Heart of the Pack

by Fel Fern

  “Sergio and Alessio will be leading the assault. He’s trusting me to lead the pack while he’s gone, to hold the fort down,” Jared explained.

  Leo blinked his confusion.

  “I need wolves I trust by my side. Ron would be here, along with the other Omegas and submissive wolves.”

  Leo started to pay attention. In other words, Jared was in charge of guarding the weaklings. Well, maybe Leo wasn’t that unlucky after all.

  “Can I rely on your help, Leo?”

  “Absolutely,” Leo said without hesitation.

  He could use this opportunity.

  Besides, he knew Sergio’s plans. The Alpha must be dumb to leak his strategy to a roomful of pack members. Sergio trusting his pack members not to talk was stupid. Grant and his pals could handle Sergio, and Leo could take care of Ron here.

  Jared grinned. “I’m glad you’re here, man.”

  Ron returned to them. The Omega flashed Leo a tired smile. “Jared, Sergio says he wants a meeting with all the enforcers. Leo, can you drive me back home?”

  “Ron, you can hitch a ride back with us,” Logan said, approaching them again with the stoic Raul by his side.

  “It’s not a problem,” Leo said quickly. “Your place is near my neighborhood.”

  Logan looked at Ron.

  “I’ll ride with Leo. You guys have some errands to run, right?” Ron asked.

  Relief filled Leo as he ushered Ron gently out of the restaurant. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Sergio giving him a curt nod. Leo returned it, aware Logan and Raul were still watching him.

  He told himself to calm down. No one suspected anything. By the time they were out in the parking lot, he could breathe easier.

  “Can we drop by Kelias and Alessio’s apartment? Kelias is babysitting Will.”

  “Not a problem.”

  Ron beamed at him.

  “Leo, I don’t know how we’ll manage without you. You should definitely consider becoming an enforcer for the pack,” Ron suggested as they got into the car.

  Why the fuck would Leo want that? After he managed to secure a sizable supply of Latitude from Grant, he was out of Darkfall. Besides, Grant ought to be happy. Leo had the perfect plan to destroy the most powerful pack in the country.

  Chapter Eight

  Sergio couldn’t leave Ron, not without saying good-bye. Sergio knew that outside the pack house, his team members were assembled. They were all in their cars, waiting. He couldn’t linger. Their allies were waiting on the borders of the town, as well.

  He needed one private moment with Ron, though. Those closest to him understood. Jared stood a distance away, along with Dino and Raul. Alessio was probably making his farewells to his mate, as well.

  Everything was in position. Ron bit his lower lip. Will was in wolf form asleep on one of the tables, a blanket over his tiny furry body. Sergio leaned down to rub at his son’s ears and gave Will a kiss on the tip of his nose. The pup let out a whimper but didn’t wake. Sergio stroked Will’s back gently.

  “Will you be fine on your own here?” Sergio asked.

  It was a stupid question. They both knew it, but he had to ask. Ron went to his arms and hugged him tight. The Omega rested his head on his shoulder.

  “I’m not alone. Jared’s with me, along with the other enforcers.” Ron dropped his voice. “This is fine, right? Your plan will work?”

  Sergio purposely leaked the wrong plans during the general pack meeting. Once their group was near the Alpine main headquarters, he’d announce the change. He couldn’t afford any mistakes. By now, he and Alessio were certain the traitor would have tattled their plans to Alpine Industries.

  “It will. I won’t be long, maybe only a few days,” Sergio confidently answered.

  Inside, he was a storm of emotions. The ruthless and logical part of him understood that this could also be the last time he saw Ron. He lifted Ron’s chin and gave his mate a hard and deep kiss. Ron put his arms around his waist and kissed back.

  Sergio wanted some time alone, a brief moment of respite. He could drag Ron to some empty closet and have one last fuck, except both of them had hardly sleep last night. They wasted the hours away, tangled in each other. Ron was still probably sore from all Sergio’s enthusiasm the night before.

  He brushed a finger on the fresh bite marks lining Ron’s neck. That made the Omega flush even now.

