Abandoned Treasure

Vic Knightly’s POV

Denali Pack Land, Alaska

Friday, December 4, 2018

I growled at the young wolf, my head low and my hackles up. We were deep in Denali territory, in a sheltered area beneath a rock face. I kept my back to the mountain, forcing the other wolf to move through the powdery snow. He was my height but nowhere near my weight. He’d need to put on another fifty pounds of muscle before he could take me.

The wolf charged at me, his jaws open and white teeth seeking my neck. I jumped to the right at the last moment, tearing a chunk from his shoulder on the way out. He missed the bite but managed to rake my back leg on the way past. It stung, but it wasn’t deep enough to affect me.

My attacker was limping on his front left leg, and I took advantage. I circled to his left, darting in and out to bite at his legs. I didn’t escape injury, but I dealt out more than I took. The blood loss and the torn muscles and tendons caught up, taking away the quickness advantage my opponent started with. When he stumbled on his bad leg, I took advantage. Charging in, I put a shoulder to his and knocked him on his back. My teeth were around his neck in an instant. There was only the taste of fur and blood as I moved my body around, pinning him while avoiding his claws.

He went limp, exposing his neck to mine. I let him go, backing up a few feet before I sat down. “You’re getting better, but you’re fighting the wrong fight,” I told Anthony Robertson as he worked his way to his feet. “Bigger wolves charge their enemies, hoping to overwhelm them and get a fast victory. Your advantage is your speed and endurance.”

“I know,” Anthony replied. “I wanted to see how you defended yourself against that because that is how my father fights. It worked about as well as I figured it would.”

“You could have asked me to attack you like that and saved the thrashing. You aren’t close to being ready to challenge your father. Learn to win fights against warriors first.”

He started licking his wounds. “Nobody else will fight me because they don’t want to piss off my father.”

“He’s already forced me into retirement, so I’ve got nothing better to do.” I’d been right about his father; he planned to hang on to power as long as possible, even if it meant keeping others down. I was strong enough to take him, but the Pack wouldn’t support me over a bloodline Alpha. Anthony was different; the Alpha knew he could win a vote and get the challenge, so he tried to keep him from getting the training he needed to beat him in a fight. I’ve worked with him in secret for years, building his skills outside the view of other wolves. He wasn’t mature or practiced enough for a challenge, but when he grew into his body? He’d win.

I started cleaning my bleeding leg and shoulder as I remembered my ‘retirement ceremony.’ Almost two hundred years as a Pack Warrior or higher, and all I got was a mention during Pack announcements at dinnertime. I even had to move my things from the warrior barracks to the “retirement home” by myself.

Ten minutes later, we’d healed enough to move out. It was snowing heavily now. My old bones complained as we pushed through the trails full of snow, sometimes breaking the trail by jumping forward and smashing the snow with our chests. We reached the remote cabin an hour after sunset, meaning it was four-thirty in the afternoon. There are only five and a half hours of daylight this far north at this time of year.

Anthony added some logs to the coals in the woodstove while I got the first aid kit. I cleaned his wounds before stitching up the deeper ones. I used superglue to fix the shallower cuts, and then the Alpha’s son fixed me up. You couldn’t get a good fight in wolf form without tearing each other up, so there were no hard feelings. Our healing would take care of the worst ones in a few days.

A big bowl of bear stew and a couple of cold beers later, and we were out for the night.

We started towards home before sunrise and arrived after sunset. Anthony went to the Alpha quarters while I headed for the showers in my new quarters. Gary was coming out as I walked in; he’d retired as a Pack warrior years ago and now worked part-time in the Pack garage as a mechanic. “Good fight?”

“Any fight you can walk away from is a good one,” I replied.

“The Alpha assign you to a new job yet?”

“He gave me two weeks off to think about what I want to do next. We’ll see.”

“Check your email. You might find something interesting.”

I let the water warm my aching bones until I started pruning before I dried off and walked back to my room. I put on sweats and booted up the laptop at my desk. The rooms were spartan, not even the size of a hotel room. We had common bathrooms and recreation areas; werewolves aren’t much for privacy. It held only a bed, closet, desk, chair, and a flat-screen TV.

