Destiny's Choice (22 page)

Roan was so going to enjoy putting this pompous fool in his place. “Policing the Pack means that Omega Squad became the Alpha’s eyes and ears,” he said. “For 650 years, every Omega born into the Pack has used their unique abilities to keep the Alpha informed about the goings on in the Pack. Specifically, the council and all their descendants.”

“You spied on us,” Arianna spluttered with outrage.

Kate glared at him from Eli’s side. “That’s going too far.”

“How dare you,” Muriel snapped.

“I dare much where the Pack is concerned,” he told them. “As for Omega Squad, levitation is just one of the many and varied skills they have.” He pointed to Tristan. “Tristan here can communicate with any animal on the planet.”

Out of nowhere, a bald eagle flew toward Tristan
. The majestic raptor
landed lightly on his shoulder while the rest of the Alp
ha pair’s wolf pack suddenly appeared at the edge of the tree line and surrounded them.

“Cole can render himself invisible using light refraction and shadows. It’s one of the Omega’s rarer abilities.”

With a jaunty wave, Cole stepped near Sasha and vanished. A moment later, he appeared beside Mikeal and Nicolai with a broad grin.

“Dane, like a few other’
s, has
dual abilities. He can levitate objects and also communicate telepathically with any member of the Pack.”

“
I can also talk from great distances, but it’s a strain the farther away you are from me,
” he sent to them all.

“The other’s here can conjure fire, create wind, move the earth, make it rain, and even call down lightning.”

As Roan ticked off each ability, the Omega’s around them showed the guests just what they were capable of. It was quite impressive. It also showed that Omega’s were no where near being lesser.

“And as the Alpha’s of this Pack, Sasha and I have all these abilities and more.”

Both of them held out their hands. In Sasha’s palms, she created two wind funnels of red and gold flames. In Roan’s palms, lightning crackled with a blue/green glow. Sufficient they had gotten their point across, Sasha clapped her hands together and the flames winked out in a shower of sparks.

“My fire is much stronger than my wind.” She grinned wickedly.

Tossing his hands up, the lightning flew into the sky and disappeared. But the sound of thunder in the cloudless blue sky could be heard overhead. Roan’s audience stared, the scent of fear and apprehension quite strong. Good. They were finally starting to understand just how much jeopardy they were really in.

“Omega Squad has changed over the centuries, their abilities adapting with the times. They still use these abilities to keep the Alpha informed, of course, but with the advent of new technology, keeping in touch is much easier.” He smirked, about to put the hammer down. A good thing too. He was beginning to really feel his separation from Rivera. “And so is keeping track of the ten families. Case in point, Tristan and several others are
geniuses
with a computer.”

“And this means what, exactly, Roan?” Darren sneered but Roan could smell just how nervous he was.

“What it means is you and the ten families have been funnelling the Pack’s money into your own accounts and businesses for centuries,” Tristan spoke up amid gasps and grumbling. “All the so called wealth you and the others have amassed has been stolen a little at a time since the council first gained control. But Boone and his two
flunkies’
got greedy after taking over their titles. Being impatient and stupid, they didn’t want the status quo to continue. They wanted Roan and Sasha gone so they could bring the Pack out of the Dark Ages
as they saw
it
and take the Pack to the top of the food chain.” 

Darren rounded on his son. “Is this true?”

“Well, what if it is?” Morgan
countered, puffing up. “We’re stronger than the humans. Why should we keep in the shadows and hide what we are? We deserve more than that. They’re the ones who should fear us. Not us them,” he growled.

“You ignorant little bastard,” Darren shouted. “Do you realize what you and your dim-witted friends have done?”

“Oh, I’m sure he and Kyle
do now.” Roan chuckled.

“I don’t know why
you’re so pissed at me,” Morgan
yelled back. “It was you and the others who told us for decades that the Alpha’s were nothing but figureheads. That their title was only to keep the lesser Pack members in line. You said they had no real power in the Pack, only strength to defeat any challenge.”

“Quite a shock to learn otherwise, ain’t it pup?” Quinn laughed.

Darren turned back to them, his
eyes glowing with anger. “You were the Beta for Roan’s father. So
you
knew about all this, didn’t you?”

“Of course.” He nodded with a big grin. “Every inner circle of every Alpha since the council took over has known about the Alpha’s powers and Omega Squad. The knowledge has been passed down and each inner circle sworn to a blood oath of secrecy. That is, until the day that secret was no longer needed and the Alpha’s resumed their rightful place in the Pack.”

“That day is today, Darren,” Roan said proudly. “Most of th
e money you and the others
stole has been returned to the main Pack fund. It will be distributed accordingly. The rest will be paid back with the businesses
all of the ten families started up using the stolen money.”

“What?” Muriel gasped.

Kate growled. “No!”

“You can’t do that,” Arianna cried out.

“I can and have,” Roan stated. “If the money isn’t paid back by the end of this year, I will take control of those businesses as per Pack Law and exile that person from the Pack.”

“Now, Roan. Let’s not be so hasty,” Darren placated.

Roan stopped him before he could speak further. “The ten families are through, Darren. Your arrogance and greed nearly cost this Pack dearly. And if your son and his buddies would’ve had their way, we’d have been found out by the humans and killed.”

“Or worse,” Rafe quipped.

“It has and will always be the Alpha’s birthright to lead and protect the Pack, Darren. Not you and not the other families
.”

