Dominick paced in front of the large oak desk of the painfully quiet office, the room being completely devoid from sound save for the noise of his boots swishing swiftly on the floor, his eyes burning holes into the large antique rug which lay underneath it. Alpha Ryan sat behind the desk in front of him, leaning back into the heavy leather swivel chair on the other side of the desk, one elbow propped on a plump arm rest providing indirect support to his jaw which was encased in his fingers, eyes watching the back and forth of his Beta intently as he continued his measured route.
The unit currently stationed in Montana, employed and subsequently deployed by Dominicks orders at the start of Elizabeth's journey, had given a full report of recent events and left the two to discuss what were the next steps to be taken. Time was of the essence, as their reporting had been delayed by the Beta being inaccessible during his training of his young recruits, his phone laying in his own private office in the training grounds quarters and leaving all their calls unattended to.
They had done their job efficiently, reports of abnormality starting as early as the scout of the group of six had noticed three large military style vehicles enter in close proximity to where she was staying. Noting it, even if it had nothing to do with her. True concern forming when all the men exiting the convoy were found to be lycan, and even graver concern when they saw the presence of an Alpha, obviously their leader by the interactions.
This all could still have been nothing that concerned the Beta's niece, and it could have been a pack exercise or a show of power over a territory dispute with another pack. However, all those hopeful possibilities were effectively quashed, when the rest of the men stationed in a cabin across and down the way from hers, took note of the eviction of her previous neighbors and the subsequent claiming of the cabin by the Alpha himself.
The scouts communication detailed the dispersement of 15 men around the surrounding area, keeping enough distance and utilizing tools of the forest such as dirt, animal excrement and tree sap to cover his scent and maintain covertness. However, he would only be able to monitor from afar at this point, as returning to the cabin was no longer an option with how quickly and efficiently the other wolves descended upon the region. This would be the same for the men within the cabin, the moment they were to step out of the wooden door they too would be picked up by the newcomers.
All they could do was sit by, watching and waiting for the next set of orders from the Beta and the Alpha. Any brash move on their part had the potentiality of quickly developing into either capture or carnage. This being only solidified after watching the Alpha break into her cabin, as well as combined with the encounter that ensued between him and her later on resulting with her getting into his vehicle and them driving off. The scout following in shifted pursuit along the treelines beside the highway so sight was not lost.
I suspect, he believes she is his mate.
The last bit of information provided from the scout is what was currently reiterating in Dominicks mind to the point of obsession. Overwhelming any other thoughts and not producing the most ideal environment for rational thinking.
After a few more minutes of watching the back and forth across the rug, Alpha Ryan cleared his throat, "Dominick, sit." he said with a firm gentle tone. His other arm finding the arm rest and shifting his body towards the center of his chair where his hands could clasp in front of him. The crows feet around his eyes looking a little more apparent as he gave a pointed direct stare to his Beta.
Dominick had stopped in his tracks, being brought out of the depths of his brooding mind which had been regurgitating the same thought over and over again, his head snapping to look at the Alpha and a brief nod of acknowledgement before he took a seat across from him in an equally large leather chair that stood fixed rather than allowing for swivel. Though he followed the order, he still was not mentally present and his eyes were vacant as he looked like he was a million miles away, or perhaps just about around the measure of 2,000 miles and some change.
"We need to discuss how we handle this matter." Alpha Ryan said calmly, his shoulders straightening as he still leaned back in the chair, blue eyes watching the Beta in attentive concern. He was an older man like Dominick, and gray hair was starting to make itself apparent around his hairline, his calm resolve in this situation being due to his years in age. "This is a very touchy thing, for both parties." he made sure he stressed the importance of the word both, in an attempt to induce clear rational thinking with his Beta. However, that minor stress of the word evoked nothing of the sort from the brooding man across from him.
"Both parties? Both parties?! I beg to fucking differ. This is a direct affront on our pack and one of our packs members!" he said pointedly, clear irritation and anger rising in his voice which escalated with each word.
"An affront?" the Alpha questioned, ignoring the growing tone and volume of the Beta across from him, something he would not have ignored from anyone else. "You're acting like this is an coordinated attack against the pack. So far there has been no violence and as of right now Elizabeth seems unharmed and aloof." he replied in a calm even tone, his eyes while carrying his ever present authority seemed to hold a bit of sympathy for Dominicks' present situation.
"And what will happen when he takes her? Marks and mates her?! She doesn't know anything about this way of life!" he retorted, now all of the sudden his mind being filled with all the worst case scenarios which could result from this. "She will be terrified! She will be alone and she will be scared!" tears beginning to well in his eyes, half from anger and half from his own desperation at the thoughts overwhelming his senses.
"It was not my decision to keep her from the pack." Alpha Ryan said quickly, his stare hardening. "That was your decision and I honored it. I cannot justify risking the safety of the pack because you sheltered the girl."
"Oh, fuck you! You know exactly why I did what I did. You agreed to the arrangement wholeheartedly in order to bring me back to this fucking pack. The fact that your involvement in all this has escaped you is absolutely infuriating!" he shouted with a finger pointing towards Ryan as he began to trudge up the murky waters of the bad blooded history between the two.
