20

Bonnie Woods POV

February 12, 2011

Blue Ridge Pack, Georgia

"It won't be so bad this time, Luna. It's not your first time, and we know nothing will happen since you won't have a mate coming of age." I put my hand on Luna Adrienne's shoulder as she fussed with how her red hair hung around her black dress. "Are you sure you want to wear something so informal?"

"You're right, nothing is going to happen, and I don't want to be at another Scratch and Sniff," she replied. "I don't want to hear condolences, and I don't want old men hitting on me because they think I'm lonely enough to take a choice mate. You know I wouldn't go if the Council didn't force me to."

I'd never been to a North American Council gathering until last year when I traveled to Breckenridge with Luna Adrienne and the Beta pair as our Luna's guard. It was a week short of a year since Alpha Nathan had died, and it hadn't been an easy time for her. On Friday, she endured her first Scratch and Sniff since her mating. The following two days were the North American Alpha Conference, where she had to project strength and competence to head off any challenges to her position. Thank the Goddess that Adrienne's wolf was so dominant.

This year, our Pack sent the same people to northern Georgia. The conference was always the second weekend in February, which meant Anthony couldn't come. His birthday was in ten more days; if he didn't find his mate before next year, he'd have to go to the SnS as well. "You'll be popular for other reasons. Every unmated female who makes it through tonight will be angling for an invitation to Anthony's birthday party."

She rolled her eyes as she ran a brush through her hair one last time. "That started months ago, and you know it. I'm pretty sure we got them all. I stopped counting when we hit fifty female guests under the age of twenty-five, PLUS all the unmated females of our Pack and six nearby Packs. And sixteen MORE coming from Europe and Russia!"

"We'll throw a better party," I promised. "Anthony won't know what to do with them all."

"I pray he doesn't have to wait long for his mate." She set the brush down on the counter in the bathroom of our 40-foot recreational vehicle and turned for the door. "Let's get this over with."

All parents prayed that their children would find mates early. Mates were the other half of your soul, and not finding your mate meant a lifetime wondering what happened. Luna Adrienne had another reason; Anthony needed a Luna by his side to take over the Pack from her. She'd pushed through the pain and the loss to get to this point, and she was hoping it was only for a few more weeks.

The Betas were heading out with friends, as they weren't responsible for security at the Scratch n Sniff. Technically, I was one of the chaperones tonight. The Council allowed it so I could stay close to Luna Adrienne with unmated males nearby.

There were four matings from the reception line, but nothing for our Luna. We retired to the bar area, where a group of 'older' singles took over part of the lounge to drink heavily and bemoan their fate. As the liquor flowed, the debate over whose life sucked worse between those who had lost a mate and those who never found one raged on. After twenty minutes of arguing, someone asked me for my 'unbiased' opinion. "There's no answer because none of you understand the pain the other side is going through," I said. "It's like standing around in the rain and arguing about who is wetter. It ALL sucks. I respect the hell out of those of you who carry on anyway."

That pretty much ended the argument. I was right; many young ladies talked to Adrienne about Anthony and how they were looking forward to the party. He was the most eligible bachelor of the year because everyone expected he and his Luna would take over the Pack immediately. We left as soon as allowed, returning to the main house where the Alphas and Council were relaxing and conducting informal business.

I knew my Luna wouldn't want any hassles tonight, so I wasn't surprised when she made her way to the empty spot on a couch occupied by friends. "Adrienne! So good to see you again," Luna Catherine said as she stood up. They embraced, and her mate, Alpha Leo Volkov of the Welch Pack in Minnesota, kissed her cheek. "You're here, so nothing?"

"I didn't expect it. If there's a second chance mate out there for me, he didn't come of age, and I've met all the widowed and never mated Alphas and Betas already." They sat down, and I took up a spot against the wall where I could watch for anyone coming her way. I wasn't worried about Catherine; they had first met in Council summer camps for Alpha and Beta children and kept up the friendship. Luna Catherine even came out to stay with Adrienne for a while last year. "Any ideas what is on the agenda for the meetings?"

"Same old stuff," she said with a roll of her eyes. "A few of the caveman Alphas are sure to introduce a rule to ban females from being Alphas."