My email loaded from the ten days I’d been out in the territory. Arrowhead Pack Accepting Transfer Applications caught my eye, the email from the Werewolf Council. The NEW Council was a vast improvement over the old one. When the Council and a few Packs tried and failed to stop Alpha Rori from establishing Arrowhead last October, three North American Council members paid with their lives. Arrowhead was operating independently of Oxbow Lake now. They had the Pack House and some homes completed with plenty of room for expansion along the lakeshore.

My daughter Celeste and mate Tom were part of Oxbow Lake. I’d tried a transfer after quitting the Enforcers, but my Alpha wouldn’t let me go. Would this be any different?

I clicked on the link and read Alpha Rori’s letter. The upshot was that despite some transfers and matings, Arrowhead was unbalanced. They had too many Omegas and few warriors, leaders, and skilled individuals to perform basic Pack functions. The Alpha wanted experienced individuals to fill these slots and train the junior members in new things.

There were restrictions, but I could live with them. They would not accept anyone who had participated in the kidnappings and forced slavery of the now-defunct Bitterroot Pack. They preferred males and mated pairs due to their large number of females. The email included the list of open positions and skill sets they sought.

Alpha Rori was also open to wolves who wanted to work in the human system and bring revenue and contacts to the Pack that way. It was something an isolated Pack like Denali rarely did.

The key for me was a recent Council ruling regarding Pack transfers. To help build Arrowhead during their next two years of operation, Warrior and above ranks within Rori’s pack would no longer require the current Alpha to sign off on the transfer.

I smiled; Alpha Alan couldn’t do a thing to stop me if Arrowhead would make me a warrior again. I filled out the application, listing my qualifications and work history. Beta Coral Sexson knew me from our time together as instructors for the Council facility at Bitterroot. I was sure she’d put in a good word for me.

And if I was at Arrowhead, I could keep Mykayla safe. My wolf still felt responsible for her, though everything I heard about Alpha Rori’s pack was positive. Every remaining Omega from the old Pack had transferred there, and it looked like they were flourishing in the new surroundings.

I hit SUBMIT and went back to the original message. There was a link to a video of Arrowhead Pack life there, and I watched it several times. The first time, I focused on the impressive facilities. The Pack already had a dozen buildings along the lakeshore, including a massive Pack House with an indoor pool. Mated pairs and high-ranking wolves would get their own homes. It looked like a resort, and I wondered about the open water and the humans along the rest of the shoreline. No conventional Alpha would locate there, preferring a spot a defensible distance from the borders.

Of course, Arrowhead wasn’t a conventional Pack.

I had an interview scheduled a few hours later. The email from Beta Ron said he and Beta Coral were looking forward to seeing me. I called and made flight arrangements, then went to talk to my Alpha. I linked with Anthony first, letting him know what I was planning. He didn’t want to lose me as a teacher but understood why I had to go. Alpha Alan wasn’t happy, but he couldn’t stop it.“You always were a disappointment,” he said. “Maybe they will be desperate enough to take you. I don’t want you back.”

“Sir?”

“I know what you and Anthony have been up to. He can’t hide the scars and didn’t get them from any training I authorized. His preparation is MY responsibility, not yours. Get the fuck out of my Pack.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

I warned Anthony on the way out that his father knew about his ‘secret’ training, then returned to my room. I packed all my belongings in boxes and put them in my truck in the Pack garage. I’d bring it out later if I was accepted.

I caught a ride to the airport, and it took all day to do the Anchorage-Minneapolis-Duluth connections. Omega Tammy met me and a warrior from Denali, Greg Barks, up at the Duluth airport. It was good to see Tammy again, and we talked about the Pack and Mykayla. They all loved their new Pack, but Mykayla didn’t have anyone near her age and struggled to fit in.

My eyes widened as we passed the gate guard and entered Arrowhead Pack territory. The video didn’t do justice to how impressive the buildings were. They blended well with the frozen lake and the pines behind them. “How did you get these all built so fast?”

“Poured foundations and structural insulated panels,” she told me. “We blasted and dug through the fall, then the panels were trucked in and assembled in a few days per building. Once it was weathertight, we used every building trade we could find to continue the work. The first buildings were ready to move in by Memorial Day last year. We built more last year, so we’ve enough housing for everyone in the Pack now.”

“The Pack House is HUGE,” Greg said.

“Three dining wings, offices, and a big kitchen on the top floor, though we only use one unless we have a party. A full basement houses the Pack safe room, bunkrooms, and gym. Everyone LOVES the pool, especially in the winter.” She parked at the Pack House and led us to Beta Coral’s office. “Vic, I’ll take your bags to your room while I show Greg where he is staying. Beta Ron and Beta Coral are waiting for you.”

