The Porch Wolf Ch. 51-Conclusion

"Ivan Volkov," I said. "I only changed my name because Brenda wanted her family name to continue, and she was the mantled one. It's time for a change, wouldn't you say?"

He made a note. "Where were you tonight?"

"I was drinking with the Betas in the rec room until I got called for the Scratch 'n Sniff, then I was waiting in line there until the arrest," I said. I gave him the names of people I had partied with.

"How would you describe your relationship with Luna Brenda?"

I laughed. "Our relationship ended when Brenda went after my daughter," I said. "She found out that I'd slept with a human, and that resulted in a pregnancy. Brenda rejected me, and I left the Pack. She offered money to Alpha Todd Miller of Welch to kill Vicki, an attack that injured her, her mother, and my brother. I went back to Marengo to kill her, but Mediator McInnis and Chairman Wolfe were waiting. They hammered out an agreement; I would stay on as her Alpha Protector, and she wouldn't do anything to harm my daughter."

"Did the agreement extend to anyone else?"

"No. I should have insisted on it being broader, I guess. Brenda's dead now, so it doesn't matter."

He tapped the paper. "Brenda's death leaves you as Alpha of Marengo," he said.

"I know. I thought about refusing it, but our children deserve a chance to inherit the Pack, mantled or not. I suppose it doesn't matter now."

"Were you part of any discussions between Luna Brenda and Alpha Mark of Stillwater Pack?"

Lawrence caught my eye; I was to answer the question and ONLY the question. "No. Brenda didn't trust me after I returned. I had my own house on Pack land, I had no Alpha authority, and she did not seek my counsel. I was a bodyguard and a threat to those who might challenge her, and that's all."

"How did she feel about your brother?"

I laughed. "Brenda hated Leo with a passion. He claimed Vicki as his heir, stopping her from killing the girl so the mantle would return to HER heirs. I know she put a claim in on Vicki with the Council; although she would not break the blood oath she made, I figured someone else would do the job for her. You know, a 'Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest,' Rasputin-like moment. I couldn't allow that to happen. Vicki is my firstborn child, and I would gladly sacrifice my life to keep her safe."

"Would she act against Leo directly?"

I laughed. "Brenda is a coward; she wouldn't dirty her manicured nails with that. It's easier to pay someone."

The interrogator closed his pad. "Return the prisoner to his room," he told the guards. "You will remain in the cells while we verify the information and complete the investigation." With that, I was unhooked from the chair and taken back to my room.

I laid back on the mattress pad, more confused than ever. What had Brenda done before she died?

Ch. 55

Alpha Anthony McInnis' POV

I woke early, the sleep inadequate to prepare me for the day. It didn't matter; the Summit schedule was full, with Alpha mandatory meetings starting after breakfast. I had a heads up on the changes coming, but I couldn't say anything about them.

It was going to rock the conference when the word got out.

I came back from a shower and kissed Pamela, shaking her to wake her up. "We should get to breakfast early so we can get a good seat," I told her.

"Ugh... my eyeballs hurt," Pamela said. "Why did you let me drink so much?"

"I tried to warn you. Never drink with people who are trying to drown out their pain," I said. It hadn't been a very successful mating gathering; only four couples emerged. The rest partied most of the night. I handed her a glass of water and some painkillers. "Hydrate, it will help." She drank it down, then went to take her shower. I dressed and checked my phone for messages. As expected, there were a lot of texts about Leo's death and asking about my Mom's health. My idea worked perfectly in establishing Brenda's guilt, but at a high cost. If it was me in charge, I would have told everyone Leo was alive as soon as Brenda and Mark were dead; at the latest, when their Betas and mates were in custody.

I couldn't answer much, but I did tell them Luna Adrienne was doing as well as could be expected. My next call was to Olivia's mate, Brent Lawrence. I could hear his fatigue, and knew he'd barely slept, if at all. "Brent, it's Anthony McInnis."

"Hey, Alpha. How is our Luna doing?"

"She's dealing with it. I'll have her call when she's able." That wasn't a lie. "How is the Pack handling it?"

"We're devastated, of course. It's been a rough time."

"It will get better." He grunted, not willing to go there yet. "Have you heard from Olivia, Mike, or Anita?"

"No... aren't they with you? I got a bunch of photos from the aquarium yesterday."

