Treasure Ch. 71-75

With both of his right legs gone, Theo struggled to get back upright. Steven ignored him, trotting over to his corner with the leg in his mouth and dropping it at Connie's foot. "Such a good boy," she said to him before he went back to his victim.

There was no way Theo wouldn't bleed to death in wolf form and everyone knew it. The snow around him was colored blood red by the arterial spray. Steven stood over him as Theo lay back, exposing his neck. He was hoping for a quick death.

Steven was not about to give him that. He lashed out with his claws, ripping through his scrotum and spilling their contents onto the frozen ground.

It took a few seconds for the pain to hit, both for Theo and for every male who was watching. Most men in the audience reached protectively for their own balls as Theo howled in agony. Steven's wolf smacked one of the testicles like he was playing with a tennis ball, but since it was still attached, it didn't go far. He grabbed it with his teeth, carrying it over and dropping it at Connie's feet.

Theo's howl had ended, only his pained breathing remained. Steven ignored it, sitting in front of his mate he waited until the last rasping breath was taken, the last heartbeat sounded, and it was over. Reaching his head back, he howled his victory to the sky as his friends surrounded him. "Get him to the clinic," Chase said as he looked at the blood soaking his back.

Steven shifted, letting out a scream of agony as his body realigned and the wounds were stretched. "Shit that hurts," he said. One of the Pack Doctors was already there, placing a battle dressing on his wounded back.

Chairman Coffee came over and carefully raised his right arm as Connie wrapped her arm around him from the other side. "The winner and new Alpha of the Casper Pack, Steven March, and his Luna Connie!" The assembled crowd cheered as the Pack Bond formed with the new Alpha pair. When they could stand again, they walked off, the other Alphas following them on a path that took them past a clearly terrified group of men in protective custody.

Steven stopped in front of Theo's father, who was shaking with rage after watching his son be killed in front of them. "Mr. Waterman," he said.

Royce stared at him, hatred in his eyes. "I will kill you," he said.

"I doubt that." Staring into the men's eyes, he finished back on Royce. "You are no longer a part of the Casper Pack, Royce. You are banished forever and made rogue."

His face went white. "You can't do that!"

"I just did. All the other Alphas are here. If you don't want to be rogue, ask them if they are willing to take you, you piece of shit." Royce got a panicked look on his face as the reality of the new situation hit him. Looking at the Alphas, they all turned their backs on him.

All except Alpha Michael, whose land he was now on. "Rogue, I'll give you a five-minute head start to get off my land or my men, and anyone else who wants to join in the fun, will hunt you down and tear you apart."

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME, I'M ROYCE FUCKING WATERMAN! I WAS ALPHA WHEN YOU WERE STILL IN FUCKING DIAPERS!"

Erich Gruber stepped in front of him, hands out, hoping to defuse things. "The Council granted us protective custody, Alpha."

Michael turned to the Council Enforcers who stood around them. "Gentlemen, what does the Council say now?"

The leader linked, then a smile cracked on his face. "The Council will not interfere with any decision the host Alpha makes regarding rogues on his land. After all, rogues can be dangerous."

Michael looked at his watch. "Let's make it more sporting. If you can make it into the Safe Room of the Arrowhead Pack House, I will spare your life and grant you free passage to anywhere in the continent. Anywhere else, my land or unclaimed, you're a rogue and will be killed on sight. Sound fun?"

"You can't do this."

"I can, and I will. I'd get going if I were you, it's a good twenty-minute run to the Arrowhead border." Royce glared at him, wasting precious seconds, then pulled off his fancy suit and shifted. His wolf was big, but not as strong or fast as it once was. They watched it disappear over the hill as it raced west. "PACKS!" His call stilled everyone in their tracks. "Royce Waterman is rogue and fleeing my land. If anyone would like to join in the chase, feel free to shift and go after him." There was a roar, and many males and females started to pull their clothes off and shift. "HE GETS ANOTHER FOUR MINUTES AND TWENTY SECONDS OF A HEAD START. I WILL GIVE A CASE OF STEAKS TO THE WOLF WHO BRINGS ME HIS HEAD. HAPPY HUNTING."