"Dominick!" his voice beginning to rise and his once relaxed position adopting a lean forward over the desk as he stood up, hands planted on piles of paperwork firmly. "You're my friend, and I will let this little transgression slide, but you will not speak to me in this manner. I have paid for the mistakes I have made in the past, and I will not allow you to continue to hold them over my head. Misty and James were my friends as well, and words will never be able to express the guilt I feel for their untimely end, but you have played a hand in this very unfortunate situation we currently find ourselves in and you cannot shift that onto me." he maintained his even tone with its increased volume not reaching a shout, but causing a shift in the air with the powerful aura now coming from his body, his dominance asserting itself in a visible thick cloud of growing tension.
"... I did it for her protection." Dominick said, his voice now crumbling from its onces angry and volatile disposition. His large frame acting in concession as it fell back, his arms resting on each arm rest to allow his hands to cover his face, fingers intensely rubbing around his eyes and forehead as if trying to rub away every thought and emotion bubbling within him. "You know she is different. We've all known it since she was a young age. She's more like a human at best, with only minor muted abilities poking through intermittently, nothing truly sticking... The curse of her fathers lineage, that stupid fucking generational disorder that plagued his family. You know what his ancestors faced whenever one was affected, living a life among wolves was unbearable for them. I couldn't let her go through that." a crumpling defeated exhale erupting from his large frame as he began to think of that little girl once again.
The one who had given him millions of hugs and kisses. The one who demanded bed time stories endlessly, refusing to go to sleep until the late hours of the night.
Alpha Ryan looked away momentarily, not wanting to see the present view of his closest friend and most respected Beta folded over in overwhelming desperate sadness, the emotion seeming to permeate the air beckoning something within the Alpha to once again sit back down and resume his position with hands clasped together loosely. "You did what you thought was best... and I really can't fault you for that." he said a gentle tone taking over his words. "But now we need to look at where our cards lie, and act appropriately... for everyone involved."
"So were to just let him take her?" Dominick looked up, his eyes pleading as if begging for there to be another option, water still forming under furrowed brows.
"I don't think that's the course of action he is trying to take." Ryan said, attempting to relieve a minor level of concern from the shoulders of the distraught father that sat before him. "We have had two correspondences from the Shaded Mountain pack today. That's the pack closest to where she is right now. The first one was a well being check, it's supposed mission to keep up on the good graces with interpack relations, which Im now certain to have been a guise. The second call was a request for a meeting, the Master Beta would like us to meet with him and the Alpha of Shaded Mountain by phone tomorrow. I'm assuming they know of her affiliation to our pack, and would like to pursue a peaceful resolution. They're probably well aware of our status and size and do not want to invoke a war if possible."
"Shaded Mountain pack... That belongs to Alpha Jason, the Master Beta being Jacob?" Dominick questioned, trying to remember if he recalled correctly those in command of the territory which he would have met during leadership conferences throughout the years.
"That is correct." Ryan confirmed with a nod. "Jason usurped the Alphaship several years ago now from the previous Alpha after he went mad from the loss of his mate. It was turbulent for a while and suffered a division of its members, but now it seems to be highly prosperous and has almost quadrupled in its populous and territorial hold."
"He's young. He must be around 26. Am I correct?" Dominick said thoughtfully.
"He is. It makes for light concern for how fruitful our conversation may be. However, if we tread carefully, we may be able to bypass his arrogance and reason with him, permitting us a chance to explain how delicate this matter is. It was not long ago we were young and tempestuous ourselves." Ryan stated in recognition of how his many years had brought about a cool headed rationality within him, but not for a second forgetting the raw sometimes savage emotion that used to exist in him when he was in his earlier youth.
"Can we ready the jet?" Dominick questioned quickly.
"You wish to meet them in person? I wonder if that's the best option to choose, it may make him react quickly and he may just take her if he thought even for a second that we were coming to bring her back to the pack." Ryan said with an arched eyebrow, his mind quickly running different scenarios in his head. "Especially, since they have already used deceptive means to garner intelligence on us, they will not doubt that we would be against using the same methods."
"What if he is violent and directs that towards her? Should she not have protection be available to her?" he replied quickly, clearly showing that the thought of returning with her was prevalent at the forefront of his mind, and adding for measure in an attempt to convince his thought processes to be seen, "He's already showed he is capable of killing his own Alpha, no matter what unfolded prior to that."
"It's a rare occurrence for one to be violent with their own mate." Ryan countered.
"That percentage is higher with Alphas." Dominick retorted.
Ryans eyes trailed up towards the ceiling, his body relaxing further into the plush leather as he contemplated the best course of action. There were too many variables and the split second decision his Beta was pushing was not an option. After a few moments of silence he finally responded, "Go home and prepare, pack a bag. I have not made a decision yet, but in case we're to travel, I want you to be ready. I need a couple of hours to decide what's most appropriate in this case, but I'll be in contact with the aviation unit to start making preparations to have the private jet ready if that is the avenue we pursue."
"Thank you Alpha." Dominick said quickly standing up with a nod, and making his way to the door with an intense speed.
As soon as he disappeared behind the shut door, Ryan sat there running his fingers through his dark brown hair, lightly salted with gray. This was a sticky situation, and one that undoubtedly would result in the girl being taken by the pack, peacefully or not. Dominick was not going to be satisfied either way, but hopefully with both of them intervening and speaking with the leaders of Shaded Mountain, they could make everything go as smooth as possible for the girl whose world was about to turn upside down.