Page 45 of Lightning Strikes

Chapter 16

Mac

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I’ve decided to walk over to the alpha’s house instead of borrowing any of Ang’s guards. I’m bored out of my mind sitting around our house not doing anything. The weekend moved too fast – from unpacking, fucking Angela in each and every room, and hanging out with the guards, Scout, and Max… I’m sick of pacing the halls waiting for her to get home.

Technically I have another week before my set meeting with Deacon, but I’m healed. Ready to do something. For myself, for the pack. I’m just ecstatic about being in a pack that has real betas and enforcers. Perimeter checks, guard duty, and training is going to be exciting, and I’m looking forward to making a real difference.

I jog up the steps and knock on the door before stepping back, glancing around the neighborhood. They’re all the same from what I’ve seen so far. Every house is the same white color with brown tiled roofs, some are single story like Angela’s, others, like the alpha’s house, are double.

“Mac, come on in.” I turn back around when I hear Deacon speak to me and I nod to him and follow him down the hall to his office after he shuts and locks the door. I look around but don’t hear or see anyone else.

“Is your mate still in the city?”

He grunts and settles down at his desk after we make it to his office. “Yes, one of our sons was just recently mated and she’s spending time with them.” He shrugs and runs his hands down his tired, haggard face. “So you’re ready to start training? Are you interested in a specific position?”

I blow out a breath and relax into the leather chair. “Maybe an enforcer and move up to a beta position? Not sure if you know much about the Prescott pack, but we were a small one… only about twenty of us before we moved here to New York. The alpha didn’t have any true enforcers or betas. We would volunteer to do perimeter checks, but there aren’t any actual guard stations or gates to man. It was calm and peaceful until the disappearances began, especially back when we had hundreds of shifters around. Angela’s parents went missing a little over three years ago.”

He grimaces and sighs. “I’m sorry to hear that, all of the packs I am in alliances with have mentioned the same. We haven’t had any issues here in the community, but out in the cities?” He huffs and shakes his head. “At least fifteen in the last two years.” He reclines in his seat and tilts his head as he gazes at me. “Tell you what, Russell would be perfect to train you, I’ll call him in for a meeting today or tomorrow and write up a schedule for you. Once you’ve been educated on the basics of a structured pack, combat, and weapons, we’ll have another meeting and we can decide the best place for you. I take it you’d like to stay here in the community?”

I nod. “I want to be close to Angela. Especially since she’s with pup… I don’t want her to be alone here. My parents and the guards are close and they all get along well enough, I just don’t feel comfortable leaving.”

He stands and claps his hand on my shoulder once he makes me way closer to me. “You’ll do great. After you’re done training, we can introduce you to some betas, enforcers, and other guards. I figure it would do you a disservice to send you through our full training program… It’ll all work out.” We shake hands and I take my leave.

Poor guy has so much on his damn plate… I wonder how long the insanity has been going on at the schools right under his nose.

I pull out my phone and sigh when I see a missed call from Adam. I tap on the voicemail and start walking back home.

“Hey man, bad news. Morrow was murdered in his cell downtown and the guys working for him still won’t talk. We’ve tried everything and we’re at a loss. Damn weak humans just pass out and cry whenever one of us steps close. Give me a call back…”I shake my head and sigh. Angela has been begging me for information and I’ve been avoiding the topic. She has enough going on to deal with any of that shit.

I’m trying to put it all behind me, but I can’t get over the hunting cabin… Morrow’s hand in something so disgusting and nefarious and now he’s been murdered? That just points to me believing he does have something to do with the disappearances. Is the true ‘leader’ based in Prescott? Does every city have a higher-up like Morrow overseeing the disappearances of shifters? I bite down on my tongue as I open up the front door, ambling to the kitchen to grab a beer before walking into the bedroom and plucking Scout from the heated box. She wiggles in my hand and nips at my fingers for making her wait to eat.

“Sorry, Scout.” I kiss her head as she purrs as I heat up her bottle. Russell and Paul are at the clinic with Angela while Carter and Ryan are spending the day with their families. At least that’s something to look forward to, I won’t have to work 24/7. I’ll have time to spend with Angela, make decent money, and do something I believe in.

I place the empty bottle on the coffee table in the living room, settling into the couch as I pet Scout and stare out the window. The rolling hills are a sight to behold… I can’t wait to spend more time in the outdoors here, swimming in the lake and renting boats…

I pull up Adam’s contact in my phone and wait for him to answer.

“Did you get my voicemail?” He asks and I hear a door close on his end.

“Yep.” I sigh as I close my eyes. “What are you going to do with the humans?”

He grunts. “Turn them in? It’s cruel to let them keep pissin’ and shittin’ themselves whenever I walk into the room. Either that or put them out of their misery.”

I bite my tongue. “Do what you do is best, man. They might have just been hired lackeys. What happened with Morrow?”

“Who knows? I called Leroy like you asked me to and he told me that the case is closed. The cabin was in his name and the evidence is gone. They found where he’s been living with his daughter and they’re dealing with her and sending her to a mental institution, can’t get ahold of her mom in Florida, I guess.

“They’re going through his phone records now, but since he’s dead… What are they going to do? Leroy doesn’t know anything about us or what we’ve endured. He just thinks Morrow took you to the cabin to kill you because he blamed you for something. I didn’t correct him.”

“Thanks, man. Keep me updated.”

I lay down on the couch and curl the kitten around my neck and close my eyes. Might as well take a nap while there’s nothing better to do. My parents are out shopping… Angela will be home soon. I start my training hopefully tomorrow and I can put the past behind me.

Morrow was a fucking psychopath and if he’s gone and was just the middleman… Hopefully the true spearhead of the operation moves on from Arizona, makes some mistakes, and is eventually caught.

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