“Yeah, way to lead.” Sasha snorted. “They were too busy stealing and being asshat’s for all these years
rather
than doing any kind of duty to the Pack. No wonder the moron trio turned out the way they did. They had such sterling examples to go by.”

That got a few chuckles and laugh covered coughs. It was
spot on
though. And leave it to Sasha to state
it
so baldly. But then, it was the truth. An ugly one at that.

Not done making his point, Roan found
each of his remaining guest’s ties and yanked, ripping their wolves from their bodies. “Heed me well. If any of you or the other’s think to defy me again, I will see it as a challenge and end every one of you. Do you all understand?”

Those that were able nodded. The others continued to whimper and pant heavily in pain.

“Good,” Roan said with satisfaction. “The effects of the forced shift will wear off in a couple hours. When you shift back, I want you all off this property. By the end of the week, I expect to see all of the ten family’s proposals on how they’re going to pay back the Pack. And don’t think you can undo any of this. This day has been a long time coming and I have more safeguards in place than any of you could possibly imagine.”

“Roan, if I may ask a question?”

Standing to the side away from his parents, Phillip was still in human form. Roan hadn’t seen the need to make his point to the man by making him shift. Phillip seemed ignorant and even uninterested in his family’s
machinations
. Still, Roan was a careful man.

“Yes, Phillip?”

“The other families. How will they know about this?”

Roan poi
nted to several trees behind and in front of him that held video cameras
. “Encrypted satellite feed to all the Pack members and the rest of Omega Squad.”

“I see you had all your wolves in a row.” He laughed. “Well played, Alpha. Well played.”

Roan gave him a slight nod in acknowledgement. “Plans?”

“Well, if you’d permit me. I could help the ten families draw up their proposals. I was a lawyer at one time.”

“Hmm…that’s generous of you, Phillip. I’ll have my solicitor contact you tomorrow.”

“Sounds like plan.” He turned to go then stopped. “And, Roan. If it’s alright with you. I would very much like to meet my niece.”

The request surprised Roan, but he scented no deception from the man. Still, he was an unknown. No way was he getting near Rivera without Roan doing a little checking. “I’ll talk to her about it.”

“Fair enough.” He gave a them all a small salute then walked off.

Watching as he disappeared into the trees, Roan asked. “What do you think Quinn? Rafe? Sasha?”

He felt and heard all of his inner circle approa
c
h
as well as Rafe and Quinn.

“I’d keep an eye on that one, mijo,” Rafe said. “He’s strong, so is his wolf. But there’s something…”

“Yeah, something not right about that boy,” Quinn finished the sentence.

Turning to Sasha, Roan noticed her brow furrowed and a frown on her lips.

“What is it, little sister?”

“I get a bad vibe from that one, Roan.” Her frown deepened. “He was too quiet and watched everything a little too closely. I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him.”

“Dane?”

“I’m sorry to say that he never showed on our radar,” He said as he too glanced where Phillip had disappeared into the forest. “His actions haven’t set off any red flags and all his accounts are above board. There’s been nothing for us to keep tabs on.”

“I’m
with Sasha and Rafe on this one,
”
Steven
spoke up. “There’s something definitely hinky about that guy.”

Looking to the others, they nodded as well.

“Tristan…”

“Not to worry, Roan.” Tristan chuckled, the eagle still perched delicately on his shoulder as Tristan gently pet his feathered chest. “Me and the boys will get started on having a closer look at Mr. Cool’s accounts and businesses.”

“Good.
In the meantime, keep the video feed and upload going. I want the Pack to see and hear everything until the clearing empties out. I…”

Before he could get another word out, a lightning bolt of pain streaked through his middle, causing him to almost double over. Mikeal and
Steven
were at his side immediately despite the large wolf still sitting there.

“
Alpha man need Alpha
Mate
.
”

“Yes,” he gasped.

“Shit! You’ve been away from Rivera too long,” Mikeal said with concern.

With finally wresting control of the Pack away from the ten families, the symptoms of his separation from Rivera were too minor to be bothered with. He felt them, but victory had been too close at hand to stop.
And even though the sun was still out, it was much lower in the sky than earlier, letting Roan know he had greatly pushed his time limit.
Now that he had won the day, the skin crawling and cramps were building. Much faster and more intense than he had expected as another jolt flashed through him, nearly taking his breath.

“
Steven
, Mikeal, get your Alpha back to his True
Mate
,” Sasha ordered.

“
Yes. Alpha man need Alpha
Mate
. Hurt without Alpha
Mate
,
” Beauty agreed as
Steven
and Mikeal each took one of his arms.

“But-“

“No buts, Roan,” Sasha stopped him. “The Pack has the leadership it was always meant to have because of you. Now let me finish this.”

“Are…are you sure,” he panted with the pain. It wasn’t that he didn’t think she could handle herself. Lord knew the woman had proven that in spades. He just didn’t want her to think he was abandoning her despite his need to get back to Rivera. A need that was growing by the second.

“Don’t make me toss your ass back to the house.” She smirked.

“Yes, my Alpha,” he replied with pained amusement.

“
Go to Alpha
Mate
. We stay with Alpha female. Watch. Listen,
” the male told him.

“Thank you, my friend.” With a last look to all those who had helped him put the Pack back on the right path, he said, “Everyone, thank you.”

“Go on, boy. Spitfire has it handled,” Quinn assured him.

Steven
and Mikeal didn’t wait any further. Simply strong armed him away and into the trees
, following the path back toward the house.