n

n

n~~

nDavid

n~~

nI missed my mate. There was no doubt about that. I missed her fiercely. We were training practically everyday with almost no breaks in the routine. Rarely did I get a day off. And with the time change and remoteness of the area it was hard for us to stay in contact.

nRawlynne told me that she was trying to stay in Colorado Springs so that we wouldn't have to move or have a long distance relationship. That made me happy because I knew from this trip that I never wanted to be away from her for a long period of time ever again. This was killing me.

nRawlynne was all I could think about, but I needed to focus on my training too. I was granted a supersonic speed which was great and all, but everyone else seemed to have a combat ability. What was I good for?

nWhen we were almost a couple weeks into the training some strange things happened to us all. Reece had already turned into a Lycan during a fight between two traitors, and that alone was amazing but then he went and turned into a phoenix as well. A **ing fire bird. Seriously? How the hell did he get all the cool stuff?

nSeeing that I worked harder and harder with my fighting. It seemed I was getting better and better at all types of martial arts. It was almost like I was a master of them all and I was just remembering some long dormant skills. I was able to win every sparring match I had started, with everyone except Reece. The only time I stood a chance against Reece was when I used super speed, but that allowed him to use his special abilities as well. And speed or not, I was no match for everything he had.

nThe good thing was that I could use those martial arts skills even when moving as fast as I could. This was something that I took as a blessing from the Goddess, she had made me good in combat like I wanted.

n~~

nRawlynne

n~~

n

"You want to transfer?

" Harris asked me with disbelief when I went back to Denver. It was just a few days after David left and therefore just a little while after the kids were rescued.

"Why the hell do you want to transfer to the field office?

"

nI could understand why he was surprised. If I truly wanted to rise through ranks and go up the bureau ladder then staying in the home office would be the best way. Moving to Colorado Springs and working small fry cases was counter productive to everything I ever wanted.

n

"Have you gotten to that burn out point? Are you done with wanting to grow here?

"

n

"Director Harris, she doesn't want to quit. She just wants to switch locations.

" Jackson stepped in for me before I could even offer a response.

n

"And you want to transfer too, right?

" Harris looked at Jackson like he already had it figured out.

"Whoever this guy is, he better be worth it.

" Harris scoffed.

n

"I found my mate.

" I spoke softly, not wanting to let the information get out of this particular office.

n

"Are you serious?

" The man looked like he had been slapped in the back of the head, with a hammer. That's how shocked he was at my revelation.

"An honest to God mate?

" I could see the grin forming on Harris's face.

"Well no wonder. But couldn't this guy just move here with you?

"

n

"I can't ask him to do that, he is high in the pack order.

"

n

"Are you OK with rejoining a pack?

" Harris knew my stance on packs since I had left my own so many years before.

n

"I'd join that pack for him. Hell, I'd join it without him.

"

n

"Is this pack that special?

"

n

"They are.

" Harris looked like he wanted more, like my answer was not yet good enough.

"The reincarnation of the Moon Goddess is their new Luna. She is a half wolf half witch and she is going to change the world.

"

n

"The reincarnation of the Goddess?

" Harris was old, very old, yet immortal. He would know what this meant.

"So the new Luna Queen has been found? Man, that's quite something. That makes her the leader to all of the shifters right?

"

n

"And of all the warlocks.

" Jackson added for him.

n

"How is that possible? The wolves and the magic users have a different deity.

"

n

"Yeah, the warlocks are the children of Thoth, right?

" Jackson was smiling as Harris nodded his answer.

n

"Yeah, they are.

"

n

"Well, she's half witch remember.

" Jackson was just grinning like a loon.

n

"So, she was blessed by Thoth as well?

" Now Harris truly looked awed.

n

"She was named the Queen of the warlocks and witches as well.

"

n

"Not just them.

" Harris shook his head.

"We Djinn, the genie, all the magic users. Except for the Fae of course.

"

n

"Huh, so she is your new Queen too.

" Jackson laughed.

n

"And this new mate of yours is what to this pack?

"

n

"He is her guard.

" I answered him quickly, no reason to hide it from him at all.

n

"Damn. What the hell happened while you were all out there?

"

n

"So much. So very much.

"

n

"Well, let's talk about it over dinner, since I am going out on a limb here to guarantee you that position you want so badly.