The old Council members and Daniel were literally shaking in fear as the Enforcers led them away. Each of them knew what was going to happen, and it wasn't going to be pretty. The Packs were outraged at what they had done and were out for blood. Throw in some friendly competition and a run, and it was going to be a good afternoon for all but one doomed wolf.

The Alphas walked back to the house as the Doctor took Steven to get patched up. The Omegas had snacks and drinks waiting for them, all were smiling as they could see two of the bad men getting what they deserved. Michael looked at his watch, counting it down to zero, then he and the other Alphas sent to their Packs that the hunt was on. "He's still ten miles from my border, much less getting to Arrowhead," Michael said with a laugh. "He should have paid more attention to the map, that's not the fastest way."

"Wouldn't matter, it's not like he can make it to the safe room," Chase said. "You're an asshole, you know that? The safe room is under six feet of gravel and frozen dirt."

"I know," he said with a chuckle. They enjoyed their drinks and talked about their families as they waited. It wasn't long before a chorus of howls went up, signifying the hunting party had caught up to him. Michael listened in to the Pack Link, the men weren't in any hurry to end his suffering.

It took another fifteen minutes before another howl signaled his death. "Now the fun really starts," Chase said.

"What do you mean," Rori said.

"Well, it isn't the wolf who kills him who gets the case of steaks, it's the one who brings Alpha Michael the head," he said with a laugh. "There will be more injuries from the fights on the run back than any of the fighting with him."

"He's right," Michael said. "I better warn the Doctors to expect more."

Twenty minutes later, it was like a game of keep away, played by huge wolves with no rules, had spilled out of the woods and into the clearing. The head was there, barely; the constant battles for possession had torn the ears and fur away, and the lower jaw was gone too. One of the Betas dashed in and grabbed it from a smaller wolf, taking off for the house before the others could react. He ran up on the porch, but instead of going to Alpha Michael, he stopped in front of a terrified Omega who had spilled her tray of drinks. The Beta got down on his stomach, dropping the head at her feet and nosing it towards her as she curled up in fright. "It's all right, Tammy," Rori said from her chair. "He wants you to have it."

All the other wolves were gathered around, none approached the pair as she looked down at the bloody skull at her feet. "That him," she asked weakly. The wolf nodded, then looked over to Alpha Michael. The Omega grabbed a towel from her pocket and dropped it over the head, wrapping it up. "Thank you, but it's kind of gross," she said. She picked it up and handed it to Alpha Michael as the crowd cheered and howled in victory. The Beta licked her face, causing her to squeal, then he trotted back off the porch.

Tammy was glowing as people shifted and congratulated her, and another Omega brought out the case of steaks for her. She pulled out a knife from a cabinet behind her and opened the box. Moving to the railing she started to unwrap and cut the steaks into big pieces and toss them into the crowd. The wolves were going nuts, fighting to catch them like fans over a foul ball. She was almost done when a barrel-chested man in a pair of shorts walked up next to her and took her hand. "Don't throw them all to the wolves, save one for yourself," he said with a grin. "I'll even cook it for you, beautiful."

"Okay," she said shyly. It had been a good afternoon.

Ch. 74

The three remaining men in protective custody sat around the open holding cell contemplating their upcoming demise. "We're just sitting around waiting for the slaughter," Erich Gruber said. "In three days that Nygaard kid will take on Daniel. If your son loses, our fate will be the same as Royce."

"My son won't lose. Sawyer hasn't had to fight for anything, no one in his family has. Chase got Alpha by mating Rori, Carson got it handed to him when his Dad went feral. This is the first challenge any of them have had to face."

"Your boy hasn't been challenged either," Gruber replied. "We're putting our lives in his hands, and he's not..."

"I'll kill him," Daniel interrupted as he stood and moved in front of the former Chairman. "I'll kill him and take the Pack, then Dad and I will be safe. You, however, better start learning that you're not the one in charge anymore. It will be MY pack, and you will be just an elder under MY protection. If you and your wolf can't handle it, get the fuck out of here right now because I've had about enough of your attitude. See how you fare out there as a rogue."