"They were driving back here with their security escort when they heard about Leo. With the whole mantle thing, it spooked them. They ditched their escort and disappeared."

"Fuck," he said. "You don't know where they are?"

"Nope. I've tried texting them, but they don't respond, and their phones go right to voice mail."

"I'll try again. Call me back in five." When I did, he wasn't happy. "I go right to voicemail as well. I got on her computer and used the 'find your iPhone' app. They are east of Atlanta. I'll text you what it's showing me."

The pic came through; it was on Panola Road, a few blocks south of the exit. I texted Luna Carolyn, asking where they were stranded. "PANOLA ROAD MCDONALDS OFF I-20," she texted back.

"They tossed the phones so we couldn't track them," I told Brent.

He let out a breath. "Liv will find a safe place before she contacts me. Mike and Anita will keep them safe."

"I'll do what I can from down here. Do me a favor? Let me know if they contact you? I just need to know they are all right, and I know Mom will be worried."

"I will. Take care of your Mom, Anthony. I know she hasn't been here long, but we all love her. If you need to take her home to help her get over this, just do it."

"I will. Thanks, Brent." I hung up as Pamela came out of the bathroom, ready to go. We went down to breakfast, which was a lively affair. The rumors were flying about the Stillwater and Marengo Lake Packs; no one had seen any of the Pack members since about ten last night. Some of the Betas said Security guys pulled John Petersen out of line, and he didn't come back.

The room went silent as Chairman Sanders walked to the front. "There are a few changes to today's schedule. In twenty minutes, all Alphas and Lunas are to be in the conference hall. Betas and other staff not on duty are to be here in the dining hall, where the proceedings will be on closed-circuit television. We have a lot to get to, so be on time. Enjoy your breakfast."

I could see people react, Alphas and Lunas moved to get their food while others stood back, knowing they could eat during the broadcast. "I wonder what they are going to say," Alpha Doug Winters said as they sat down at our table. We'd become friends with the Winona Pack Alphas during our visit to Miesville.

"I hope they find Leo not guilty," Luna Jennie said. "He deserves to be sent off as an Alpha, not a criminal."

"I have a good feeling about the trial," I said. "Adrienne's fate is still with the jury."

"How is she? I can't imagine losing a mate once, and this is her second," Jennie continued.

"Coping," I said. We finished our food and went to wash up before going into the room. The other Alphas had left us our seats behind the defense table, knowing the trial was coming to a close. I shook Beta Fenwick's hand as he waited, thanking him for his spirited defense.

The room filled as the hour approached. The door to the kitchen opened, and a shackled Luna Adrienne shuffled to the table. As soon as the guards had the shackles off, the bailiff called for us to rise. The jury returned with the Council, and the Chairman gaveled the hearing to order. He wasn't wasting time. "Foreman, has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, Mr. Chairman."

The bailiff took it, and the Council members read it. "In the matter of Leo and Adrienne Volkov, do you uphold the rogue status declaration or unanimously declare them to be Alphas worthy of Council recognition?"

"We find them Alphas worthy of Council recognition, Mr. Chairman."

The room erupted in cheers, quickly silenced as the Chairman banged his gavel. I pulled Pamela close and kissed her. "The Council thanks the jury for its service. Please remain in your seats. Guards, remove the silver from the defendant." The guards brought the device up and removed her collar.

"Congratulations, Mom," I told her family link that I could now establish.

"I'm so proud of you two," she told us as she sat at the table again.

"Bring in the defendant," the Chairman said. The door to the kitchen opened again, and a shocked hush fell over the room as Alpha Leo walked in.

"You're dead," someone in the back yelled. Leo didn't respond. He kept his head high as he walked over to the table. Taking his place next to his mate, Leo kissed her before turning back to the front. The room exploded with people talking and yelling.

"ORDER," the Chairman said as he banged the gavel. The room instantly quieted. "During the trial, there was an attempt on Alpha Leo's life. Alpha Mark Conway attempted to poison him using a needle hidden on a ring he was wearing. The attack poisoned Beta Fenwick by mistake. He is alive now because of the observation skills and quick actions taken by Alpha Anthony and Luna Pamela McInnis. Alpha, Luna, please stand. The Council thanks you for your actions."

