Treasure Ch. 51-55

When she let him go, he dropped to his knees and pulled her close to him again. "I love you so much," he said before he kissed her. He could taste himself and he didn't care; his mate was amazing, and he didn't want her thinking he was embarrassed about anything they did together. He held her for a few more moments, then got off the bed. "Dinner is going on downstairs, let me help you dress and we can go down there," he said.

"I can't sit down," she said as she watched him pull clothes out of the small dresser.

"True, but you can stand at the bar, maybe sit on the edge of a barstool," he said. He helped her put on underwear, then pulled a loose-fitting summer dress over her before getting her sandals. The dress went below her knees, ensuring they wouldn't see the wound was healing much faster than it would with a human. He then dressed in jeans and a Harley shirt, along with motorcycle boots. "Ready?"

"I need my cut," she said. He grabbed the vest from the closet and helped her put it on, then took her hand and walked her out the door. She couldn't do stairs, so he bent down and had her hold on to his neck while his arm locked around her waist as he walked downstairs.

"CANVAS!" The bar instantly quieted as the first person noticed her. Chase set her down, and she was soon surrounded by the men and women of the Portland chapter of the club. He warned them against touching her back or leg, but that didn't stop her from getting hugged. It took a few minutes before he could prop her up on a barstool next to Thor and his Vice President, Switch. "How'd you get your name, Switch?"

"It was from a bar fight when I was a prospect here," he said. "One of the guys came for me with a pool cue. I blocked it and hit him with one punch, and out go the lights," he said with a smile. "Rumor is you're pretty damn good in the ring."

"I tend to be underestimated," she said with a smile. "Never underestimate a redhead, though. Too bad it's going to be a while until I can fight again, I love a good spar."

"Well, don't go getting ripped up by bears then. Fuck, even I know to stay away from them," Thor said. He was big enough that the bears might be scared of him.

The two ate dinner and watched the party around them until her energy was gone. She said her goodnights and held on as Chase carried her back up the stairs. It was only when they got back to the room, where their phones had been left, that they saw all the missed calls and messages. It couldn't be good.

Ch. 54

Coral felt the impact on her shoulder right before she lost control as she was knocked off her motorcycle. She fell hard on her right shoulder before her head bounced off the concrete, her helmet taking the brunt of the impact. She continued the roll as the wolf was torn off her shoulder and rolled into the ditch.

She shook off the pain and stood, her left hand moving to the inside pocket of her heavy leather motorcycle jacket. She pulled out the combat knife from its scabbard as she turned to face the wolf who had attacked her. He growled at her, then her senses told her that he wasn't alone.

She spun and dropped to a knee just as a second wolf went airborne for where her neck used to be. Her left hand jabbed up, burying the razor-sharp knife into the belly of the grey wolf as hit flew over. Blood sprayed everywhere as the wolf's stomach was split wide open. The wolf collapsed on the ground, his guts spilling out onto the road, as Coral shifted for the next threat.

Right behind the grey wolf, a black one was running full speed. He jumped for her throat and got a forearm instead. Coral bit back a scream as the teeth clamped on, thankful that the heavy leather kept the teeth from ripping her arm apart. She raised her arm, stretching the wolf's neck out just before slamming the knife in just below his skull. The blade cut his spinal cord, and the body went slack, but his teeth were still stuck in her jacket.

The first wolf went for her legs, cutting through the leather chaps at the back of her right thigh. The impact collapsed her knee; this combined with the dead weight of the third wolf and caused her to fall back to the blacktop. The wolf let go of her leg and went for her neck, but never got there.

A huge grey and black wolf crashed into it, knocking it off her and into the ditch. Growling furiously, the big wolf followed it down into the grassy ditch. The first wolf tried to defend himself, but was no match for the new one. His blood flew everywhere as Sawyer extracted a painful price for what he had done to his sister. The first wolf made a desperate lunge for him, but Sawyer grabbed his front left leg and nearly ripped it clean off in his fury.

Coral had worked her arm free of the dead wolf and rolled up to her knees. "Sawyer, don't kill it yet," she said. The wolf in the ditch had given up, exposing his neck to Sawyer. Coral pushed herself to her feet and limped closer. "SHIFT," she ordered the injured wolf, letting her Alpha heritage show.

