BA BA BA BUUUUMM! Cue serious music. Now you get to find out what the Family really is and I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this chapter! I have another story going and I've been focused on that. I really tried before now to get this chapter going but I just didn't have the motivation. Not to mention since I don't have a computer at home I'm havingto work at my public library, which has a filter and doesn't allow me of . So I enlisted the help of my dad and found out a way around said filter. Thank you dad! Sohere it is!

I don't own any of the Women of the Otherworld books. Don't sue me. I'll haunt you if you do.

Chapter 7: Planning

I was silent for a moment before muttering, "Where do I start?" I sighed and began to explain, "The Family is a group of 30 werewolves led by Randall. From what I've heard they've been preparing to fight you guys for years. Even before Jeremy became Alpha. They have this thing in their heads that the members of the Pack shouldn't be chosen but have their place earned. Like the strongest werewolf would be Alpha. They also have it in their head that all female werewolves are… property I think was the word they used. They want to start a bloodline of pure werewolves. You probably haven't noticed, but they've been trying to turn women for years and only had two being Victoria's mother and myself." I took a breath and refused to allow memories to surface. I played tug-a-war withTori to distract myself. "But they've had much more success with turning men. Over the years Randall has turned over 200 hundred men. That's really scary to think about but he only kept 30 of them. He only kept the best of the best. He kept those who could live through his training and become so much faster and stronger than any other werewolf in the world. I don't want to sound like I'm underestimating you guys but believe me when I say they are more than ready to kill you guys. It's overkill really to keep building their strength. He would've attacked you guys already 4 months ago if I hadn't have fled."

There was absolute silence. Even Victory had stopped tugging her toy away from me. I caressed her cheek and felt her smile. I smiled blindly back down at her before saying, "That's basically a background on the Family."

More silence before Elena murmured, "If you aren't exaggerating—."

"I'm not."

"—Then we would've been killed already. We had no idea that a group of werewolves like this was out there." I could hear the shock in her voice as she took in the scope of the bullet I'd pushed them away from.

I shook my head and closed my eyes again. "Don't beat yourself up for not knowing. Randall is a conniving monster. He's been patient for decades and doesn't have a problem waiting a bit longer. He knows how to stay under your radar. The Family moves every week to a different state and a new city. They never visit a place twice. And once they're there they hunt for the person who won't be missed in the community and take them. Sometimes Randall keeps them human for servants, or he Bites them. It doesn't matter if they're male or female, child or adult. He takes them and… uses them." I swung my hair around to hide my face before continuing, "Randall has had years to perfect the technique of hiding."

Another silent pause before Antonio asked, "But why would they stop their plans for you?"

"Because I'm the best they have. I can easily beat all of Randall's little soldiers no sweat. It's just Randall himself I have to worry about. He's the only one that can possibly beat me."

"But you had trouble with them the last two times," Clay pointed out.

I held up a finger, "The first time was because I was running and very low on energy. And besides, that was Bud I was fighting. He's Randall's second. He's the… enforcer of the Family. He's the second closest person that can beat me but he never can and it pisses him off to no end. The second time I had Victoria. I couldn't exactly fight back without endangering her. My main focus was to get Tori to safety."

There was a pause before Jeremy asked, "When do you think the Family will attack?"

I faced him and shook my head, "I don't know. I would like to say that Randall won't attack until he has me back, but I worry about the day he'll get impatient and realize he has more than enough power." I think he nodded and I continued hesitantly, "But. I do have quite a few contacts when it comes to the werewolf world. Both mutts and within the Family."

"You do?" Elena asked, shock coloring her voice.

I nodded and smiled a bit, "Yes. It's strange how some small kind acts will get people into your debt. I tried to help out the human servants in the Family as much as possible and even saved a few from getting killed. I know of two, if they're still alive, who serve Randall himself. They should be alive though. Randall is particularly fond of his girls and he's calm like Jeremy. Well, he's icier than Jeremy, but you get the point. I was also on my own for 4 months. I traveled a lot to stay ahead of Randall. I may have met a mutt or two along the way. So yeah, I have connections."

