Chapter 90 Some D*mn Fool pt 1
Alpha Brian
'Alpha Brian, we have an issue.' My beta bit the words out, annoyance clear in his tone.
'What now? I don't need anymore issues to deal with.'
'I'll bring him to your office.' He cut the link. If anyone other than Devin did that, there would be hell to pay. As it is, I'm just irritated enough that I may not let him slide either. I don't have time for petty troubles right now. We just made it out of Bloodraven Coven by a thread, and I'm convinced the only reason King Mikhail didn't execute us along with Alpha James and his spawn was because I have an inside line on Crescent Moon Pack. I don't need any additional complications cropping up.
I heard footsteps even as three sharp knocks sounded on my office door. "Enter," I called. Devin walked in, leading one of the warriors King Mikhail sent back with us.
"Go on. Tell him. Share with Alpha Brian the monumentally stupid actions you took today." There was a bite of frustration in my beta's tone as he placed a hand on the man's shoulder and shoved him forward. The warrior's eyes flashed red as he growled in response.
"I took an opportunity, is all. You would have taken it too if you'd been there."
I stood, leaning forward, my hands pressing down on my desk as I focused on the problem in front of me. "I think you'd better use a little more respect when speaking to my beta, warrior. Disrespect here earns lashes with a silver-tipped whip. You may be from King Mikhail's pack at Bloodraven, but while you're here, you're under my authority."
"Look, Alpha Brian. I'm telling you. I saw a chance to help the cause while I was out, and I took advantage of it. How was I to know that the fucking Luna Queen was going to be there? Or that she could command air and water?" He threw his hands up, then shook his head. "It's fine. She doesn't know who or even what I am. Or where I came from. No harm done."
"Sit down!" I barked. "And I think you need to start at the beginning." I came around the front of my desk, leaning back against it as I stared the man down. He gulped, finally recognizing the anger that was getting ready to boil over on him at any minute.
"Okay, okay. So a couple of us were bored today, and we went out scouting the area to take the edge off. I ended up near the Oakhaven Mall in the human territory. It was packed with humans," he sneered, "but what caught my attention was the little princess you're all looking for. The one in the photos you passed around to the warriors at Bloodraven. She was right there!" He punctuated his statement by slamming his fist onto his knee. "Right there for the taking. She didn't have anyone around her. The crowd had separated her from her group. So I grabbed her. Easy pickings, I thought. She's so freaking small. Hardly bigger than a kid, weighs nothing. So anyway, I grabbed her, shut her up, and ran." He shoved his hand through his hair. "But then, once I'd reached the forest, the wind kicked up out of nowhere. Next thing I knew, I was knocked on my ass by a gust and surrounded by a vortex of wind and water. The princess was behind her guards, and the fucking Luna Queen was standing there, commanding the freaking elements like some avenging sorceress. I jumped to the treetops and ran, man."
I felt the desk edge crumble under my grip. What I wanted to squeeze was this idiot's throat. We're already dealing with the possible exposure at Blood Moon, and now he's trying to take the princess in broad daylight, on neutral territory, in front of a crowd? My body shook as the rage inside built.
"It's not like she found out who I was. And I wasn't followed. So it's really not a big deal." He all but whispered that last sentence. I snapped.
Grabbing him by the throat, I lifted him to his toes. I tightened my grip until he was gasping. "Not a big deal? You attempted to kidnap the newly rescued princess while her mother was what, twenty feet away? You showed off your heightened abilities when you leapt to the treetops. And you gave them the impression they're being watched. You have the nerve to say that's not a big deal?"
He was grabbing at my forearm, toes scrabbling on the floor. "You may be special. You may be one of the king's warriors. But you're in MY territory, under MY command, and you go out and act this stupid?" I roared. With one last squeeze, I threw him against the wall. His head smacked against the frame of the portrait hanging there with a crack, and he slid to the floor.
"Devin, take him outside. String him up to the punishment stake. Twenty lashes with the silver whip. Then a week in the hole."
"Yes, Alpha." Devin walked over and grabbed the warrior by the arm, yanking him to his feet. The man stumbled, still disoriented from the blow to his head, as Devin walked him out to serve his punishment. I wiped both hands down my face, trembling with rage. I was going to have to call King Mikhail about this.
My ass had barely touched my chair when there was another knock at the door. "What!?"
The door opened, and Gamma John entered. "Sorry, Alpha, but I thought you'd want to know. A couple of our spies at Blood Moon just got in touch. King Cian, the Prince, and Alpha Duncan hit the pack today. I'm still waiting for more details, but it sounds like they've wiped out the fighting forces and even stumbled on a barn full of stock ready to be off-loaded. Our guys managed to sneak out, but not before they saw Beta George shackled. I told them to stay hidden but get what information they could."
"Damn it!" I picked up the glass sitting on the desk and threw it against the wall. The glittering waterfall of crystal shards did little to vent my frustration. Rubbing my temples in an attempt to combat the headache that was brewing, I asked him, "How many of ours made it out?"