He did, even though it must have hurt like a bastard. She ignored the others running up, mostly Enforcers but she sensed Beta Carlson's approach as well. Sawyer shifted back, his Alpha genes on display as his hulking body stood uninjured above the bleeding man. "WHY," he asked.

"Revenge on that bitch who ruined our lives," he said defiantly. "Alpha said you were rogue and thus no one would stop us if we attacked."

"Alpha Forrest?"

He nodded. "He told us that if we hurt you bad but left you alive, he'd sign off on our release from the program. Our lives have been shit ever since the day you arrived, Coral. We dreamed of this chance." He was running out of blood and was fading quickly. She knew the Doctor wouldn't make it in time. "You beat us again."

"You have no honor, Scott. You and your friends never did." They watched as he bled out, his head falling back and his eyes glazing over. Sawyer led Coral over to his SUV and sat her in the passenger seat, getting the first aid kit out while she took off her leathers and her jeans. She clenched her teeth as he poured alcohol on the bites, which luckily weren't deep since the leather provided some protection. He wrapped her leg and arm and put a big bandage over the punctures in her shoulder before he helped her dress again.

By then, the Doc arrived with Alpha Forrest. Doc checked the two on the road, then went down into the ditch to check Scott as Alpha Forrest looked around shocked. "What the hell happened here?"

"Coral was attacked from behind by these men of yours," Sawyer said.

"They're all dead," Doc said as he walked up out of the ditch. "I should check Coral's injuries."

"No, we're not staying here a minute longer than we have to," Sawyer said. "Can you drive?"

"I think so," Coral said as she slid across to the driver's seat.

"You're not going anywhere, there needs to be a full investigation," Alpha Forrest insisted.

"Sir, I saw the whole thing. Those three attacked her from behind, unprovoked. It was cowardly and they are now dead. Coral and Sawyer did nothing but protect themselves," he said.

Beta Carlson stepped forward. "Alpha, I heard Scott confess before he died. He was still upset with Coral, blaming her for their punishment and their situation. They got what they deserved." Coral looked at him, shocked he didn't mention Alpha Forrest's involvement.

"You have to stay," Alpha Forrest said. "She needs medical attention."

"She's going to be fine, and you're not our Alpha," Sawyer replied. He walked over and stood up her motorcycle, which was on its side in the ditch. Pushing it up to the road, he checked it over, it was scratched up but sound. "Goodbye." He threw his leg over his sister's motorcycle and accelerated away. The SUV went in gear and followed behind him.

"Follow them," Alpha Forrest told one of the enforcers.

"Yes Alpha, I'll make sure they leave the territory immediately," he replied.

"No, follow them and tell me where they go." The man jumped in his Jeep and took off after them.

-

Sawyer looked in the mirror at his sister. "How are you faring?"

"I can't do this much longer, I need to lay down and heal."

"We'll stop at the next town, I need to get you food and better bandages than what were in that kit." They left Bitterroot Pack territory and stopped in the town of Darby, pulling into spots outside a drugstore. He went in and bought a pile of gauze dressings and wraps, along with juice and snacks for the road. The next stop was a hardware store with a U-Haul franchise; after twenty minutes, he had a small trailer attached to the back of his SUV and her motorcycle was tethered inside. "How are you feeling now," he said as he got back in. She had laid the passenger seat back and looked exhausted.

"Better now that we're out of that place," she said. "I didn't just imagine that, right? Alpha Forrest told the three guys I caught sexually harassing an Omega when I arrived that I was fair game as long as they didn't kill me?"

"That's what the dying man said," he verified as he pulled out. There was a barbecue joint in town, so he ordered a bunch of food to go in a Styrofoam cooler and made Coral eat as much protein as she could handle before she fell asleep. He pulled out his phone, realizing he had never hung up from his call to Chase when Coral got attacked. He ended the call and called again, they were almost to Missoula by then. He put it on the hands-free over the car audio system. "What's going on, Sawyer?"

"Things went to shit as we left. Remember when Coral showed up at the Pack and beat the crap out of those guys who were harassing an Omega for sex?"

"How could I forget? She kicked ass."

