Chapter 10

I taxi the plane down the runway and take off. To my surprise, the fae Ariana is coming too. I do not ask why, but perhaps she is with Samuel right now. It is no matter, although to my surprise, he allows her to sit in the front seat of the plane and squeezes himself into the back. It is irritating to have such a dominant werewolf at my back, but I am concerned about my pack and slightly wary. I doubt the Marrok set a rogue wolf, but the timing is just too convenient. Then I realize what one of his previous comments meant. I pull out my cell phone with a growl, and call the Marrok's phone number. Ariana flinches, to my surprise.

He answers "Sydney."

"Who's the rogue? You said you knew him."

"An old wolf named Matthias."

"How old, and what's special about him."

"He's 357 years old. He was an Alpha at one point. If you have trouble controlling him, Samuel will help you." I almost laugh at that. I don't need help controlling a rogue wolf.

"What, if any, are his abilities or weaknesses?" If he is going to keep answering questions, I'll keep asking although I already have all the information I need.

"Silver, insanity." I laugh and hang up the phone.

Samuel, from the backseat asks "Did you just hang up on my father?" he sounds menacing, although I can feel his amusement.

"I need to fly the plane, and he stopped being helpful." Besides me, Ariana gives a small smile. I can feel a deeper emotion, although I could not be sure what it is. My gift is most effective on the Fae, but my nose often tells me more. From her, I scent earth magic, but also the sharpness of air and sea, as well as a hint of burning. Perhaps I should find her story when I get to my library, she smells very powerful. My phone rings. I look at the screen and grin. It is the Marrok. I pick up the phone but don't say anything.

I hear a growl then "The rogue has been a lone wolf for the past few years, residing peacefully in Pennsylvania. I am not sure why he went your way, or why he did it now."

I reply "That is very helpful, but we are coming up on a patch of turbulence, so if you have anything else please say it quickly."

"Have you met the wolf Matthias before?"

"I have not heard of him, I have been MIA for the greater part of the last two centuries. If I do know him, I don't recognize the name." I can feel Samuel come to alertness.

Samuel asks "Where have you been?"

I reply vaguely "Travelling. Transportation has gotten so much easier over the last few centuries." I say it in a flippant tone, deliberately setting the trap. It is a double bluff, of sorts. I say things that make me sound old, while I act young and say them like I am young. My phone beeps. I look at it and say "Excuse me, my second is calling." I switch lines, and Samuel looks very concerned, then shrugs and smiles a little. I guess people don't hang up on the Marrok very often. "Max," I begin.

He interrupts "Sydney, the wolf is here. He attacked one of the humans in the town last night, I just found out now." I growl, my wolf furious at the invasion. Max continues "It's not pretty, Sydney." I forgot how young Max is. We have not had an uncontrolled wolf in the area since I joined the pack. He hasn't seen the destruction one can create.

I reply "I will be landing in approximately an hour. I would like you there to meet me. I will call Julian to scout and see if he can't find where the rogue is hiding." I don't hang up, some instinct telling me he has something else to say.

"Sydney, is it safe?"

"If you feel like your wife is in danger, have her stay at my house. Call in all of the pack that is living single right now. I don't know how dominant the intruder is, but it pays to be cautious."

"Thank you." He hangs up. I call Julian and give him instructions. It is not his first hunt, and he is dominant enough to resist the call of the rogue wolf. I think so, at least. If a wolf is more dominant than another wolf, they can compel that wolf to act, but the real danger is that they will drag the other wolf down into their madness. It takes a very strong mind or great power to resist the pull of a more dominant wolf. It is one of the reasons packs have an Alpha.

Samuel interrupts my train of thought. Probably a good thing, because the more worried I get, the less control I have, and I need to land the plane safely. "Sydney, why did you hang up on my father?"

I shrug, a gesture that is in line with my young teenage appearance. "Max called, and I need the most relevant information I can get."

He looks out the window gloomily then says "I feel I should warn you, Leah died recently. We are not sure what happened, and my father isn't telling. He is unstable right now, and it might get worse."

I raise my eyebrows "You think I should meekly submit? I admit that would be the wise thing, but it isn't in my character."

