it bummed me the fuck out.

  The boys had an awesome time on their trip. They weren’t exactly happy about the circumstances they came back to, but they understood and helped bridge between us now and again, so it wasn’t a complete shut out of me and the men who lived with me. They’re also not blaming anyone but want to help. It’s nice to have them and their support even if they’re kids.

  And everyone’s trying to be supportive and accept what I needed. Reagan dried up all the roses from my birthday gift and bagged the petals for me to use for bats in my new apartment. It was a nice way to show he wants nothing more than to take care of me, and they’ve all been acting like that.

  They’ve all been speaking with Phobie too. Not to check in on me that way but to figure out how to move past this, especially since it was all of them versus me. She’s got some ideas after talking to a few colleagues, and I’m hopeful. I’m truly hopeful on that and a lot in my life, which is what keeps me going.

  Axel was good to his word and found where those poor murdered wolves were from. They were drifters, newly infected and having trouble finding their feet after that. We buried them on pack lands, giving them a home, a resting place since they didn’t really have family that had cared for them once they were wolves. It’s sad but true.

  And terrifying. It’s terrifying the reasons humans can turn on each other. I’d always thought that given my family had abandoned me, but to see it over and over in our community was heartbreaking.

  He didn’t stay though. The moment we got back from the bust in Mexico and he wrapped up the fallout with Lyon, he was gone, not even asking for a reward or to play. I got a very nice note thanking me for my help and apologizing that he�
��d gotten territorial with me, which I knew was the reason he said goodbye with a note and had been distant. I didn’t even blame him.

  I had piles of shit all over the place and was not an easy woman to deal with. He was fun to play with, and honestly, I sort of liked the flirting, the chase, and hot kisses and gropes only. Maybe it would be nice to actually keep things there for once. Maybe it would be nice to learn there is a way to do things besides just jumping in always.

  One can only hope, right?

  The case was closed and the bear dead, so the mayor named Chicago a “Paranormal Sanctuary City” where all paranormals were welcome if they were citizens or could get visas, announcing to the world Chicago accepts them with open arms… Because that won’t end badly doing it in such a splashy way. I’m bracing for impact because we’d finally stopped having protests at the club, so this will probably stir things up.

  Awesome.

  The requests to join the pack have shot up even more, and with the announcement some of the tension eased in Vlad’s coven. So I heard. At least it’s one of the best areas to be in with the way things are changing even if no one really trusts him. Not my business. Not my deal.

  Not enough fucking hours in the day for me to care. Peace was good. That’s it.

  The DC and Miami offices finished training and did well, so now four of five are all training… Which leaves New York. Always the problems with New fucking York, and apparently I can’t put a pin in it anymore. We’re coming up with plans and working on ideas, but it has to happen. We’re doing too much good to risk one city or pack’s corruption to take it all out. No fucking way. Not with as much time and effort as I’ve put in.

  The SWAT is looking like it might take off, and we agreed that it’s time to officially tie the vampires together so there’s stability before we start jumping through the hoops to get this idea really off the ground. Noah is mine, and Goran will become mine too. And he will tie the others to him and the coven be separate, under my umbrella, but like the FBI vampires under Monroe since Goran doesn’t have a territory.