I stood holding her hand as the room applauded me. We sat down quickly, wanting to move on.

"Our security staff found the ring and arrested the Stillwater Pack members before they could flee the Summit. We made a deal to find out who had hired him for the job, and as part of the deal, we found the antidote that saved the Beta's life. Alpha Mark agreed to wear a wire as he met the person who paid him to kill Alpha Leo. Dim the lights, please. The next part is easier to watch than to explain."

The room went into darkness, and the televisions on the wall came up. It started in the woods, as Luna Brenda approached him. The room watched in stunned silence as they talked about Leo's murder and the fifty-thousand-dollar payment. There were screams when Mark got stabbed in the heart, and gasps as Brenda killed herself. The lights came back up, and everyone started to talk.

The Chairman let it go for a minute before he gaveled the room back into order. "The leadership of both Packs has been placed in custody pending the completion of an investigation. Are there questions?"

"What are we doing to stabilize those Packs during the investigation," an Alpha stood and asked.

"We have asked two retired Alpha pairs to step in and provide interim leadership," the Chairman replied. "Larry and Donna Winters, former Alphas of the Welch Pack in Minnesota, have agreed to take over the Stillwater Pack. Steve and Carla Ingalls of Green Bay have agreed to take over Marengo Lake. The length of their term will depend on the changes required and the availability of suitable permanent candidates. Those interested candidates can notify their Regional Chairs, but no decisions are coming this weekend," he said.

Wow. Talk about cleaning house! Larry and Donna were Leo's in-laws, and both Alpha pairs were sticklers for following the laws of werewolves and men. Stillwater was going to be a far different Pack by Monday.

"What about my claim on Vicki Andersen," Alpha Carl asked.

"There is no valid claim by you," the Chairman said. "You can't 'discover' a mantled child in the Pack of an Alpha. The only valid claim is by her biological father, Alpha Ivan Volkov of Marengo. That claim is on hold pending the investigation, as Ivan is in custody now. Also, both Vicki and her mother are members of the Miesville Pack. The Council will not force them into another Pack if they choose to remain with Alpha Leo."

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman," Leo said. "I have a question. Where are my Pack members, including Vicki? The Council took them into protective custody on our arrival."

Chairman Wolfe answered instead. "When word of your 'death' reached them, they escaped from the guards and Lunas we had protecting them. They have not made contact with anyone here, and no one has reported seeing them. Their minivan was returned to the agency last night."

Leo stood to his feet. "Everyone present has heard the Chairman affirm that Vicki Lawrence is my recognized Heir. I don't need to remind you what the penalty is for attacking an Heir." He paused for effect. "I do not want anyone chasing after them or attempting to capture them; they are afraid, and this might make them do something stupid. I would ask that all Alphas contact their Packs and share a photo I will provide the Council. If anyone sees them, I would ask that you contact me immediately. Just tell me where they are so our Pack can tell them the truth."

"The Council affirms your request. If you forward the photo to Chairman Wolfe, he will forward it to all Alphas and Betas in the country."

Leo turned to us. "Crap, my phone was in the rental car," he said.

"I have a photo I'll send the Chairman," Pamela said as she pulled out her phone. "Done."

"Two other things," Leo said. "Someone ordered my five-year-old heir silvered and confined. I want his name, and I want his ass in the ring with me tonight."

"You can't kill a member of my Guard," the Chairman said.

"I won't kill him, but I will teach him a lesson," Leo said. "The other is that I would like to withdraw my request to have our mating ceremony here during the Summit. I can't do that without my family here."

"Understood, Alpha." He answered questions for another twenty minutes, then told us to take a twenty-minute break while they rearranged the room.

As soon as they left the room, I leaped over the barricade and embraced my Mom. Leo, Pamela, and others surrounded us as we cried happy tears of relief.

We'd all dodged a bullet.

Ch. 56

Alpha Leo Volkov's POV

The wolf was bleeding and badly limping as I circled him. I faked an attack on his rear leg; when he moved away, I had already shifted directions and put my shoulder into his. The impact knocked him on his back, and my teeth were at his throat before he could recover.

"Don't kill him," Adrienne said over the link as my teeth closed down, his blood filling my mouth. I gave his neck a shake, and the wolf beneath me stilled. He moved his jaw back and exposed his throat to me. I accepted his submission and released him.