"Could you find out about what the Family is doing?" Jeremy asked.

I nodded and sighed, "But it will take time. The Family only uses one company to supply their weapons and they send their servants to collect the orders. I could mail a letter to the company manager, he owes me money, and have him give my letter to whoever shows up and they'll pass it along to my contact." I put my chin in my hand and mussed, "I just don't know when they'll make another order. Or when my contact will respond. And she will. She knows how to get around the Family."

"It's a start," Elena said, sounding a bit more assured now that she could see what danger her loved ones were in and prepare for it.

I leaned back against the couch and nudged Tori with my foot. She latched on to it and began wrestling with it. "Don't get relaxed now," I chastised. "I wouldn't be surprised ifStonehaven was surrounded right now by the Family. You need to take steps so you're better prepared if they do decide to attack."

I heard someone get up and walk to what I assumed was a window by the light coming in. I heard the sound of curtains being thrown and Clay's growl, "She's right. Against 30 normal werewolves we would hardly have a chance."

I felt Antonio's hand on my shoulder and glanced up at him to see a flash of white. He had smiled. He turned to Jeremy, "What do you think we should do, Jer?"

He was silent for a moment before he looked at me, "You know the Family best, Artemis. I was thinking of moving the entire Pack to one place. What do you think?"

I blinked in surprise and pointed to myself in shock briefly before shaking myself and finding my voice. For Jeremy, theAlpha, to ask my advice meant he was taking this as serious as possible. "That's along the idea of what I was thinking." I twisted my head to look at Antonio. "You said you lived in Catskills, right?" Tonio nodded. "How big is your house?"

"Big enough to hold the entire Pack and then some if that's what you're wondering," he answered.

I nodded, "I was asking that." I looked back at Jeremy, "Move the entire Pack to Tonio's place. Sell Stonehaven to make it look legitimate because I promise you once the Family realizes you've moved but haven't sold this place then they'll know you plan to come back. You can sell it to a family of humans who are friends with your supernatural allies." I cocked my head in thought, "Aren't you on good relations with a Cabal family?"

Elena answered this time, "We're friends with Lucas Cortez. He's the youngest son of Benicio Cortez, the current head of the family."

I sighed in relief, "Even better. The Cabals can take care ofStonehaven discreetly enough to avoid the Family's snooping." I paused and thought before continuing, "Then you need to make a show of moving because the Family will question the locals to see if you did in fact move. And you need to get the word out through the werewolf world that you're changing the Pack's home base. They regularly check with mutts they come across on news on you guys."

"But how do we do that?" Antonio asked. "We're not exactly on good terms with any mutts right now."

"But I am. I assume you have phones in this place, yes? I'll have rumors going around within the hour. Finally, once you're settled in Tonio's place you need to be as casual as possible because they will think you're on to them, especially with me here."

"Won't they expect you to warn us about them?" Elena questioned.

I shook my head and smiled grimly, "I built a bit of a reputation while I was with the Family. To them I'm a cold, closed-mouth, anti-social, bitch who let no one get close to her. And they believe with all their heart that I won't say any of my secrets. They already tried they're hardest to get me to talk and they failed. So, no. They'll be suspicious, but not sure." I glanced at Jeremy, "That's what I would do, Jeremy."

I watched his blurry figure think in silence and I could tell the other three were watching him as well. I respected that he had asked for my opinion and was considering it. He wasn't jumping for it either, which meant he had ideas of his own and was thinking mine over critically. Finally, he nodded, "We'll do that. Elena, call Lucas and ask him about selling Stonehaven and having the Cabals watching over it. Clay, pull the kids out of school for the time being and call Karl and Morgan in. Tel them about the situation. Antonio, go out and get some moving boxes and rent a U-Haul. We'll be out of here within a week. Artemis, I want you start calling and getting information from your contacts."

