“It is our belief that Brandi Johansson and Allan Zimmerman were instrumental in containing this situation. For their exemplary work, a certificate of recognition will be awarded and noted in their files.” The Speaker paused and smiled towards Brandi. “As well, an extended weekend shall be granted with pay due to the amount of overtime you were required to perform. Please make arrangements with your supervising officer so that this does not negatively impact the schedules of your coworkers.”
“Thank you, sir.” Brandi’s voice—barely a whisper—sounded strained and was almost drowned out by Al’s enthusiastic response.
“This brings us back to the matter of dealing with you, Mr. Smith.” The Speaker stared at Reno for a long moment before continuing. “Your actions endangered us all. You responded irresponsibly and emotionally, with no forethought as to the possible repercussions. An Enforcer who allows his wolf to take over has no place within this organization.”
Each word was like a nail being pounded into Reno’s coffin. He forced himself to stand straighter. Here it comes, he thought to himself. I’m about to be kicked out of the only place that’s ever seemed like home, the only place that’s ever accepted me. A wave of regret washed over him yet he knew, given the same circumstances, he’d do it all again.
“Your record is riddled with accounts of infractions, rules that were ignored or bent, reports that you failed to complete or fudged. In short, Mr. Smith, you are what is known as a reckless pain in the ass and we should be throwing the proverbial book at you.”
Another long pause followed as if the Speaker was waiting for the meaning of his words to sink in.
Yeah, I’ve fouled up a few times, Reno thought to himself. Why go over it again and again? If you’re going to have my head on a platter, then just get on with it.
The Speaker sighed and rattled the papers in his hand. “However, there is the irrefutable fact that despite your record you have somehow managed to be of great service to Lycan Link. The number of successful rescues of half-breeds and their families that you’ve led is impressive. And in my hand, I have a number of letters from some of those you helped relocate. Amazingly enough, they all bury you with praise.” He stared down at the pages in his hand, a frown evident on his face as if he couldn’t believe what was right before his eyes. He gave his head a shake before continuing. “Given these facts, we feel we need to keep you in your present position as an Enforcer with the ACS. Eliminating you would punish those already being persecuted by removing one of their few hopes for rescue.”
Relief washed over Reno while small sounds of happiness rippled across the room. He wasn’t headed to detention or being kicked out of Lycan Link. A smile began to curve the corner of his lips.
“But… before you begin to feel too pleased with yourself, there will be consequences applied as well as some safe-guards to ensure we don’t have a repeat of the Langstaff incident. First off, you will be docked a month’s pay for your actions and yet another black mark will be placed in your file. One more and you will be gone, Mr. Smith, regardless of your effectiveness. Is that clear?”
The man arched his brows and gave Reno a hard stare.
“Yes, sir.” Reno nodded. “I’ll try to toe the line.”
“You’ll do more than try. You will undergo extensive training in negotiation skills. You will reread the manual outlining proper procedures and be quizzed on the content. Your paperwork will be checked on a monthly basis and it will be properly completed and submitted on time. As well, you… ”
The man droned on however Reno was no longer listening. He’d read it over when he got a copy of the final decision from Ricardo. Right now he was too pleased about keeping his job to care about all the paperwork bullshit they wanted him to do. Damn, he’d been worried—not that he’d admit it to anyone, of course. Thank heaven no one knew what was really going on in his head; the nightmares, the self-condemnation…
People began to stand. The Speaker had obviously finished and Reno had missed his final words. He gave a shrug and began to accept the handshakes and congratulatory backslaps from colleagues.
“We knew you’d beat this, Reno.”
“You can’t keep a good wolf down.”
“Way to go, man.”
The conversation swirled around him but over it all he was acutely aware of the silence coming from one corner of the room. He glanced over the heads of those surrounding him and saw Brandi standing near the door. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and she was staring directly at him.
Their gazes locked. She opened her mouth and he sensed she wanted to say something to him. She even took half a step his way then paused looking nervous.