Samuel shakes his head "No, but please don't bait him. His wolf is very unstable." I am quite aware, but I refuse to let the Marrok scare me.

I shrug "Yellow eyes, right? He was wearing sunglasses in the car."

Samuel looks up sharply, with challenge in his eyes. I meet his eyes in the mirror with a bit of warning. He looks away without submitting, probably because he doesn't want me to crash the plane while I am distracted. Ariana sits tensely in her seat, and I begin to scent fear from her. Something doesn't add up. A Fae with her power shouldn't be worried about a couple of werewolves. I am sure that my glamour is intact, and it works on other Fae. Samuel puts his hand on her shoulder and she relaxes. I wonder at that, but don't say anything.

Chapter 11

We exit the plane, Samuel somehow getting out before Ariana to help her down. My guess is that she doesn't need it, but courtesy is never misplaced. I flip Ariana the car keys, just to see what happens. It might put her at ease to be in control, but I also want to see how Samuel reacts. He glances at me sharply, but I pretend not to notice. I don't need a dominance showdown. "Welcome to the pack Saranac territory." I say it with a bit of a Canadian accent, as I usually do. I feel relief at being back on my territory, with the pack bonds tugging strongly on me. Ariana gets in the car and turns it on while I put away the plane. I can't blame her, it is a bit cold out. Samuel follows me, a little closer than I would prefer. I make a sharper than necessary turn while putting the plane away and come face to face with him. "Yes, Samuel? Something to say?"

He glares at me, but I read concern for the Fae in him. He sighs "Just… be careful around Ariana."

"Be careful of her or careful for her?" I challenge him. He is bringing a Fae that I do not know onto my territory, and is warning me of her. I let him see what I think of that.

He replies "She has an aversion of sorts to canine creatures."

I laugh "And she's hanging out with you? Forgive me for being surprised."

Samuel growls. I acquiesce "I'll be nice to her, if that is your concern."

He looks at me with speculation in his eyes "I see what Charles meant. I can't tell if you are naïve or insane, Sydney. Either way, you are probably in so far over your head."

I smile and suggest "I could also be an old and canny wolf that's manipulating you all." He just shakes his head. I smile and turn my back on him to head for the car. It is a dangerous thing to do, to turn your back on a wolf. It can either mean you are running from them, or you are leading them, and it is a very fine line. But if done properly, it is a dismissal of them and a sign that you consider the danger of having them at your back insignificant.

We arrive at the house, and I invite them in. A few pack members are there already. I call Max and Julian into my study, and suggest subtly to Eli that he should talk to Ariana. A submissive wolf is considerably less threatening than the rest of us. Samuel follows us into the room. I sit down and gesture to the rest that they should be seated. I perform introductions "Samuel Cornick, this is my second, Max and my third, Julian. I am guessing his reason for being here is damage control if I somehow screw up hunting down a rogue." I allow just a hint of amusement into my voice but then become serious. "Let's start with your report Julian."

He nods "I followed a scent from the murder scene to a river, but it appears that our wolf crossed the river. It wasn't dangerously deep. I went around across a bridge, but was unable to pick up his scent on the other side." I frown, but gesture for him to continue "His footsteps were steady, but something about his scent didn't smell healthy."

Max adds "Maybe he drowned in the river? Werewolves sink, far as I know."

I reply "Not if they can stand in the river. Was that the case, Julian?"

"No," He replies "I could have easily have crossed the river, but I chose not to get wet." I raise and eyebrow and he begins to defend himself; "The scent was stale. Another few minutes wouldn't have made a difference."

I sigh "Alright, last night was three from the full moon. It is possible the wolf was moon mad." I look around the room. "But I learned that this wolf is an older wolf. Older wolves are less likely to be moon mad, and more likely to just be crazy. I have a hunch that there is something nasty involved, but no proof whatsoever. I will advise caution though." I pause "Then the plan is thus. Max, I would like you and Julian to take a few wolves and see if you can't catch the scent. Make sweep both sides of the river, up and down. The scent must be there somewhere. Try to think about what you would do in that situation if you were trying to avoid pursuit. I'll see if I can't find out more about our wolf and trace his movements through the town. Search until sundown, then report back to me." Max and Julian nod in acknowledgment then leave the room. I pull out my computer then address Samuel, who has not left the room. "Yes, Samuel?"