"Well, they attacked her again as we were driving out. One knocked her off her motorcycle, then the other two attacked. We killed all three, but not before one of them talked. He said Alpha Forrest told him that Coral was a rogue, and if they hurt her bad, but didn't kill her, he would sign off on their release from the rehab program."

"MOTHERFUCKER!" His yell startled Coral awake, and she turned her head towards him. "How's Coral?"

"I'm fine, Chase, I killed two and Sawyer knocked the last one off me before it was too bad. It will take a few days to heal up my leg, shoulder and arm, but I've had worse. I'm more pissed off they scratched up my Harley and broke the mirror."

He laughed. "I bet. Rori's telling me she'll help with a custom paint job once things settle down a little."

"I'd love that, her work is incredible," Coral said with some excitement.

"There's one more thing, bro. Alpha Forrest sent them to hurt her bad enough she'd be hospitalized at their Pack, then when they failed, he insisted we stay there for an investigation."

There was a pause. "It makes sense, his whole plan to draw us onto Council land is to use Coral as bait. If he couldn't keep her in jail, he'd keep her another way. If they hurt her bad enough, he figured we'd come running."

"That wasn't going to happen even if I had to crawl out of their territory," Coral said. "That guy gives me the creeps."

"I have to agree," Sawyer said. "There's something going on, and they need Rori to do it."

"We're not going near that place," Chase said. "Rori's healing, she can walk and shower now. Another day and we'll be ready to move."

"Where are we going?" Sawyer had planned to head back to Seattle, where Chase had an apartment.

"Coming west won't help, they'll expect that," He paused for a minute. "Really, there's no point in us being here on the west coast when we need to get Rori her territory back. Write down these numbers." He gave them the new phone numbers for Colletta and Patty, plus the number for Connie, who was still in Seattle with their stuff. "Mom and Patty left earlier today, I'm sending them to Two Harbors, Minnesota, near the Arrowhead Pack lands. I'll have Connie and Sally put all our stuff in a pod and have it shipped to Duluth until we have a place, then they can fly there. Both of you head that way and help Mom. We've got two dozen Pack members coming to us soon that need a place to stay."

"That sounds good, Chase. I take it the Arrowhead Pack estate is my next legal priority?"

"Absolutely. It's what the Council is after; only by her taking control of her destiny do we gain some power against the Council." They talked for a few minutes about what else would be needed, then he hung up.

"How are you feeling?"

"All right. We've got a tail," she said. "Green Yukon, three cars back. The driver is one of the Enforcers."

"Shit." There wasn't much on the road now, but they were getting closer to a larger town. "Ideas?"

"I wouldn't doubt if they put a tracker on the car and my motorcycle. We need to get off the road and find them before we lead Forrest right to the others. Hang on, I've got an idea." She pulled out her phone and made a call. "Hey Rattler, it's Coral. Are you still in Missoula?"

"Yeah, just got back here and I'm cleaning my motorcycle. What's up? You done down there?"

"Actually, I'm heading your way and we've picked up a tail. Same people that are after Canvas are hoping we lead them back to her, plus we think we think they might have planted tracking devices."

"Fuck! Ok, I'm getting on the road, and I still have the scanner in my bag. Where are you?" She told them where he was and their direction. "That's great. Just before it connects to I-94 east, there's a truck stop on the east side of the road. Pull in and gas up, I'll be there soon."

They drove another twenty minutes before they found the big gas station and pulled in to the pump. Coral ate a little more while he was pumping gas, then he helped her walk in so she could use the bathroom. They saw the Yukon pull into a parking space, where the man waited inside. "If nothing else, this proves he has a tracker," she said. "He was too far back to follow us visually after he got stuck at that light."

They both used the bathroom, then Sawyer bought a large coffee and paid before they went back out. The biker ahead of them in line walked out to the parking spot he'd found next to a GMC Yukon. The driver ignored him, watching Sawyer lead Coral back out instead. He didn't even notice when Rattler pulled out a penknife and stuck it into the front passenger side tire.

He pulled out, following Sawyer's SUV back onto the highway. Sawyer drove over the freeway, finding a spot in the back of a McDonald's lot a mile away. The Yukon never made it out of the lot. "Thanks, Rattler," Sawyer said as he greeted the biker who parked next to him.