“It was touch and go for a while, wasn’t it, Reno?” Someone was talking to him however he barely glanced at the individual. “Some of those reports were really damning. Johansson really did a number on you, the bitch.”
Before he even realized what he was doing, Reno had the individual by the collar and was giving him a warning shake.
“Watch your language, buddy.” He growled the words, his tone low and menacing.
“Mr Smith!” Ricardo grabbed his arm while looking nervously about. “We haven’t even left the hearing yet and you’re already in danger of breaking the conditions the Speaker outlined!”
“Oh. Yeah.” Reno let go of the man—he still wasn’t sure who the idiot was—and watched as the vermin scurried away. Glancing back to where Brandi had been standing, he saw that she’d left. He rubbed the back of his neck feeling oddly unsettled at her absence which was just damned ridiculous. He had nothing to say to her. They were like oil and water and it was best if they stayed far apart.
~~~
Brandi stood in a quiet corridor not far from the hearing room. She was leaning against the wall, her hands pressed to her pounding heart. Reno was going to be okay. Her worst fear hadn’t come true; he wasn’t being sent to detention. He’d never survive in such a restrictive atmosphere. His wolf would rebel or his spirit would be broken. And if her report had contributed to such a sentence… She compressed her lips and shook her head knowing she couldn’t have lived with that knowledge.
But he was going to be allowed to continue his work, so that was good. And she might get to see him now and then, maybe even work with him and that was… good? Well, she wasn’t sure about that. She still hadn’t worked up the nerve to speak with him about the bond—not that there’d been much opportunity. His team had stuck pretty close to him these past few weeks and when he wasn’t with them, he was meeting with Captain Fielding or Ricardo Machado.
The sound of doors opening and a number of footsteps drew her attention. From her hiding place she watched Reno walk past surrounded by his friends. He never glanced her way which was perfectly fine. She wasn’t in a fit state of mind to speak to him right now anyway.
She hadn’t had much sleep lately. Reno’s thoughts kept invading her mind as she slept. For the most part, she was able to block his thoughts during the day, however at night her defences slipped and his dreams melded with hers. Some were embarrassingly erotic while others revealed his true worries about the hearing, his memories of Langstaff and his self-condemnation. Those were the times she’d wake to find tears streaming down her face and a knot of anxiety twisting in her stomach.
Just the thought had her rubbing her temples. There had to be a way to erect a twenty-four hour mental wall between herself and Reno. Staying constantly awake was not a viable solution. She couldn’t do her own job properly when she was sleep deprived. Smothering a yawn, she pushed off from the wall, determined to get some more research completed on partial bonds.
Stepping out of the small corridor she headed towards the parking garage. Lycan Link was busy today. People swirled around her. Snippets of conversation drifted past. She got in line to use the elevator and idly began to listen in on those chatting around her.
“Did you see Smith grab that guy in the hearing room?”
“Yeah, from the look on
his face, I thought Reno would kill him.”
“I wonder what he said to piss him off?”
“Who knows? With a rogue it can be anything… ”
The elevator arrived and Brandi was pushed forward with the surge of Lycans all trying to fit into the small cubicle. She missed the rest of the conversation, but it had her thinking again.
Reno was dangerous. She’d watched him grab the man by the collar, seen the rage in his eyes. Did she want to be bonded to someone like that for the rest of her life? What if she angered him at some point? Would he become physically violent? The very idea had a shiver running through her. No. Reno wouldn’t do that… would he?
She nibbled her lip nervously. There had to be a way to break the bond or at least control it. There just had to be!
Chapter 9
Two and a half years later…
Reno slammed his hands down on the table, the corded muscles of his forearms standing out as he leaned belligerently into Joseph Bronte’s face. “I don’t give a damn about your rights as an Alpha. Those wolves are going with me.” His voice was low, barely above a whisper, yet the menace in his words couldn’t be denied.