Trotting back over to my mate, I sat as she scratched at my ears. "I think he learned his lesson," she said loud enough for the others around the challenge circle to hear. The medics arrived, moving the injured Guard Captain onto the stretcher. He'd live, but the scars would remind him that children were not to be silvered. Ever.

"Come on, big boy, let's get you cleaned up." I limped after her; the fight had strained my healing ankle, and I had a few claw marks and some torn flesh from bites. The Pack had an outdoor shower area for wolves to wash off mud and blood before coming in. She pulled her clothes off and hung them up before turning on the water. I let the spray soak my fur as she grabbed a washcloth and some scent-free shampoo. I loved the feel of her hands on me as she scrubbed the dirt and blood out of my fur. I hated the sting of the water and soap on my open wounds.

When she had me clean, she rinsed me off and turned the water off. I walked off to shake, then trotted back over the patio stones and shifted. "We need to get these stitched," she said as she looked at my back and side.

We both dried off, her helping around the still-bleeding wounds, then I put on my sandals and pulled on a loose pair of basketball shorts. There was no point in dressing further before we got to the clinic. One of the visiting doctors cleaned and sutured the gashes before covering them with bandages. "Go on, get out," he said.

"What's left for tonight," I asked Adrienne as I pulled my clothes out of the bag and dressed.

"There's a challenge for a Wyoming pack, but nothing we have to be at," she said. "The controversial issues were all handled before dinner tonight. Tomorrow morning will be announcements, Council elections for the Eastern and Mountain regions, and voting on proposed changes to Werewolf laws. The Summit ends at eleven so everyone can get back home." Unfortunately, Chairman Sanders had two years left on his five-year term.

One proposed change dealt with the laws on banishments. Some Alphas were very upset after learning what had happened with us on arrival here. The proposal from Cascade-region Pack was to distinguish banishments for law violations from banishments for losing challenges. The former would still require other Packs to observe it, but the latter would only apply to the Pack expelling the losing wolf. I was confident it would pass.

Another potential change was less likely to pass, but one our Pack would support. It would require a Council member to officiate over trials for which the Alpha sought a penalty of permanent banishment or death. It was a restriction on their power that some Alphas resented, but it would ensure fair trials and consistent sentencing.

"Is there any blowback coming from your deal with Stillwater," I asked. "Ivan is still in the cells."

"I'm not sure yet," she said. During the morning meetings, Adrienne drafted a statement in which she told the Council everything she had done at Marengo, Miesville, and Stillwater to contain the human interest in Vicki's abduction. She couldn't ignore Ivan's involvement in the original kidnapping in the writeup. At lunch, we brought in Beta Fenwick, his lawyer, to read it over.

"If you swear to this in the presence of two Alphas, the Council cannot punish Ivan for the kidnapping and murder," he said. "A Council mediator effectively granted him amnesty during the meeting at Marengo with him and Luna Brenda."

"I don't have the authority to grant amnesty," Adrienne said. "Only the Chairman has that."

"The Central Region Chairman told you to 'resolve the situation' and tell him when you had finished. You did just that. The resolution you reached did not require you to confess to the killing to the authorities; Mediator McInnis effectively shut that investigation down as well. Legally, the deal you mediated is binding as you were acting as the Chairman's direct agent. Your involvement closes the issue with the Council; there is only one way to punish him for the kidnapping now."

"What is that," Adrienne asked.

"The aggrieved party or their champion could challenge him in the circle," Lawrence said. "Olivia could demand justice, and Brent, you, or Adrienne could enter the circle with Ivan as their champion."

That gave me pause; Brent would fight if Olivia asked, but Ivan would wipe the circle with him. She would refuse the challenge to keep him safe. I didn't know if I could fight my brother for them if asked, not knowing what I did now. I didn't think Adrienne would fight either.

I didn't know what Olivia would want to do; she loved her Grandmother, but I think she understood what Ivan was trying to do. Vicki was too young to challenge, and I didn't know if she would ever meet her father. The best thing for everyone would be to let it go.

After Lawrence left, we had two Alphas witness her signature, and she gave it to Chairman Wolfe during the lunch break. Chairman Sanders was furious when he found out, that much we knew. No one said anything to us during the afternoon or dinner.