Chapter 18: Fernandez.

Marco called me at midnight. Xavier had been seen moving north, with three vehicles, eight men, heading towards the old mining roads that cut through the mountains; if he reached past it, he could hide in an unclaimed territory and escape by morning.

I was already in my car before Marco could finish speaking.

I had four SUV's behind me, twenty men, they were enough to handle the eight men with Xavier, if they fought hard.

The roads were clear, the valley was dark, only a few lights from People's rooms shone through, my eyes were fixed on the road ahead.

He'd been on the run for six hours, he'd be exhausted by now, because he was bleeding, maybe.

I'd had men inspect the clearing after we left, one of Xavier's wolves was left behind too wounded to run away. He told me some things before he died, gave us the route, the destination and the names of the men still with Xavier.

They were scared, said the wolf, Xavier had promised victory but he couldn't even wait, he killed his brother and ran away.

He wasn't loyal, and his desperation led him to do something as hurtful as this.

Marco called me again, his car broke down at the fifth mile, there's an old cabin off the main road, that's where they are.

"Okay," I said. "Surround them, don't leave until I get there."

"Okay Alpha."

I pressed the accelerator, and sped too, the road that led there was narrow.

\------

The cabin looked like a wrecked mess.

Some boards were missing from the wall, a few roofs halfway collapsed, shattered windows. It looked like an abandoned area where people shelter themselves when they're in exile. Four vehicles were packed at the front, engines ticking as they cooled off.

"There hasn't been any movement since they got here, I think they're asleep.

"Were there any other exits?"

"The back wall opens into the woods, but we have men around there."

I looked at the cabin, a faint light flickered inside, visible through a hole in the boards, I could hear people talking, they were arguing about something, their voices were low, then sudden silence.

"Hand me a loudspeaker," I requested.

Marco gave it to me, I stood on the edge of the clearing and spoke with the speaker.

"Xavier, I have men in these woods, you've got just eight, this building doesn't have an escape route."

I could hear them shifting, moving towards the wall, windows, they were getting prepared.

"I didn't come here to kill you, if you want to leave, you can. But you go alone, no weapons, your men stay, I don't care if you go north, or south, I don't care, but don't return.

The front door opened.

Xavier came out.

His appearance was worse than he had looked at the clearing, shirt torn, hair was an absolute mess, his hands were shaking, there was a cut across his forehead, it was bleeding.

"You think I'm going to believe that?" His voice was hoarse. "You think I'm going to walk out of here and you'll just let me go?"

"I don't want your territory. I don't want your war. I don't want anything from you except for you to be gone."

He laughed. It was an ugly sound. "You already took everything. You took Detlef's pack. You took his woman. You took the one thing he actually wanted."

"I didn't take anything. He lost it himself."

"Detlef was weak. He was always weak. Our father knew it. The pack knew it. Everyone knew it except him." Xavier's voice was rising. "I was supposed to be Alpha. I was supposed to lead. But he was born first, so everything went to him. Everything."

He pulled a gun from his waistband. I didn't move.

"You think you're better than him? You think you're better than me?" He pointed the gun at my chest. "You're the same. You take what you want and you call it duty. You kill who you want and you call it justice."

"You're not going to shoot me."

"Why not?"

"Because if you shoot me, my men shoot you. And you're not ready to die. You've never been ready to die."

He stared at me. The gun was steady in his hand, but his eyes were moving, looking at the trees, the shadows, the men he couldn't see. Looking for a way out.

"You want to live," I said. "You've always wanted to live. That's why you ran in the clearing. That's why you've been running your whole life. You talk about taking what's yours, but when it's time to fight, you run."

"Shut up."

"You ran from Detlef. You ran from me. You're going to run now. Because that's what you do. That's who you are."

His finger tightened on the trigger.

Then the gun dropped.

He let it fall. It hit the ground with a soft thud, kicking up dust. He stood there for a moment, empty-handed, looking at me like he didn't know who he was anymore.

"You're not going to let me go," he said.

"I am."

"Why?"

I looked at him. At the man who'd spent his whole life trying to take what wasn't his. At the man who'd killed his brother in a clearing because he couldn't stand to see him walk away.

"Because if I kill you, your men have to die too. And I'm tired of cleaning up after people like you."

He stared at me. Then he walked.

He walked past me, down the road, into the dark. He didn't look back. He didn't say anything. He just walked until the dark swallowed him.

The men inside the cabin came out with their hands up. Marco and his people moved in, taking weapons, securing vehicles, checking for anyone left behind. I stood in the clearing and watched Xavier disappear.

Marco came up beside me. "You think he'll stay gone?"

"No."

"Then why let him go?"

"Because tonight, I needed to know I could." I turned away from the road. "Get these men processed. I want names, ranks, everything they know about Xavier's operation. And get a team on the pass. If he comes back, I want to know before he crosses."

"What about Detlef's pack?"

I stopped. Thought about the map on my desk, the markers I'd placed, the territory that was now leaderless and waiting.

"I'll handle it tomorrow."

I left for home before the sun came up.

Lights shone through the valley, cars and people moving, just going about their daily life per usual, nothing had changed.

I went to my study, I found the map still there, with the photo of my mother's grave, I stared at it for a while.

I heard a knock at the door, I knew it was Zemirah.

"Come in."

Zemirah opened the door, she wore a beautiful dress, a small bag at her feet, all her belongings packed in it.

"Elara told me you were back," she said.

"It's only been a few minutes."

"Were you able to find him?"

"Yeah, I did, but I let him go, but just for now."

She nodded, she looked at the bag at her feet, and then me. "I'm still leaving."

"I know, I didn't forget."

"I really need to, I don't want to stay here, too many people know what happened to me."

"I understand."

She hesitated, I felt she wanted me to argue or say more.

"I'll be back though." She said, "I just need to figure myself out, I don't want to be a victim."

" You're not a victim to me, I countered."

"I know." She held my hand. "And I'll be back for you."

"I'll be here whenever." I said.

She looked at me for a long moment, then smiled, this was the first Mirah had really smiled at me.

"I know." She said, then walked out the door.

\------

I stood at the window, and watched her as she went.

Marco was already waiting for her at the front gate, he opened the door for her to go in.

I went back to sit, I slept off, a call woke me up, it was Rhode.

"Fernandez?"

Yeah, I answered, "any news?" I asked.

"No." He answered

"Is Detlef awake?" I asked.

"Barely, the doctors had him sedated, he can't leave anywhere."

"Okay, we need to discuss his pack."

"What's next?"

"You plan on taking over?" Rhode asked.

"When you say it like that, you make me look like a bad person." I said. "I just want to make sure, packs around don't attack his people, and they don't get eaten, there's a difference."

"For real, is there?"

I didn't answer, because I didn't even know anymore.

"Meet me at home tomorrow," I said. "Come along with your council, we'll all figure it out."

"Together he says." Rhode repeated after me.

"You're his Beta, you know how the pack runs, more than anyone

else, I can't make decisions without you."

"Okay, I'll be there."

I hung up.

It was very sunny outside, and I couldn't help but think about how I'd gotten everything I said I wanted...

I sat down and started making calls.