"Like I would let that go anywhere," Leo chuckled. "If anyone starts talking shit, I'll shut it down. These neanderthals need to learn there is more to being an Alpha than physical strength and intimidation. They can run a Pack with that, but not a FAMILY. You have your Pack's respect and love. You're also intelligent and dominant enough to lay down the discipline when required. You've done a hell of a job holding your Pack together while Anthony matures."

"Thank you, Leo. I appreciate that."

Catherine patted my hand. "It's not just you. Luna Linda has run the Salzburg Pack for six years now, and her son is only ten. I can't believe either Pack would be better off with some Council flunkey or second Alpha son in your place."

Adrienne nodded. "I could still face a challenge before Anthony is of age."

Leo waved his hand dismissively. "Put out the word that I'm your champion. That will shut it down! Either that, or we'll have another Pack open to new leadership." Under the rules of Alpha challenges, a ruling Alpha could appoint a champion to fight in their stead if they were injured or unable to defend their title themselves.

"I couldn't do that! Challenges can be to the death!"

Leo just smiled. "I haven't had a decent fight since I retired from the Games. Who around here would want to take me on?"

I chuckled to myself, recalling that he retired at age 24. Alpha Leo Volkov was an imposing man, his Slavic heritage giving him a big frame, and his years in construction a strong body. Add to it that he was a Mantled Alpha, with the Goddess-given power passed from father to son, and only an idiot would take him on. I'd seen him fight as a wolf in two Werewolf Games, and he was a terror. It was a better deterrent than using me as Champion or Adrienne fighting as a Mantled Luna.

"Only a fool," she agreed. "Thank you. I don't need any more drama."

I smirked as I watched the news travel through the room. Talking like this in a roomful of werewolves made keeping the discussion private impossible, which I think was Leo's intention. With him and a few others running interference for us, the rest of the conference was uneventful.

The anxiety levels were running high a little over a week later. Guests were everywhere, with giggling young ladies sniffing around, all hoping to catch a scent of Anthony and hear their wolf claim their mate. Knowing this, Luna Adrienne had Anthony and a guard spend the last three days at a remote Pack cabin while the entire Pack House was cleaned and prepared. There would be no hints.

We served the birthday dinner without the guest of honor, as nothing but his mate would matter if she is here. When the meal ended, Luna Adrienne had all of the eligible ladies line up from the front door of the Pack House to the table where the birthday cake rested. I stayed at my Luna's side as we walked to the front door, just when the car pulled up with Anthony.

He looked like his father, tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome, and he would fill out even more as he matured. He smiled and laughed and spent a little time with each young lady, thanking them for coming despite the disappointment in their eyes. The dejected girls returned to their tables as Heir Anthony worked through the line, and then there were no more.

There would be no mating tonight.

That came three weeks later. Anthony and a dozen other young Baxter wolves road-tripped down to Pensacola for Spring Break. At the local Pack House, Anthony scented his mate. He tracked down and soon marked Pamela Johnson, a 19-year-old freshman at Bemidji State University. She was a member of the Internation Falls Pack up in Minnesota. She was even taller than me, with curly brown hair. She didn't have my lean runner's physique; she had wider hips, long legs, and a big rack. Everyone was thrilled when we got the call from her Alpha.

Why didn't he find her earlier? Blame it on the arrogance of the Council. Since her parents weren't Beta or Alpha rank, she hadn't been eligible for the Scratch n Sniffs, and no one would pay for her to go to Anthony's party. It didn't matter that her Great Grandfather was an Alpha or that she had Beta blood on her maternal grandmother's side. Her father was a Lead Warrior, so she was somehow less worthy than the vapid females who had swooned after him a month ago.

She moved to Baxter a week later and fit right in with our Pack. She was friendly, warm, and smart as a whip. Adrienne and Beta Melanie showed her the administrative side of the Luna job. She only had to be shown something once to get it, and she had a good nose for business. That's what Pamela would end up studying at Beal College. Physically, she had some skills in self-defense and was good with a rifle. We enrolled her in my Kali classes and set up handgun training to fill the gaps.

Anthony graduated from high school in June. By then, Pamela had taken over the Luna duties, and everyone agreed it was time. We sent out invitations for a July 30

th

Alpha Ceremony to the North American Alphas and the Council.