Erich stared at the young man he would be betting his life on. Daniel had the genetics of a good Alpha, but he'd never had to fight for anything in his life. When he was sixty, his father had handed him the Pack, so Craig could start lobbying for a Council appointment. The Donner Pack was safe and isolated from others, it was prosperous and easy for him to run. He'd been loyal to his father, but he owed Erich nothing. Staying under their protection would not work long term. He lowered his eyes, backing down from the young man's challenge. Daniel smiled and sat down on the bunk again.

Erich knew that if he was to survive, he needed to do it on his own. He'd been in power long enough to have backup plans in case something went wrong, and after the threat of exposure he had made sure they were ready. There was a villa in the Swiss Alps, a new identity, hidden bank accounts, everything he needed to get away. His briefcase contained a hidden compartment where the new passport, credit cards and other documents he would need were contained. He just needed to get back to the Pack House, and now was the time. He got out and walked to the guard on duty. "I need to return to my room at the Pack House," he said. "Can one of you escort me."

"Of course," one of the Enforcers said. They walked out the door together and across towards the front porch of the big house. Most of the fighters and males were gone, but there were some lower-ranking members of the Packs around that stopped and stared at him as they passed.

The Alphas gathered on the porch glared at him. "Enjoying the day?" Michael couldn't resist the dig.

"What you did today was without honor," Erich replied.

"You would know." Erich walked inside, this was not the time for such a battle. He walked up the stairs to his guest room, asking the Enforcer to wait in the hallway. Once inside, he put his briefcase on the bed and opened it up. Taking the paperwork out, he cut through the bottom leather and exposed a plastic-wrapped packet. He took the Swiss passport out, in the name of Hans Merkel, along with the debit cards, driver's license and other things he would need. Taking off his expensive suit, he changed into jeans, boots, a flannel shirt over a turtleneck, and a black ski jacket. He put on a black ski hat and sunglasses to complete the disguise. It only took a few more minutes to transfer everything into a small backpack which befit a retired man on extended holiday. He slipped a small pistol with silver-core bullets into his jacket pocket.

The room had a French door leading to a small balcony, and with the Pack distracted he was able to climb down without being noticed. He ran across to the lawn to the large garage complex, looking for the rental vehicles. The line of SUV's was in the front, and keys were in them. Picking the nearest one, he tossed his backpack in the passenger seat and started it up. No one noticed him as he drove out of the compound, the tinted windows hiding his face. With all the guests at the Pack, he wasn't stopped on the way out, and soon was on the road heading for Highway 61.

He needed to get out of the country and fast, but he didn't have long until the Enforcer figured out something was wrong and checked his room. Driving as fast as he could, he ran through the options. He could head south to the Twin Cities and catch an international flight to Switzerland, that would be the direct way. He knew they would be watching the airports and roads, and he no longer had access to the Council plane that was at the Duluth airport. Going north, it was another two hours of driving to get to the Canadian border. He was already driving east, so heading back west wasn't an option, and Lake Superior would force a choice.

He went north, deciding there was less of a chance of werewolves being in that direction. He didn't know how much of a head start he had, he just prayed it was enough.

About the time he turned north, the Enforcer was knocking on his door. When no one answered, and the door was locked, he contacted the Head Council Enforcer who was returning from the chase. He told him to remain where he was while they got a master key to him. The Council relayed the information to Alpha Michael, and a few minutes later they realized Gruber was gone in one of the rental cars. "He's had a thirty-minute head start," the Head Enforcer said as he reported to the Alphas who were now in the conference room.

Michael went to a map of the area. "He's had enough time to make it to Two Harbors," he said. "I'll send guys out, but it will be tough to catch him. I have three cars with warriors and weapons in pursuit."

"Technically, he hasn't done anything wrong," Chairman Coffey said. "He was not under arrest and was facing no charges. If he's off your land, he's just a rogue."

Michael smiled. "He took a car," he said. He linked a Pack member who had rented all the vehicles for the visit, the woman came into the room immediately. "Sharon, write down the license plates of the rental cars still in the garage and call the company. Report the missing one as stolen."

"Yes Alpha," she said as she went back out.

"That will involve the humans," Martin said. "Are you sure?"