  “Possessive bastard,” Ron whispered. “You better come back to me safe.”

  “I will. I have too much to lose, plenty of reasons to fight for,” he replied.

  With only his mate watching, Sergio dropped his mask a little. Ron touched his cheek. Only with his mate could Sergio afford to show vulnerability. He must have memorized their plan a thousand times and considered every single possible angle. There was zero room for failure and yet Sergio knew how the world worked.

  Plans could turn to ash in an instant. They didn’t know if the traitor was in Sergio’s party or volunteered to stay behind in Darkfall. He would rather the mole was with them. Better his life than risking Ron’s and his son. He was entrusting a huge responsibility to Jared, but he trusted Jared. Jared loved the pack as much as Sergio. The young wolf wouldn’t fail him. Jared was the best man for the job.

  Ron rubbed at the tears gathering at the corner of his eyes. “You should go. Can’t keep the other’s waiting.”

  “Sergio, Ron!”

  They both blinked, seeing Logan waddling toward them, with Raul looking unhappy behind him. Raul had wanted a slice of the action, to avenge Michella, but Sergio convinced him to stay behind with Logan.

  “What’s wrong?” Sergio asked.

  “I wasn’t sure a week ago when you made the announcement, but I sensed the traitor in the room,” Logan explained.

  “Breathe,” Raul instructed to his mate, placing an arm around Logan’s waist.

  “How?” Sergio asked. “Do you know who it is?”

  Jared flashed him a concerned look. Sergio would speak to him later.

  “I can’t tell who it is yet, but I have my suspicions. His wolf felt on edge, like”—Logan paused as if trying to find a word—“like he’s high. Sergio, this guy’s emotions are messed up. One moment, he’s guilty, the next he’s a stone-cold opportunist.”

  Sergio had heard of weak shifters taking Latitude from the other animal group leaders. It was one of Alpine’s new tactics, selling a watered-down version of the drug on the streets to test the drug’s effects.

  Drugged shifters reacted in unexpected ways. Was the traitor among them exchanging pack information for Latitude? Could one of his own really have fallen so low?

  A headache began to form. He rubbed his temples. It was plausible, but would anyone betray their kind just for a fix? No, he realized. It was highly possible. There was no telling what a drug addict would do. Suddenly, he didn’t feel all that comfortable leaving Ron behind.

  “I know what you’re thinking, baby,” Ron told him. “Now isn’t the time to doubt. We’ll be fine here.”

  Logan looked worried. “Sorry, I made the situation worse, didn’t I?”

  Sergio shook his head. “Do you sense the shifter?”

  “He’s nearby. I can’t pinpoint him, not with so many emotional wolves running around,” Logan said.

  “It’s not good for the baby either,” Sergio said, looking at Raul. “He should be in bed.”

  Raul snarled. “Tell the persistent Omega that.”

  Sergio knew Logan could be stubborn as hell, just like Ron.

  “Raul and I will be around to watch things,” Logan said firmly. “Ron will be safer with us.”

  Sergio hesitated. Logan had a point. He turned his attention to his fuming mate. Ron let out a frustrated sigh.

  “I know you’re worried for my safety, but I can handle myself. Besides, everyone’s with me.”

  “They get to you, they get to me and the pack,” Sergio said.

  He didn’t intend to sound so harsh, but it was the truth. Ron and he
were soul bonded. If either of them died, the other would feel it and would want to follow. Shifters mated for life. Sergio didn’t think he could survive if Ron passed away.

  “I know, babe. You’re forgetting one thing. I won’t die, and neither will you,” Ron told him and kissed him gently on the mouth. “Go. The pack needs you. We’ll hold down the fort here.”

  He nodded. Now wasn’t the time to show weakness. They would not have another opportunity like this again. Sergio nodded to Raul and Logan. “Make sure Logan doesn’t overwork himself.”

  Raul nodded. “I’ll keep an eye out, too.”

  It pained him, but Sergio finally gave his son and his mate one last farewell kiss before exiting the room. On his way out, he gave a brief summary of his exchange to Jared.

  Jared looked serious. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep your mate safe, Sergio.”