He has a challenging gleam in his eye as he asks "Why do you not lead the hunt, Sydney?"

I reply "Because I am more useful here. I have skills that most of my wolves lack."

"Such as?"

"Computer skills." An evasion on my part.

"Why else, Sydney? You must have a further reason."

"If I start the hunt, I will finish it. I can call my wolves back to report once a location for the rogue is established. I might not sit back and think it through myself. The time for that will be later, when I am sure of the situation." Samuel smiles finally satisfied with my answer. He leaves the room. I log onto my computer and activate my internal security cameras. I program them to watch Samuel and Ariana. Now I will be able to keep an eye on both of them wherever they are in my house. I then begin my investigation into the murder that occurred yesterday. I pull all of the details I can from the newspaper and the official report. I then hack the medical records. I am not a doctor, but I have one in residence. Perhaps I will ask his expert opinion, because something doesn't seem quite right about the report and attached pictures. I also hack the police records and get the exact timing and details. About an hour has passed by the time I have finished. I take another look at the medical and coroners reports and print them off. I will ask Samuel just to get a second opinion. I check his location on the cameras and find him prowling around my basement, dangerously close to where I keep some of my more secret things. He won't find them, except by chance, but I don't like him down there.

I call "Samuel, I have a question for you. What are you doing in the dirty basement anyway? I haven't cleaned down there for ages." Dirt is a good excuse, and happens to be entirely true. I should clean my house more often. I hear him very softly start up the stairs. I ask him "So you're a fully certified doctor and all that right? Been to school recently?" He appears out of the gloom of my basement. He didn't turn the lights on.

"Yes. I am a modern, fully certified doctor."

"Great, come to the kitchen. I have some reports I would like a second opinion on." We walk into the kitchen. Eli is still talking to Ariana, but she seems to be much more relaxed now. Good submissive wolves can be such a blessing to a pack. They aren't weak by any means, but they are a lot less intimidating to guests. Behind me, Samuel growls, a deep sound that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I notice then that Eli is actually holding Ariana's hand. It looks more comforting than romantic to me, but dominant werewolves are touchy. Ariana looks around, slightly worried, but then she sees Samuel and seems much more confident as her face lights up. Eli gently removes his hand from hers and drops his eyes as soon as he looks at Samuel. I simply shrug and sit down next to Eli, leaving the seat next to Ariana open for Samuel.

He asks "So what do you want me to look at?" I slide him the medical reports in a beige folder that looks like it might come from a hospital.

I explain "I read through them, and I admit I am not a licensed doctor or nurse, but it seems to me that the pictures and the words don't mean the same thing. It is pretty obvious that the wounds are from two different knives, one about 4 inches and the other about 7, but the way it was described doesn't seem to match that."

Samuel looks up "The description is that of a classic werewolf attack. I would need to see the body to determine it myself, but if they are knife wounds, as you say, then there is a discrepancy." I nod in satisfaction. I knew there was something odd about this. He frowns "Sydney, where did you get this report? These reports aren't supposed to leave the hospital."

I lower my eyes demurely "I have my ways." I flutter my lashes, not expecting the surge of rage from Ariana. I glance at her and say "Peace, Lady." I know the title will recall her, and my reaction should stymie her rage, because I do not want an out-of-control sidhe lady in my house. It would be a nightmare.

Chapter 12

My cell rings into the silence, and the group takes a bit of a collective sigh of relief. I answer it "Hello, Sydney speaking. How may I help you?"

"Sydney, the female that calls herself alpha?"

"That would be me. I am Alpha of this pack. How may I help you?"

The person on the other end laughs "You won't be Alpha much longer, if indeed you ever were. Women can't hold that title, never have and never will. If the Marrok doesn't have you killed over the upcoming scandal, you will be defeated in combat. It isn't hard to defeat a woman who thinks she can fight." Eli winces. Phone conversations among wolves aren't ever private because of our enhanced senses.