"

nHarris went with Jackson and I to dinner that night. He had already gotten me the job of running the field office I wanted. There were more supernaturals in the FBI than most people realized and we all tended to help each other out. The most uncomfortable part of the night was when Harris insisted I invite him to my wedding which just about made both me and Jackson choke. Jackson was accepting David more but he still didn't want to think about us getting married. And I hadn't even thought about the fact that I needed to actually get married at some point.

nWould David even want to get married?

nAfter I went back to Colorado Springs I got Reece's construction team to finish the work on the office. The old team was taking too long, and frankly, wolves just worked so much more efficiently. While they finished the work on that office though, I decided to take another trip to see the Alpha of the Hidden Paw in California.

nI had done some research on Jesiah and the people born in that pack. It was hard doing as they didn't venture out for anything more than work or shopping, but I managed to learn that a lot less people made it to adulthood over the last few generations than there should have been. There was something dark and sinister going on there.

nJackson and I landed at the airport and rented an SUV similar to the last one. We drove straight to the Alpha's residence and knocked on the door. The first thing I noticed was a lack of that horrible scent.

nDon't get me wrong, I had smelled it on the way here, driving through the small town, but it wasn't here on this house anymore. That was weird. It wasn't easy to hide scents at that massive of a level and the people in this house had stunk to high heaven. What was going on?

nA younger man, probably around David's age, answered the door. He was tall, like Reece, but he had caramel colored hair and green eyes. He was good looking and seemed fierce. And he smelled nothing like that man who answered the door the last time.

n

"Can I help you?

" He asked politely.

"I don't remember everyone in the pack right now, I spent too much time away, so sorry that I don't remember you.

" He grinned amiably.

"And is that a human with you?

" He grinned at Jackson.

n

"Yes, he is human.

" I was so confused that was all I could say for a moment.

"Uh, um, I'm here to see the Alpha.

"

n

"That's me.

" He grinned back at me.

"Come on in.

" He opened the door and held it for us until we were inside.

"Did you want to meet in my office or in the sitting room down here?

"

n

"The sitting room is fine.

" I could tell that I had a dumbfounded look on my face, but something was really weird here.

nThe man then led us to the same sitting room as before but the furniture was different. The coloring was brighter and the furniture looked newer.

n

"I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself yet.

" He turned and grinned as he gestured for us to take our seats.

"My name is Artemis Cooper, but everyone calls me Artem. Who might you two be?

" He was nice, but he was also perceptive. I know he was keeping an eye on us, making sure that we were not here for something with bad intentions.

n

"My name is Agent Rawlynne Otsana of the FBI, this here is my partner Jackson McIan.

"

n

"FBI huh, what does the FBI want with our pack?

"

n

"What happened to the other Alpha? Jesiah, wasn't that his name?

"

n

"There has been a change in management.

" He grinned at me.

n

"I don't get it.

" Jackson seemed angry as he spoke to Artemis.

n

"What is there not to get. Jesiah used to be the Alpha, now I am. End of story.

"

n

"Why did you take over the pack?

" I asked him, getting to the heart of the matter.

n

"I didn't like how things were being run. He allowed some very unfair practices.

"

n

"Unfair?

" Jackson still looked like all of this was going over his head.

n

"Did you take the pack by force?

" I asked before Artemis could answer Jackson's question.

n

"Yes.

" I saw a hard glint in the man's eyes then.

n

"So you killed him?

"

n

"WHAT?

" Jackson looked first at me then at Artemis with worry in his eyes.

n

"Should I truly answer that question. I don't want to be arrested.

" Artemis laughed light heartedly like it was a joke.

n

"What was Jesiah doing here?

"

nArtemis then told me the tale of the Hidden Paw. He said that their pack took ranks too seriously and they would persecute the weak wolves. Many of the boys that they mistreated would often die and that Jesiah and the last few Alphas just allowed it to happen. This pack sounded like a real nightmare, but it explained why I felt creeped out before.

nI told Artemis if he ever needed anything to call me and we would help him. I gave him my card and told him that I had experience with warlocks, wolves, and many other species. He seemed to understand and walked us to the door with a smile.

nJackson had had a shocked expression on his face since he heard me ask Artemis if he had killed the previous Alpha. He just hadn't recovered from it yet.

n

"Why aren't we arresting him?

" Jackson blurted as we drove away.

"He all but admitted to murder.

"

n

"For one, there will be no evidence, and for two, he did the right thing.

"

n

"I know that, the stuff he said made my stomach flip, but that's not up to us Rawlynne.

"

n

"It wasn't the FBI me that approved, it was the wolf me. That is how things work in the wolf world, Jackson, in all shifter kinds. If you can't handle that then we need to erase the memories you have.

"

n

"Fuck that.

" He yelled at me as I drove.

"I will not let you touch my memories. I just didn't get it. That is why I asked after all. I think I kept my cool in there pretty well, all things considered. Cut me some slack will you.

"

n

"You did do well, I just need to know you won't step in when it comes to shifter law.

"

n

"Never.

" Jackson didn't hesitate. That was good. I wanted him here with me every step of the way, now that he knew I didn't want to be without my brother.

n