The three left the room in hurried footsteps to do as they were ordered while I looked up at Jeremy. "Can you get me a phone? And in the front of my backpack I have a little notebook. Can you bring me it?" He got up and disappeared from the room to get what I needed.

I looked down at Victoria who was chewing on something very colorful. I tickled her tummy a bit and she squirmed with a smile on her face. "Looks like we're finally gonna avenge your momma, little Tori. We're gonna finally stop the Family from hurting other people."

She stopped moving and looked up at me. I couldn't make out her face expression, but I think she was smiling again. I smiled back, "You're such a happy-go-lucky baby. You're happy no matter what."

Jeremy came back in and placed a few things in front of me before sitting down. "I think you're going to need a little help since you can't see. I'll dial the phone numbers and write your letter," he said and I nodded.

"Can you dial Marcus' number?" I heard beeping as he pressed the buttons and held out my hand when he was done to take it. I held it to my ear and waited for the ringing to stop. After eight rings a man answered with a gruff heavy southern, "What?"

"How long did you plan to sleep in this time, Marcus?" I asked with a small smile. This man was a mostly nocturnal person down in his Florida bayou. He made a living hunting alligators and loved the solitude of the swaps.

There was a pause where I heard shifting and I could imagine Marcus sitting all of his six and a half feet up and rubbing his shaggy brown beard. "Is that you, Artemis? It's been a while hasn't it?"

"Just a few months. Are you that lonely for my presence?" I asked sarcastically.

Marcus snorted, "No. I was wondering if this was a call to tell me you were coming back to ruin my peace again."

"I didn't ruin your peace last time and you know it. It was your fault that you attracted the Family's attention. But you could look at this call as a warning to ruin your peace if you wanted to." I shrugged a shrug he obviously couldn't see. I could tell Jeremy was watching me and listening to both sides of the call with his advanced hearing.

Another pause, "You finally calling in that favor I owe you?"

"Yeah I am. I need you to spread a couple of rumors along the grapevine. I want the Family to hear a few things."

He sighed and I heard a thump meaning he'd lied back down in his bed. "You know I hate socializing. Especially with other werewolves. I'd have to leave my bayou and everything. I'd have to stop working. Do you know how much money I'd lose?"

I snorted, "Like you ever use that money. You just put under your mattress and hoard it. And you owe me so suck it up. This is a big favor and I need it done."

"Alright, alright. What rumors do you want me to spread?"

"I need you to tell as many werewolves as you can that they pack is moving their home base to Catskills. Come up with some bullshit reason for why. Termites or water damage, I don't care just come up with a reason."

There was silence before he said, "Holy shit, girl. The Pack? What are you trying to do? Are you with the Pack? Are you in trouble? Do you need my help? 'Cause I'll come in a heartbeat."

I laughed lightly, "Calm down, Marcus. I'm in no more trouble than I was in when we met. Yes, I'm with the Pack and I'm helping them out. But can you spread the rumors?"

"Of course I can. You did save my life so it's the least I can do. I'll leave tonight. But just know, darling, my offer to come to wherever you are and help still stands. Especially if it means getting revenge on that Family for disrupting my peace."

I smiled a bit, "Thanks, Marcus. I really appreciate what you're doing. And I may just hold you to that offer."

"No problem, girly. I'll have my phone on me. Get me some revenge for me if you don't call me."

"I will. Good bye, Marcus. Sweet dreams."

"See ya, Artemis. And I will have sweet dreams of my swamp and peace."

I hung up and faced Jeremy. I knew he wanted to ask so I said, "Marcus is an old werewolf who isolates himself. He's not a man-eater if you're wondering." He nodded and I handed back the phone. "Let's call Phillip now."

Another Chapter. Yay! And I've set it up so Artemis can finally meet the boys and Reece! This chapter honestly came out of frickin' nowhere so I'm really glad at how long and detailed it came out.

Review please!

p.s. I'm going on a vacation this weekend and I'mgonna have to type and upload from my Ipod so forgive me for more mistakes that usual and my disappearance. Thank you for reading!