"Let's find this fucking tracker," he said as he pulled the black device out of his saddlebag. "Is Coral all right? She looked like she was in a lot of pain."

"She will be all right in time," he said. He opened up the hood as Rattler started moving the device around underneath the car. They found the first tracker under the passenger side door, and another on Coral's motorcycle. He went to destroy them, but Sawyer stopped him. "Better to make them follow a false lead than know they've lost us," he said. "Thanks for the help, we owe you."

"No problem," he said. When they left, he found a car with Washington State plates and placed the tracking devices under it. By the time they figured out they weren't in Seattle, it would be too late.

Ch. 55

Beta Ron Carlson got to clean up the mess left behind by his Alpha after Sawyer and Coral left. The Alpha went back to the Pack House, he would have to call the Alphas of the two men who had been sent to him for rehabilitation.

Clearly, rehab hadn't worked on them. Ron shook his head as he thought about it; the three were trouble from the beginning. They were self-centered and refused to take responsibility, always blaming others for the trouble they were in. The Alpha had played on that beautifully, giving them an outlet for their violent nature and a chance to leave. It wasn't a well thought out plan; Coral was more than a match for them after the attack began, and Sawyer was clearly a force to be reckoned with. The three were nowhere in their class, and three on one they had lost before against just her. So why send them to certain death?

Something had been wrong since the Council first sent them after Rori, and he was going to figure out what it was. The way they charged Coral with crimes was laughable, but Coral wasn't the endgame, Rori was. The Alphas had acted impetuously to keep her there, then Forrest acted irresponsibly to prevent her from leaving.

He didn't have the answers yet, but he would. He had followed his gut this afternoon, knowing something was up with the Council as soon as they reacted badly to the demand for video. He had reached into his pocket while he was testifying, removing an electronic voice recorder and attaching it to the underside of the conference table. Whatever was said in the meeting after they had left would be on there. The Council had been furious after being forced to release Coral and had taken it out on their staff before going into session with just the three.

Recording your own bosses was justified in his mind because he strongly suspected they were up to no good. He was temporarily assigned to Alpha Forrest, but his upbringing in the Banff Pack in Canada's Rockies had set his character well. He was a wolf with honor first and foremost, and he was terribly conflicted by staying in his current position. It wouldn't take much more for him to walk away from a man he was rapidly losing respect for. His Alpha would understand.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," he reminded himself.

He used his cellphone to take pictures and videos of the scene. When he was done, Doc and the Enforcers loaded the three dead men into body bags and Doc brought them to the Pack Morgue. Before each man left, the Beta directed them to provide him a written statement of what they had seen before dinnertime. He didn't want there to be any doubt later as to what had happened here today.

A large grey wolf came out of the woods, running directly to him. The Beta stood as the wolf shifted. "Alpha Nygaard," he said respectfully.

"What the hell happened here, Beta? I smell my son and daughter."

He didn't know if the Alpha was posturing or sincere, but he doubted either would claim him as Father right now. "Three trainees attacked Beta Coral as she was leaving with her older brother," he said. "All three trainees were killed, and your children are now off Pack property."

He sniffed, looking to where the blood still stained the road. "I smell her blood."

"She was injured, not severely as her riding leathers gave her some protection from their bites. Sawyer was not injured to my knowledge." He watched his face, noting there was some disappointment about that and not liking it. "Coral is a skilled fighter, and Sawyer was quite impressive. You should be proud of them."

He spit on the road. "They got the best training I could give them, not that it will help either of them in the end. Damn waste, I tell you." He shifted into his wolf again and ran back towards the Pack House.

A truck arrived, and some Omegas got out carrying bleach and brooms. He left them to clean up the bloodstains and started walking back to the Pack House. Pulling out his phone, he made a call. "Beta Carlson?"

"Do you have a moment, Alpha?" Alpha John Coffey was a good man, nearing two centuries of age and most of that as Alpha. Happily married to his fate mate, Roseanne, he headed a small but fiercely loyal Pack.

"Of course, Ron. I watched the hearing, more is going on that is being openly discussed."

"You see that too?" He filled him in on his suspicions, and the events that had just transpired. "The Alpha was desperate to keep Coral here, and I'm sure it was to force Chase and Rori to come here to help her."