"Thank you for your concern, but I am Alpha, and will remain so. Please find something else to concern yourself with. Or, you could give me your name, and we could discuss this as civilized creatures." The phone clicks as he hangs up. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. As I exhale I sigh. I had hoped the world had changed from when I last held a pack, but apparently not that much. I ask "Anybody recognize the voice?" They all shake their head. I glance at Eli because he looks a little unsure. "Eli? Any idea?"

"It sounded like an Alpha."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because of the tone of command in his voice. Alphas almost always have it, other wolves rarely do. He gives orders and expects them to be obeyed because they usually are."

I nod "If you say so, it probably is. I wouldn't notice something like that."

Eli rolls his eyes "You definitely have the command voice, but you actually use it effectively, unlike most Alphas."

"Thanks, I think." I'm not entirely sure what that is supposed to mean. Eli grins. My phone rings again and I look at it doubtfully. I sense the laughter before I hear it. I look up "It's Max. I wonder what they found?" I answer the phone. "What's up?" I really like the teenage slang these days.

"We have two trails, we think we know where the wolf is hiding." I wince. I have a feeling the next part won't be good. He continues "But it is a bit weird, it appears that the wolf is hiding in a cabin, which means he probably isn't in wolf form, as we had previously assumed."

Julian interrupts "Something isn't right here. I don't know what, it's just an instinct."

I say "I have to agree. I have the same feeling. Investigate further, but stay in groups of two. I would like at least one of every pair to be in human form, and any wolves with collars." I hear a collective groan but continue "I would like to be able to talk our way out, if anything happens. I don't need to lecture you all on caution again, do I?"

I hear the reply "No, Sydney."

I smile "Good. Keep up the good work. When you are done, come back for food." I let them cheer then hang up.

Eli asks "Would you like me to make the food, Sydney?"

I laugh but reply "Pick two wolves that aren't busy now and I'll order them to work with you."

He grins "Andrew and Susan would be great. They know how to cook, but just don't like it."

I send the necessary texts and the wolves acknowledge that they will be there in a few minutes. I nod "They're yours for the next few hours. Make something tasty." Eli smiles, jumps up and heads to the kitchen.

Samuel scowls "I didn't know he could cook."

"He didn't either until I snapped at him to help me in the kitchen. He has quite the talent for it, especially after I signed him up for cooking classes." I smile with a bit of amusement, but I make sure to meet both Samuel and Ariana's eyes. Samuel I could take because I am more dominant than him and perhaps a better fighter. Ariana I'm not sure about. The sidhe have much power, but she is not wholly a sidhe. There is something else in her that I do not understand, so I will treat her with much respect. My magic is meager compared to hers. I have the blood of one of the lesser Fae, and only a small portion at that. I am limited in what I can do. My greatest asset is the gift that allows me to sense the character, emotions and occasionally the stray thoughts of others. It isn't true telepathy, and I don't read thoughts unless I have no other choice. But it gives me a great advantage when dealing with the Fae. However, if someone can control their thoughts and emotions, my gift is nearly useless, except for the general sense of a person. The only person I have run into recently with that much control is Bran, with a wolf as terrifying as he is powerful.

Chapter 13

As the pack eats, I sit in my study working on hacking the files that I know the Marrok must keep about all of his wolves. I traced the phone call I received to a cell phone in Lake County, Tennessee. Now I must find out what wolves live there. I am trusting Eli's reaction that the mysterious caller is an alpha, which means I must learn who is Alpha at the location the call came from. But hacking into the Marrok's files is a nightmare. Whoever does his computer stuff is very, very smart and good at it. I would love to meet him or her. The code used is welsh-based, on an ancient version of welsh. There are layers of code that would look like gibberish if I didn't know some welsh. I sigh and keep working. Any coder this good leaves himself a backdoor to get into his program. If I assume that he is a dominant wolf, which is likely, where would they hide a back door?

10 minutes later I find a backdoor and finally reach the files. I am tempted to leave a message, because I have the feeling I just set off an alarm. If you can't slip in and out unseen, I always leave a taunting message. I debate whether it is worth it to provoke the Marrok, but decide to anyway. I leave the message in English, download my files and get out of there. I disconnect form the internet and wipe any traces of my computer on the network. I should be away clean, unless the person who designed the Marrok's system was watching at that moment. I print the files and download them onto a flash drive, then delete the files from my computer completely, in case there happens to be a tracker of some sort embedded. I start to read the files when I hear a knocking on the door.