“Not the Alphas?”

“You can go in.”

I knocked and entered. Beta Coral stood by the window looking over the lake, her mate Keith by her side. Beta Ron and his tiny mate sat together on the couch to the side. Coral smiled as she turned to face me, her mating bite visible under her collared shirt. “Welcome to Arrowhead, Vic,” she said. “My mate, Beta Keith Sexson.” Keith was a big guy, around my size, and gave me a friendly smile with his handshake. “Keith is in charge of Pack utilities.” The two on the couch had stood up. “Beta Ron Carlson is in charge of Pack operations, while Beta Teri owns our computers and technology.”

“Pleased to meet you all.”

She gestured for everyone to sit, and I took a chair by her desk. “Why did it take so long for you to apply? I could have used you a year ago.”

“My Alpha wasn’t going to let an active warrior go. Now that I’m retired, he couldn’t stop me if you offered an active Warrior position. Not that I need it anymore.” I handed her the Pack transfer application with his signature; the date and the destination pack were still blank. “He doesn’t want me back. Arrowhead is the only Pack that would consider keeping me in the active ranks.”

“You’re over two hundred years old, Vic.”

“I can still do the job, and your territory is much smaller than most. Perimeter patrols can’t be as taxing.”

She snorted at that. “Too many people around to patrol in wolf form here. You’ll see in your tour how security has to be different here.”

“What do you need from me, Beta?”

“I have responsibility for the warriors and Pack defense. Anyone who can fight needs training in human form and with weapons since we can’t shift unless we are deep in the woods. I plan to put firearms training in your capable hands.”

“So I’m in?”

“Not yet. Our Alpha insists on standardized testing for every candidate. Beta Ron will administer the physical tests in the morning, and Teri will do the written tests in the afternoon. Ron and I recommended approval, but Alpha Rori has to meet with and approve all new Pack members. She’s in Orlando helping a Steel Brotherhood chapter and likely won’t return until later this week.”

“What can I help with?”

“Not much right now.Tammy can give you a tour of the facilities and the territory while we interview Greg. If you want to visit your daughter at Oxbow, you can sign out a vehicle or hitch a ride with someone heading that way. Meet the people, enjoy the pool, and be ready for testing in the morning.” My stomach picked that moment to growl, reminding me I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. “The main kitchen is closed, but a snack bar is in the pool.”

I nodded and got up to shake her hand. “Thank you for the opportunity,” I said to the group. I got a lot of smiles as I went around to meet the Pack. I saw many former slaves for the first time since the Council facility. Some still had trouble with any man, but the rest were friendly to me. We finished the tour at the pool, which was better than most hotel waterparks and without the swimsuits.

“I could get used to this,” I thought as I ate pizza and watched the Pack enjoying themselves. This place was more relaxed and informal than the others I’d visited. I was looking forward to meeting the Alphas responsible for it.

I needed a soak in the hot tub after the physical testing in the morning. Greg was worse off; he had an artificial lower leg, making the wolf-form tests more difficult. We were both well above the cutoffs, though. My experience gave me an advantage on the written tests, which included IQ, Pack law, and psychological screenings. “I’ve never heard of anyone using these for Pack selection,” I told Teri as I handed in my last one. “Either the Alpha picks you for the job, or you fight for it.”

Beta Teri smiled as she took it. “Our Alpha male is a psychologist. He found common selection practices didn’t favor those who were caring and protective. Arrowhead can’t have members thinking they can abuse lower-rank wolves or who show undesirable traits.”

“Makes sense. Is there anything else today? I was thinking of visiting my daughter for dinner.” There wasn’t, so I drove to Oxbow Lake and spent the night with Celeste and her family. Tom and I stayed up late, and he told me what he could about Arrowhead.

When I returned, Beta Coral warned me a human was staying with Rori’s parents at their house. “Possum and Roadkill know of our nature and are Pack members in every way except shifting. Harleigh knows nothing, and we must keep it that way.” She briefly explained about the torture killing of her parents and her injuries when she got away and to the Steel Brotherhood clubhouse. “No shifting or wolf talk when she’s around. Since you aren’t Pack, I’ll make sure someone informs you.”