The changeover in Baxter Pack leadership was my last official act as one of the Luna's Guards. Our Luna had done it; she'd toughed it out until her son was ready, and now she could retire. I worried she might decide to follow her mate into death now that the Pack had an Alpha pair again. Two years hadn't made the loss go away, and I knew her pain as well as anyone.

I was getting ready to go home after the feast and Pack run when Adrienne linked me. The Council Chairman wanted to speak with her about something. I met up with her before Adrienne brought Chairman Sanders to her old office. I stayed inside the door with his guard. Adrienne sat behind the desk and leaned forward. "How can I help you, Mr. Chairman?"

"I'm hoping we can help each other, Luna Adrienne," he said. The title was honorary now. "May I first say how much I admire how you've handled everything in the past two years. You constantly surprise us with your courage and drive."

"I did what I had to do, Mr. Chairman, and now I'm retired."

"I was hoping you might join us with the Council." My eyes got wide, but I didn't say anything. "I'm sure you've seen how conflicts between Packs and Alphas can spiral out of control over the years."

"The Council does what they can, but they can't always stop it," Adrienne agreed.

"The Council needs to do something different," he responded. "Sending in a Chairman, a dominant former Alpha, sometimes results in the sides digging in. It's especially true if one side thinks he is prejudiced against him. We decided we needed a softer, more constructive approach. We think you could be a fine Council Mediator."

Adrienne didn't say anything for a moment. "And why is that?"

"You're smart, you look for win-win solutions, and you are dominant enough not to be intimidated by either side. You're also attractive and female." She raised an eyebrow at that. "Alphas will be reluctant to escalate into physical conflict with a female in the room, especially if that female has the authority of the Council. We think you can do a better job of calming emotions, examining the problems logically, and reaching mutually-agreed solutions."

"And if I fail?"

"You're the velvet glove. If an iron fist is required, the Council can provide it."

I had to agree it made sense, and I was hoping she would agree. Adrienne was only thirty-eight, far too young to fade into the woodwork. The work would keep her busy until the Goddess found her a second-chance mate.

"What kind of timeframe and training are we talking about?"

"You'd start immediately. We would attach you to mediation teams as an assistant first. When the Lead Mediator says you are ready, we'll send you a primary, with an experienced Mediator backing you up. It could take a year or two before you are fully qualified."

"And the time commitment?"

"It varies. Our mediators work from Council headquarters or their home Packs, traveling ten to twenty weeks a year on official business."

"Put together an employment contract, and I'll decide before you leave. I can't start until after Labor Day. Some of my Luna friends are dragging me to France for a few weeks. We're going to see the museums, lay on the beaches, and run in the Alps." I was jealous I couldn't go, but my schedule as a Sheriff's Department Detective wouldn't allow for it.

"You aren't staying to help your son?"

Adrienne smiled. "You should know that the best thing you can do after a change of command is to leave. It's Anthony and Pamela's Pack now, and they need to find their way. If they need help, they can call me."

Chairman Sanders stood up and held out his hand to her. "I'll have a proposal for you in the morning."

The job was perfect for her, as the Alphas soon found out.

Ch. 12

Bonnie Woods POV

Maine State Trooper HQ, Troop E

Bangor, Maine

October 11, 2019

The day was bright and crisp for the Change of Command ceremony, and we had a lot of friends and family in attendance. The fourteen Maine State Troopers from Troop E formed two rows, the inspection being the final act in the turnover of the Troop to Lieutenant Sean Wood. The current Lieutenant was retiring after thirty years of service, just in time to escape the Maine winter for Florida sunshine. As she transferred Command to my mate, my face radiated my pride.

I was in the VIP section, wearing my full-dress Sheriff's Department uniform. I knew almost everyone here today, both professionally and socially. I'd made Detective Sergeant two years ago, supervising the six Detectives in the Criminal Investigation Division. I'd been lucky enough to work closely with Sean, who until his promotion was a Sergeant in the Major Crimes Unit headquartered in Bangor.