  Worry? That was all Sergio seemed capable of doing. Questioning Jared’s ability wouldn’t do them any good. As Ron told him recently, he needed to lean on others for a change. It was a daunting task—trusting others—but Sergio would try.

  Once he exited the restaurant, he gave the place one last look, remembering the first time Alessio, Michella, and he had opened the restaurant. His earliest memories of his mother were of her making pasta in the kitchen. Michella had few memories of her at all. It felt like a lifetime ago since the three of them had arrived in Darkfall. They were orphans, outsiders who had hoped to make their home in this town. Alessio had joked the run-down building would fall apart even before they could open the doors to their first customers. Michella had been optimistic, trying her best to make the place look decent.

  Sergio missed his baby sister, too, but he finally had the chance to avenge her—not only her but also all the wolves he’d lost in this war. This victory wouldn’t just belong to their pack alone but every life Alpine had ruined, as well.

  He thought he saw Michella’s ghost up ahead, smiling at him and giving him an encouraging wave. Unlike Alessio and him, she had their mother’s golden hair. His chest tightened.

  Then she was gone. Simply illusion.

  No doubt they would lose more shifters in the upcoming fight, but every man and woman who volunteered knew the risks. Like Sergio, they fought for their own reasons. Alessio waited for him by his car.

  “Ready, Alpha?” Alessio asked.

  Alpha, not brother. His brother was reminding Sergio of his duty. Right now, he was not a friend or a brother. He was Alpha of the Darkfall pack, and it was his responsibility to make sure there were unnecessary deaths.

  He got in the car, and Alessio took up the driver’s seat. Good. Sergio gave the pack house one last look. If things went well, they could reopen the restaurant, live normal lives—well, as normal as being Alpha to a large pack could be.

  Sergio savored the thought of no longer waking up, dreading the day. No more pack members telling him bad news. He needed to put Ron aside, for a while. They all had jobs to do. Ron would be providing support, along with the others who couldn’t fight. They knew the risks of not knowing who the mole. Eventually, though, the traitor would reveal himself.

  Sergio shut his eyes and reached for the pack bonds. He felt every single wolf connected to his own. Some were scared, and they had every right to be. He sent a surge of reassurance to them through the bonds. Others were eager to shed more blood, to wreak havoc. These wolves, Sergio would remind of caution later.

  In the end, they were all ready to see this war through, to die for him if necessary, fighting for a cause they all believed in—a world free from fear, hate, and violence.

  He opened his eyes and looked at his brother. “Let’s go.”

  * * * *

  Ron peered out the restaurant windows, even long after Sergio and the others left. Worry sat inside him. What if the traitor was with Sergio’s party? Was the killer only looking for the right moment to stab his mate in the back? Sergio was so worried for him and Will, but his Alpha needed to think about himself, too.

  “It’s going to be all right. Sergio’s pretty awesome,” Logan said.

  Ron turned to see Logan seated on one of the chairs, feet propped up on another chair. Raul was talking to Jared, but he hovered nearby. By the doors, Leo gave him a wink. Reassurance filled him, but only for a moment. The mole could be anyone, even people they trusted.

  “Sit down,” Logan eventually said.

  To argue with a pregnant Omega was futile. Ron sat. Watched by Logan, Will continued napping on the table.

  “I would like a boy, too, I think,” Logan mused, probably changing the topic to make Ron feel better.

  “Boys are hard work,” he told Logan.

  On the table, Will stirred, but his pup continued snoring. It had been hard on Will, too. For the moment, he and Sergio had decided Will would skip going to school. Their enemies probably had information on all of them. They couldn’t risk the other kids and teachers at Will’s school. The people of Alpine didn’t care who got in their way, as long as they achieved their goals.

  “I’m envious. A cute little girl would be cool,” he said. They both needed the feeling of being normal.

  Logan grinned. “Imagine shopping for tiny dresses and accessories.”

  Ron groaned. A girl sounded pretty fun. He and Logan could shop together. He would definitely ask Sergio about having more kids after this.

  “What are you two talking about?” Raul asked. The dominant wolf set mugs of steaming tea on the table.