The next day was calm. Wednesday? All hell broke loose about nine o'clock after the morning swim. Beta Ron exited the pool and practically ran for the locker room, growling the whole time.“What’s going on,” I asked as we showered off the chlorine.

“Fucking Sons of Tezcatlipoca attacked the Steel Brotherhood chapter in Orlando. Multiple casualties, including some wolves.”

Fuck. “Are the Alphas safe?”

“For now. A few shifted, including a werepanther. Chase is staying in Orlando to manage the blowback. Rori and a few others are bringing a dead wolf and panther to Oxbow Lake.”

That meant they shifted in the middle of a major city before getting killed. “What can I do?”

“You’re the rifle expert. Check out a weapon, take an elevated firing position, and shoot anyone who gets through our perimeter.”

I ended up in Alpha Rori’s home, watching the two entrances and the frozen lake from upstairs windows. Greg and I did four-hour duty shifts partnered up with Pack fighters. Nothing happened until Alpha Rori returned and called me for my interview.

“Thank you for seeing me, Alpha,” I said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“All good, I hope.” The Alpha was a short woman, but short redheads come with danger signs attached. I’d seen videos of her fighting, and everyone said she was the fastest wolf of all. “Your credentials are impressive, Warrior Knightly. I’m a little surprised you want to start over in a new Pack at your age. Why not stay in Denali?”

“My Alpha just forced me into retirement, and I’m too stubborn to sit around drinking coffee and talking about the old times. The warrior life is what I was born for, and I still feel like I can contribute to the safety of a Pack. When your request for warriors came out, I wanted to apply but wasn’t allowed to as an active warrior. My daughter, Celeste, is in Oxbow Lake now with her mate and my grandson. Transferring here would allow me to spend more time with them.”

“Why not transfer there for your family?”

“The Oxbow Lake Pack won’t let me be a warrior either.” We discussed my reasons for coming here, and my relationship with my previous Alpha. I got the feeling Rori wasn’t impressed with him.

“Beta Coral speaks highly of you from the time you spent teaching long-range shooting at Bitterroot.”

I nodded. “Working for Beta Coral is another benefit of this Pack. She’s smart and fair, a good leader who isn’t afraid to innovate. There are still Alphas out there who don’t teach firearms, but I believe we must use every available means to protect my Pack. I believe in training everyone, including the children, so none are ever helpless.”

“Alpha Chase and I agree on that. You know my story?” I nodded, so she gave me the Cliff Notes version. “We have about a thousand acres of land here, making us one of the smallest Packs by territory. Our homes are adjoining the humans, the lake being public property. It’s not uncommon for humans and their fishing boats to be in between our docks in the summer. We can’t patrol in wolf form, not with the trail cameras and satellites. We keep our wolves hidden unless we are well inside our lands.”

“That makes sense. The lake alone is a security risk no other Pack would take. Reaction times are in seconds, meaning your defenses are a challenge. I can help you there.”

“We patrol with All-Terrain Vehicles or snowmobiles depending on the season. We are working on stringing fiber optics and wireless networks to provide alarm and camera coverage on the lakeshore and our borders. We’ve also wired up all the homes and designed them carefully. Each home has its safe room or a readily accessible tunnel that leads to one. We won’t be unaware and unprotected again.”

“It would be my honor to protect your Pack and your daughter,” I replied.

“Beta Coral wants you, and I like your style. Your application is accepted. I will call your Alpha tonight and arrange the transfer on an interim basis. After a three-month trial, you will become a permanent Pack member.” I smiled, knowing the trial would go quickly. “I trust my Beta already has classes set up for you to teach?”

“Yes, Alpha. Long-range rifle, knife fighting, and small group tactics.”

“I look forward to it. Report to Beta Coral in the morning and ask Beta Ron to send in the next candidate.”

“Thank you, Alpha.” I came to attention, bowed my head to her, and she brought me into the Pack. I then smartly turned and left. “Good luck,” I told Greg before he walked in.

“Welcome to the Pack, Vic,” Beta Ron said as he clapped me on the back.

“Thank you,” I said. “What are my orders? Back on sniper duty?”

Coral walked up just then and congratulated me. “Nope. Pack a bag and head over to Possum and Roadkill’s house. They are flying to Orlando in an hour, and your assignment is to protect Alpha Chase.”

That was a big honor. “Why me?”

“No one else has fought a big cat before. Well, Rori just did, but she is staying here.”

Ninety minutes later, we were wheels up and headed to warm weather.