Chapter 5
Barely Above a Sub
~Ranger
I drummed my finger along the desk as I shuffled through my reports. Nothing was standing out to me. Just one lead, that all I wanted, just one, so I could at least know I was going in the right direction.
The door cracked open, and Daven poked his head inside.
“Hey,” he stepped inside and leaned back against the door. “Find anything.”
“Every year it’s the same,” I muttered. “I can really expect someone to admit to having stolen pack members, but even the numbers are steady. Nothing seems off.”
Daven walked over and sat on the desk. He grabbed a bundle of papers and flipped through them. “Pack information is voluntary. Most of the member counts are lies even when we’re not dealing with rogues. No one wants to appear weak in today’s world.”
“How can I know which ones are wrong, though?” I muttered. “That’s the problems. If I could find just one pack that’s been working with this group, then I’d have somewhere to go.”
“Not possible,” Daven tossed the papers back on the stack. “Majority of these packs, we don’t have arrangements with. We can’t demand anything from them.”
“I know that.” I rubbed my forehead. “There has to be a way to tell. I just need to figure out how.”
With a sigh, Daven folded his arms and thought for a moment. “If a pack is trying to hide that they’re buying stolen werewolves, they’d keep the number lower. Try and hid it.” He glanced over at me. “Maybe see if there’s a pack who businesses requires more manpower than what they have listed there. It could lead you somewhere.” He stood and walked to the door. “Trevor also has the list of recent wolves that have gone missing. Locate one of them and it might help lead you to Shiloh and West.”
“Thanks.”
I heard the door shut and leaned back in my chair. “Good god,” I breathed. “This shouldn’t be so difficult.”
***
~Shiloh
The man, who pulled me into the bed, opened the back door to the van and helped me inside. He slammed it closed, before going to the passenger side door. The two other dominants were already seated.
I scooted up against the side and pulled me knees to my chest.
“What with you and the omega?” laughed the driver as he pulled the van out onto the icy roads. “You’re already mated.”
“Didn’t think you were into subs,” chuckled the one in the back seat.
“Ha, ha,” said the dominant dryly. “I think I’ll give him to my mate. She wants a helper for the house.”
“No alternative motives.” The driver nudged his arm.
“Maybe a few,” replied the man in the passenger seat. “He has beautiful fur. He’s one of those subs that the higher up packs mate. You guys need him to shift for you and then you’ll see.”
The two others laughed and teased him a bit more.
“To bad we can’t strike a deal with him then,” said the driver.
“Not if we want Wolfsbane to wiping us out,” stated the one in the back seat. “Better to just have him be your mate’s helper.” He glanced back at me. “I don’t think he’ll be much help on the farm, come Spring.”
The back wheels of the truck swung to the side.
“Slow down!” yelled the dominant in the passenger seat. “You’re going to get us killed.”
“Calm down, we’re fine,” chuckled the driver. “Just a little patch of black ice.”
A few moments later, the vehicle started to slide again.
“I said watch it!” The dominant swung his arm out and hit the driver as he braced himself.
The brake squeal as the back of the van flipped around. I covered my head and screamed as the vehicle flew off the road. I was thrown through the air and tumbled around in the back.
Everything grew still soon after when the vehicle settled in a snow pile below the road. I slowly opened my eyes and sat up. The van was laying on its side, and the men weren’t moving. My arm hurt. It wasn’t bleeding badly. I licked it and the wound healed. The back door was bent out, and snow was starting to spill inside.
I kicked at the latch. The driver started to groan. I landed one more firm kick. It gave in, and the door opened. I pushed the snow to the side as I wiggled out.
Glancing through the windows, I saw the passengers start to move. I quickly took off my clothes and shifted to my wolf. Using my teeth, I carefully removed the identification band from my wrist and hurled it off into the snow. I scanned the white layer that covered the forest. It was like back at Hidden Peak. My only hoped to survive was hidden in the snow.
***
~West
Rubbing the mark on my shoulder, I glanced at the door. Waiting for him to come back or face him? I wasn’t a sub. I clenched my fists and stood. I never back down to Ranger, I wasn’t going to with this man either. My shoulder dropped when I reached the door. I couldn’t do it.
Standing tall, I grabbed the knob. I was going to do this. I would show Keith, I wasn’t some timid middle rank that would go along with this. I was not going back to a pack run by rogues.
Throwing my hands down, I cursed and rubbed my forehead. Why couldn’t I do this! I glanced over my shoulder. Maybe there was an escape hatch in the back.
The door swung open. I dodged it and back up a couple feet.
Keith gave me a smirk and leaned against the doorframe. “How long have you been awake?”
I shrugged. “For a bit.”
“Well come on.” He waved me out of the room, before leading the way to four seats facing each other with a table in the middle.
The man that greeted me at the door sat in one next to the window. Keith waved me to the other one by the window. I slipped past him and sat down. He did so as well next to me. I felt instantly trapped.
Keith placed an arm around my shoulders. He pointed out the window. “You’ll be able to see parts of the city soon. We’ll be landing in a few minutes.” His other hand wandered across my lap and grabbed the seat belt.
I took it from him. “I can do it. Thanks.” I shoved the ends together, messing up the alignment a few times, before finally continuing the two pieces.
“What do you think, Adam?”
The man glanced up from his tablet for a moment. “Hmmm….”
“Come on,” muttered Keith. “I think I found a good one.”
“A good bloodline,” breathed Adam, as he tapped away at the screen. “I think the only redeeming quality your father mentioned.”
The man wasn’t much taller than me, and his brown hair wasn’t that much darker than mine. I was slightly thinner, but he wasn’t huge, so why he was looking at me like a worthless omega was pissing me off.
“More than that,” stated Keith.
I felt his eyes on me and kept my pointed at the table.
“He’s barely a middle rank,” muttered Adam. “If you wanted a sub, get a proper one.”
My mouth fell open. “Barely,” I exclaimed. “Barely. You’re the ones who’s barely a dominant, if that.”
A clawed hand came at me and tapped the table in front of me. “Would you like to test who’s more dominant than who?”
I shook my head and sunk into my seat. “No,” I whispered.
“Good,” laughed Keith, patting Adam hand. “Because I’d win.”
“Hmmm,” was the man reply, as he went back to typing and scrolling.
“And as you can see, he’s not a sub, because I didn’t want a mate that just rolls over.”
“No, one with attitude is better,” he replied sharply. “You’ll change your mind quickly after you’re mated and the threat of toxins no longer makes him obey.”
Clenching my jaw, I stared out the window.
“You sound like my father,” sighed Keith. “It’s my choice. If I want a middle rank, than I’ll have one. Besides,” he squeezed me to his side. “West isn’t going to cause any trouble.”
Adam eyed me. “Let’s hope so, or your father will be happy to let you try again.” He gave me a crooked smile. “That’s a warning to you. Mates that cause problems don’t last long.”
I bowed my head. “I won’t,” I said softly.
“Like I said,” stated Adam, sitting back in his seat. “Barely above a sub.”