  “Thanks,” Ron said, sipping his.

  “Chamomile?” Logan asked his mate, wrinkling his nose.

  “You don’t like chamomile any longer?” Raul asked.

  Watching the two made him smile. Logan suddenly clutched at Ron’s arm, his eyes wide. A groan tore out from Logan’s lips.

  “Babe?” Raul asked, concerned.

  “I think I just broke my water,” Logan whispered.

  “We need to get him to a hospital. I’ll come with you,” he told Raul.

  Raul shook his head. “No. Ron, the pack house is safer. If something happens to you, I won’t forgive myself.”

  Logan let out another moan of agony. Raul easily lifted his slender mate in his arms. Attracted by the noise, Jared and Leo jogged over.

  “I’m taking Logan to the hospital,” Raul told Jared.

  With a start, Ron remembered Jared was acting Alpha now and held the highest rank.

  “Take two wolves with you,” Jared said.

  Raul looked insulted, but Jared cut him off.

  “Both of you are valuable to the pack. You’ll need someone to watch your back.”

  “You mean Logan’s valuable because Sergio sees his sister in him?” Raul asked.

  Now wasn’t the time to argue, Ron thought. “Raul, it’s more than that,” Ron said, tentatively touching the dominant’s wolves arm. He knew mates became hot-tempered and possessive at this sensitive time. “Leo, can you go with them?”

  Leo looked surprised and then looked at Jared. The other man was probably torn because Leo was Jared’s second-in-command.

  “No,” Raul said shortly. “I’ll take Riley. He’s outside.”

  “Go then. If anything happens, Riley can contact me,” Jared said with confidence.

  Ron observed that most of the wolves obeyed Jared without question, even the older veterans. Maybe he and Sergio had nothing to worry about after all.

  Chapter Nine

  Leaving their temporary camp, Sergio padded to the cliff overlooking Alpine’s main headquarters with his brother. Silently, they made their way to the vantage point.

  The experimental lab was like most of the facilities they stormed over the months. The buildings were ringed with barbed wire and patrolled heavily by a mix of mercenaries and hunters from the Order of the Knife.

  It looked like any of the labs they’d taken down before.

  Sergio and his allies memorized the blueprint of the headquarters in their heads. They split up and made sure to keep quiet. Sergio cou
ld have sent spies for this, but he always believed that the boss needed to get his hands dirty. With a traitor in the pack, he couldn’t risk false information leaking back to them.

  After confirming that the guards were exactly where they were, that their source was accurate, Sergio went back to the spot where Alessio and he split up. Seconds passed. He worried about his brother, but he spotted Alessio’s familiar fur in relief. Together, they headed back to camp.

  He felt on edge, eager to finish up this operation so he could see his mate and son again. Sergio felt queasy leaving Ron and Will behind, and the feeling never quite faded.

  They returned to camp and gathered all the leaders of the animal groups they were fighting alongside.

  “We’ve confirmed the location of the guard towers. We’ve planned this operation extensively, but we’re changing our entry point,” Sergio said.

  There were surprised faces.

  “Why so last minute, Sergio?” Noel, Alpha of the Blood Ruby pack, asked.

  Their pack was small, but Noel and his wolves were one of the few Sergio trusted. That and the fact some of his wolves were mated to Noel’s pack. Noel’s advice and friendship were valued.

  Noel approached him months ago, asking for aid in finding his missing sister. Sergio might not have saved his own, but if he could save more lives, then it was worth it.

  “You all know I have a mole in my pack. I couldn’t risk leaking the information then. If the traitor is among us now, the camp’s heavily guarded. They wouldn’t be able to slip out.”

  Noel nodded, taking his word for it. Sergio’s wolves formed the vanguard of the party, so his pack would take the most damage if the worse came to past. He refused to let other groups go first. Besides, most of his werewolves were honored and eager to fight.

  The other leaders still looked apprehensive, but now was the time to rally all of them.

  “Each of you came to me because you believed we can win this war. If we take down this facility, they won’t be able to make more of this formula. It would also be a lesson to them not to start up their experiments again.”