His whole body was alert, muscles tensed ready for the slightest sign of aggression from Bronte or his Beta. He’d been on edge all day as if his inner wolf knew something was about to happen. A fight would be the perfect way to ease the feeling. However, neither man moved, seemingly frozen in place by the sheer force of his personality. Reno curled his lip. Cowards, he thought to himself. All talk and bluster, picking on the weak, but put them up against a real wolf and they cowered like suckling pups.
Easing back from the table, he stood straight, keeping his arms loose at his sides. “Nothing to say?”
The room was silent except for the faint creak of an old ceiling fan that lazily circled about in a vain attempt to cool the sweltering room. Sweat trickled down Reno’s back and his shirt clung irritatingly to his skin, yet he never let his gaze waver from the man before him.
A nerve ticked in Bronte’s cheek, his fingers clenched and unclenched on the arms of his chair. Seconds passed, but still Reno waited. A fly buzzed lazily by, heading towards the window, no doubt wanting to escape the oppressive atmosphere. Heat and humidity wrapped around the room’s occupants like a wet wool blanket. Summer in the bayous wasn’t for the faint of heart.
Finally, Bronte looked away. He cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair, trying to appear at ease, as if Reno hadn’t intimidated him. It wasn’t working though. There was a shadow of uncertainty in the man’s eyes despite his efforts to hide it with a sneer. “Half-breeds aren’t wolves. They’re human dogs that can perform a few minor tricks. Only pure-bloods deserve the title of wolf.”
Reno snorted, but didn’t rise to the bait. Bronte was taunting him, trying to make him lose his temper. He knew it was useless to argue with the narrow-minded man. Almost every Lycan on the continent had some mixed blood if you searched back far enough.
“Whatever. Damien, signal the rest of the Enforcers to start collecting the refugees.” He called the instructions over his shoulder to his partner who stood poised by the door. “Use Langstaff protocols. There should be twelve. Make sure none are left behind by ‘accident.’ We wouldn’t want that now, would we, Bronte?”
It was a well known fact that while the Purist packs despised half-breeds, they also liked having them around as servants and, in some of the worst cases, for hunting practise. Sometimes half-breeds were hidden away by their ‘owners’ who didn’t want to lose the unpaid help.
The screen door creaked open behind him and Reno could imagine Damien stepping out to give the signal to their squad that was poised outside. His men would spread out through the small compound and gather the half-weres and their families.
“Of course. Take them all. It will be good to not have to smell their stench or share our resources with them.” Joseph Bronte talked tough, but Reno could see the man’s frustration. They’d spent three weeks gathering sufficient evidence, then negotiating for the freedom of the half-breeds. The Alpha wasn’t pleased that Lycan Link had been sticking its nose so closely into his pack.
Too bad, scumbag, Reno thought to himself. If you want to be left alone, you shouldn’t violate the Lycan code of Rights and Freedoms.
“It’s a go, Reno.” Damien returned and leaned against the door frame, waiting for him to wrap things up. Inwardly, Reno gave an indulgent smile. The kid took their partnership seriously and would never consider leaving him alone with two Purists. It was a nice feeling, knowing someone had your back, even if it wasn’t needed.
Picking up the file that he’d brought in with him, Reno pulled out a sheaf of papers. “Sign here.” He pushed them across the table towards the Alpha and tossed a pen at him, too.
The Beta growled a warning and shifted his stance. Reno watched the fellow out of the corner of his eye. Come on, just try it, he said to himself. One little aggressive move and I can have the satisfaction of wiping the floor with you.
Bronte was eyeing the papers, but made no move to pick them up. “What’s this?”
“Relocation papers. You’re giving up all rights over the refugees and agreeing that they can live wherever they wish. You will have no authority over them and cannot contact their new packs, ask for their return, nor make any aggressive moves or threats against the packs that take them in.”