Things had improved since we both got off rotating shift schedules for patrol. We both worked regular hours for the past three years, though being on call wasn't always fun. We'd even sold our lake home, buying a hundred acres of woods adjoining Baxter Pack lands and building our dream house. We were making good money now and didn't have long to go until we were retirement-eligible. Maine's retirement was after 25 years, unlike the 20 years of bigger cities, but I wouldn't trade with them. Our rural patrol area didn't have the gangs, the violence, the stress, or the lack of political support. Upstate Maine was quiet and blue-collar for six months out of the year. The other six? Tourists and cabin owners from Boston clogged the roads.

I'd joined the Sheriff's Department before starting the Academy, and I could retire as early as next June. Sean had another three years to go since he didn't start until he finished school and his Army commitment. The retirement plan was 50% of our highest average pay after twenty-five years, with another 2% for every year after that. Sean and I had simple goals for our life. I would keep working (and earning another 6% bump) until he could retire too. Then we'd retire from law enforcement and take over as Lead Pack Warriors, working that for twenty years or so until the next generation was ready to take over.

He finished his speech and dismissed the troops. With the formal ceremony over, I rushed over to congratulate him before anyone else could get to him. "Congratulations, baby," I told him as I gave him a quick kiss. I stood by his side as other guests shook his hand and wished him luck in his first Command. As the crowd dispersed, I turned back to him to find Anthony and Pamela at his side. "I have to get back to work. I'll see you at Geaghan's after work?" The Irish-American pub was one of our favorite post-work spots.

"We should have a good crowd," Anthony promised. Many of the same people who showed up today were going to be there to hoist a few with us. We'd celebrate out of uniform, off the clock, and on the Alpha's dime. That would bring out the Pack members, who loved to recognize their accomplishments.

The pitchers of Guinness were flowing that night when the Alpha and Beta pair arrived. We had a private room with some spillover into the rest of the bar. Our leaders looked worried; we waved them over to our table, asking the non-Pack members sitting with us to give us the big corner booth. As long as we talked soft enough, the humans wouldn't be able to hear us. "Sean, Bonnie, we have a problem," Alpha Anthony sent. "One of our young trackers followed a chemical scent trail from our border into the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, up by Lunksoos Road. The scent trail ended at a makeshift methamphetamine lab. It's about two miles north of where the Seboeis River meets the East Branch of the Penobscot."

I looked over at them. "So call 911 to report it, and we'll put together a team to raid it," I replied.

"We can't do that," Anthony said. "Our tracker picked up a scent he couldn't identify. He's sure it is supernatural, but it's not a wolf."

"We need to get the Sheriff over here," I said. I waved over my boss, Penobscot County Sheriff, and Downeast Pack Beta Ty Rabb. He set his hat on the peg; he'd worked late and was the only one still in uniform. I quickly filled him in.

"We can't send in a team including normals for this," Ty replied. 'Normals' was our term for the humans around us.

"Tomorrow night," I replied as I remembered the work schedule. "I'm on call for detectives, and we have Carter and Lisa as the northern patrol car."

"I'm going with you," Sean replied. "Under the cooperation agreement, I'll have a patrol car west of there. I'll make sure I have the right trooper along." We weren't the only Pack with members in law enforcement. Sean now had five under his command.

Ty nodded. "I'll call Vince in the DEA. He'll want in on it." Vincent Argenta was a wolf in a West Virginia Pack, but his work moved him around. That could work. "Sean, can you lead a tactical team? I want everyone from the Baxter Pack on it. You can stay off the radios until you move in. We don't know how good their hearing will be." There were werecats and werebears with better hearing than wolves.

Sean was the right choice to lead a team. He'd spent most of his career on the State Police Tactical Team, the last three as a Team Leader. Now that he was a Lieutenant, he was too senior to be busting down doors. Sean looked at me, and I nodded. "That's not a problem. The rest of you need to cut off any retreat. We can use Pack trackers and warriors for the outer perimeter."

I pulled up a Google Map of the area on my phone while we talked. The target area was pretty remote, with lots of dead-end logging roads.

"I'll get a few trackers and warriors in place in a ten-mile radius and have them stand watch," Alpha Anthony said. "I'll keep them far enough away not to be detected. Goddess knows with the chemicals in one of those labs that they'll never scent us. I don't like having something around that I don't know about."