"Right now, putting him in prison for Grand Theft Auto sounds like a good start," Michael said. "The rental cars all have GPS, it won't take long for the cops to find him. We need him stopped before he can get to an airport. Does anyone have people either south or north of here?" The Alphas talked it through, the challenge had been mandatory attendance unless you were on duty. The Council pilots were exempted, they were staying at a hotel near the Duluth airport and would make sure Erich didn't try and leave from there, but they didn't have assets elsewhere.

"As long as we're involving humans, I want to bring my friends in on the fun," Rori said. "The Brotherhood didn't all leave, a few people I trust are staying for another week up in Grand Marais. I can send them this way to intercept."

"And then what?"

"Gruber was giving the orders that led to me being attacked in Seattle. That's all they need to know, they'll find him and hold him for me."

Coffey thought about it for a moment, the bikers had their own kind of justice that he respected. "Call them," he said. "Will they ride in this weather?" The morning had been cold, and it would struggle to get to freezing.

"They sent their motorcycles back on trailers when they saw the forecast," she laughed. "Even the Brotherhood doesn't like turning into popsicles. They have rental cars." The Alphas agreed it would help. Chase wheeled her out, giving her some privacy so she could make the call.

As they were dispatching people to track down Erich Gruber, he was driving north as fast as he could go without attracting too much attention. He was lucky, it was a weekday and the offseason, and the roads were clear. He just didn't count on the cops.

A State Trooper pulled out behind him just south of Beaver Bay. He looked down, adjusting his speed to make sure he wasn't speeding, and hoping the man would just move on to someone else.

He didn't. A Sheriff's car slowed as they approached, then pulled a U-turn with his lights flashing as soon as they passed. The Trooper hit his lights and siren as his backup accelerated hard to catch up.

Fight or flight? Erich didn't hesitate, he pushed the gas pedal to the floor and the V-8 roared as it tried to pull away. A rental SUV wasn't the best choice in getaway cars, and his speed was easily matched by the patrol cruisers. He weaved in and out of traffic, looking desperately for a way to get off this road. If he could get to the forest, he could get away, but the road was bad. Built into the hills above Lake Superior, there were rock cliffs on one side and steep drop-offs on the other, dropping hundreds of feet to the rocky lakeshore below. He couldn't shake the cops, and the town of Silver Bay wasn't far.

He should have noticed when oncoming traffic stopped coming, but he was too busy driving at ninety miles an hour and avoiding cars for that. He rounded a bend in the road only to find Sheriff and Police cars blocking the road, their lights shining and guns out. Behind him, the two pursuers had increased to three, and as he looked in the mirror, they moved to block his retreat. With no other option but to surrender, he instead steered towards the shoulder at full speed. Turning at the last minute, the big SUV crashed into the railing and the sound of screaming metal filled the air. The high-strength cables and steel plates did their job for a while, holding the back wheels up as his airbag deployed, but they couldn't hold him forever. The big vehicle teetered forward, then started to roll down the rocky incline.

The law enforcement personnel watched in horror as it crashed down, disappearing in a stand of trees at least a hundred feet down. Before they could even call in for rescue, there was a whoosh of flames and a fireball rose above the trees.

Back at the holding cell, Erich's continued absence had Daniel and Craig getting more nervous by the minute. "What do you think is going on with him," Daniel said over their family bond to keep the guards from listening in.

Craig sat back, his body language defeated. "The thing you have to understand about Erich, is that he's all about Erich no matter how he might want to make it appear," he said. "He may have pardoned himself, but he won't be welcome in any Pack and he's too proud to submit to you and your authority now. I could see that in his face as you told him off."

"You think he's going to cut a deal?"

"With what? For what? Everyone is dead except us, and we're as good as dead. Either Sawyer kills you then they kill me, or they keep sending challengers against you until you die."

"Can they do that?"

He laughed. "Of course, they can. Did you see your Pack out there? They could put a rapist up for a challenge, and the majority of the Pack would vote for him over you. There's no shortage of Alpha and Beta children out there who would love to take you out." He froze. "The fucker ran without us," he said.

"Ran? How?"

"He's been in that job forever, I'm sure he has a backup plan. We need to figure a way out of here and quick, because staying here is death."