Many Purist Alphas followed the most ancient codes in the Book of the Law, viewing pack members as mere possessions. When dealing with them it was necessary to make sure every ‘i’ was dotted and every ‘t’ crossed.
“Fine.” Bronte grabbed the papers and signed the top page then flipped to the next. “And what’s this one for?”
“Charges. You’re admitting that you violated The Book of the Law by denying pack members the rights and privileges due them. It also states that you agree to quarterly inspections by Lycan Link’s authorized representatives to ensure that no further violations are taking place and Purist propaganda isn’t being spread. Should you continue to pursue your current philosophy, steps will be taken to remove you as leader of the pack.”
“I won’t sign that! This is my pack. No one looks over my shoulder and judges what I do. Who the hell do you think you are?” The man surged to his feet and shoved the table aside.
That’s it, Reno thought, coiling his muscles. His fingers twitched and he had to force back the growl that rose in his throat. Under no circumstances was he allowed to initiate an altercation, however, should someone else start it…
“Sorry. You have to sign. It’s what we agreed upon. If you don’t, I’ll drag you before the High Council and have your sorry hide thrown in Detention.”
“Detention?” The man’s face turned red with rage. “Are you threatening me, Smith?”
“I don’t make threats, Bronte.” Reno shook his head. This was getting farcical. The Alpha was putting on a show while the Beta… A shift in the shadows alerted him.
The Beta dove at Damien and Reno half turned, purposely giving Bronte an opening. Hard hands grabbed Reno’s shoulders and spun him around, then a fist connected with his jaw, snapping his head to the side. As he staggered backwards, the Alpha shifted into a yellow coloured wolf.
At last! Reno’s own wolf almost howled in joy as he set it free. Quickly shifting forms, he met Bronte head on. The self-restraint he’d exercised over the past weeks was gone and he could finally give vent to his feelings. He threw himself forward, teeth slashing at the other wolf’s side, before spinning around to snap at its legs. The miserable bastard had abused and starved fellow wolves based solely on genetics and he deserved to be punished.
Snarls filled the room as the wolves battled. Snapping teeth, the scrambling of claws against the floor, yips of pain, panting breath… Reno twisted and dove, sliding in to bite then dashing away, toying with the Alpha as it tried unsuccessfully to overpower him.
Reno’s own injuries were just minor annoyances, stinging rather t
han hurting. Adrenaline surged through his system. He was on a high, exulting in the use of his strength and skill. It wasn’t often he could completely loosen the rein under which he kept his beast and to have such freedom was a heady rush.
He played with his opponent, attacking then retreating, causing the other wolf to expend its energy, all the while herding it ever closer to the corner of the room. With its back to the wall the creature would have no means of escape.
Finally, there was a lull in the fight. The yellow wolf stood before him, legs spayed and sides heaving. It was covered in blood and saliva dripped from its jaws as it struggled to stay upright. Reno paused and cocked his head giving it a chance to surrender. Something flickered in its eyes and then it lunged forward going for his throat.
Leaping aside, he twisted in mid-air, grabbed hold of the back of his opponent’s neck and shook the Alpha as hard as he could. Finally letting go, the momentum sent the creature crashing into the wall.
Even as the wolf tried to regain its footing, Reno was on him again, clamping his jaws on the animal’s throat, biting down hard. The wolf thrashed about, trying to break free, but Reno held on tight ignoring the pain of the other wolf’s claws digging into his belly. A whimper of defeat finally came from his opponent and he loosened his grip and stepped back.
The wolf remained submissive and Reno dared glance at his partner, though there was no need to worry in the quarter. Damien was a fighter and had the Beta well in hand. With a shake of his fur, Reno shifted back to human form and the others did as well.
For a moment he stood panting, allowing his wolf to calm, and his human half to regain control. Then he grabbed Bronte by the collar, hauled the man to his feet, and shoved him towards the table, where the pen and papers lay miraculously undisturbed by the commotion in the room.