"Come in" I call. The door opens, and Ariana comes in. I rise "Lady, what can I do for you?"

"Why do you call me that? I hold no title and my glamour is completely human."

"You are a Sidhe Lady of great power. It would be inappropriate for me to address you otherwise."

She sighs and says "Please call me Ari. I have not been a Lady for a long time, if I ever was."

I nod and say "Please sit. What can I do for you, Ariana?" We sit.

She asks "I just need a quiet place away from the wolves for a while. I have a bad history with dogs and wolves, and my father to blame for it." Then I finally remember her story.

It was a tragic tale that was obviously embroidered in the telling. As I remember it, Ariana was forced to make the Silver Borne, an artifact of great power, by her father under pain of torture. Her one true love, Sawyl Silverheart broke free of the witches spell that forced him to appear a wolf in order to kill her father and rescue her. Usually the story ends there, a happily ever after, but I heard a few versions that indicate otherwise. I give those versions credit, because there is no such thing as happily ever after for immortal beings. The most likely one has the witch recasting her spell and forcing Sawyl to turn against his lover, but he couldn't hurt her, so he ran and never turned back, still in the hold of the witch. It is good to know that Ariana survived, but it is likely that the man forced to take on the appearance a wolf is dead. Humans just don't live that long.

I smile at her "Ariana, be welcome and merry in my home. I swear that none that are mine will harm you here." I touch my voice with just a hint of power, so it is a binding promise.

Surprise flashes over her face, but is quickly gone as she smiles "You are full of surprises Sydney." The emphasis she puts on my name indicates she doesn't believe it.

I ask "What would you call me, Ariana of the Forest?"

A mist drifts over Ariana's eyes as she replies "Siren Einar is your name. Accepted well and truly. But also Sydney Lyman, Joan of Arc, Li Min, Ylva, and Sara. Your first name is Magnhild Berdfalk, child of the mountain, warrior in battle." The mist suddenly clears form her eyes as she bursts out "Damn it, Sydney, why did you have to ask?"

I shrug, trying to conceal how shaken up I am "I had no idea you had the gift of true naming, Ari. I have not told my first name in many years, it has too much power. But you won't abuse that, will you? You'll let me play my games with the other wolves."

She replies "You know, they can't tell if you are an old wolf who escaped their notice, or if you are a young one that paid attention to history and happens to be dominant."

I nod in agreement "The culture in Europe has not permitted dominant women, so dominant female werewolves did not survive because the internal struggle was too great. It is not that women are weaker than men; they just simply are taught not to be dominant. The way the pack law was interpreted didn't help either. But society has changed, and there will be more dominant women coming. There are many already, I am not the first Alpha to permit women to fight for dominance."

Ariana inhales slightly "You are far older than they will believe. But be careful of Bran. He is old and powerful."

I smile wolfishly "I know." She just shakes her head, but I know she will keep my secrets unless she has a really good reason to spill them, because she agrees with what I said. I go back to reading the files on the Tennessee Alpha. He seems to be quite a piece of work, and definitely fits the man who called me with the vague threat. There is only one way to find out. I pick up my phone and call the number listed. He picks up. I ask "Am I speaking with Mr. Johnson?" The person who answers say they'll put him on. He picks up the phone.

"Yes, who is this calling me?" The voice is a match so far, but I will keep going to be sure.

"I am calling about your credit card. I would like to tell you about our new discount if you sign up for reward points. All you have to do is tell me your card number, and you will have double the rewards." Ariana, who is still sitting in the chair across from me, tries not to laugh.

"I don't even have a credit card." His voice turns menacing and I smile because it exactly matches the call I got earlier. "If any of you damn telemarketers call again, I will track you down and rip you to shreds. You are a nuisance to society and…"

I hang up. Ariana laughs out loud. I smile in return. Perhaps we will be friends after all. I hear footsteps in the hallway and another knock on the door.