Chapter 26

~Thomas’s POV~

Now that I was back in my official role as Beta I’d been briefed on everything I had missed, which really wasn’t much. The only burning issue we’d really had during my absence was the whole fence situation.

Apparently we still didn’t know who tore it down or to what end and the suspected person had been cleared. It was indeed strange but we’d get to the bottom of it eventually.

I’d just dismissed the pack guards after assigning their duties, so now all that was left was for me to go meet Grady at his house. Today was an exciting day for us because it was the day Grady was officially moving in with me.

I’d talked Grady into getting his mom ‘forced’ help, I’d spoken to a few from my pack who worked at the rehabilitation centre in town and they’d agreed to it.

They would be detaining her there on the grounds that due to her present condition-that being that she was a severe alcoholic- she constituted a danger to herself and her son and was therefore in capable of caring for herself.

It hadn’t been a pretty sight when they’d dragged her away but it had to be done. If she continued along that path she was sure to end up dead before her son even started college.

Grady seemed hopeful that everything would go well and so was I. I hopped into my car and pulled the door shut then started the engine and in less than a minute I was off. We’d already made a trip back to my place with some of his stuff so this was the last of it.

This would have all been done already if only he hadn’t sold his own car and bought the bike but I’d already decided I wasn’t going to bring it up again. Grady knew what was best for him after all.-Sarcasm intended-

……………………………………………

“I just don’t get why you need a room of your own, you’re always in my room.” I said as I watched him unpack.

“It’s the principle of the thing Thomas.” Was all he said and I rolled my eyes.

“I still don’t get the point of that statement.” I mumbled and crouched to help him pull things out of the box he was going through.

“Me either but I’ve always wanted to say it.” He said with a shrug. “This room is for when we have fights and you throw me out of yours, I’m gonna need a place to sleep with easy access to my stuff.” He told me.

“You actually think I’d throw you out of my room?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay fine, it’s for when we have fights and I’m pissed to the point where I don’t wanna see your face.” He clarified and after pulling out the last of his gadgets from the box he straightened and turned to me.

“I’m hungry, take me on a date.” He said out of the blue.

“Oh certainly your majesty.” I mocked  with a shake of my head. I don’t know why he thought it was okay to order me around.

“This is what couples do, they go on dates. Don’t you want to be normal?” he asked me and I stood to face him.

“Nothing about us is normal, why start now?” I questioned and he shrugged.

“You’re the worst boyfriend I’ve ever had, I swear.” He said glaring at me.

“I’m the only boyfriend you’ve ever had dude.” I said with a chuckle and turned to head out the door.

“Still the worst.” I heard him grumble under his breath. I shook my head but turned back at the last minute;

“Fine where do you wanna go?”

He looked up at me with a grin. “Movies.” He said.

“Okay, I’ll go get ready.” I said and exited the room.

“Okay I’m gonna go call the guys!” He shouted from the room and I paused mid-step.

“I thought you said this was gonna be a date.” I shouted back in confusion.

“They don’t need to know that!” he replied.

I took a deep breath and continued on to my room. Sometimes you’ll get the intense desire to strangle your partner but you should always remember you’re the one who picked them in the first place. Except in my situation, where he was picked for me so if he was ever found lying somewhere, dead by strangulation. It was me who did it.

………………………………………………

We should have spent a quiet day at home.

The ‘date’ had been a disaster because of the homophobic assholes we called our friends. Who knew it would be a crime to invite Laken? Well they certainly thought it was and when Grady had insulted them for insulting Laken, things had pretty much gone south from there.

So the night had ended on a sour note with no one getting to watch the movie I’d paid for and everyone going home pissed after the security threw us out. I was pretty sure we were banned from the place; like I said, we should have spent a quiet day at home.

So right now our ‘friends’ weren’t talking to Grady and because Grady was one to hold a grudge, he didn’t want me talking to them either, hence the reason we were having lunch with Carson and his best friends James and Eli as well as Laken and his best friend Lyra along with her boyfriend Matt.

I didn’t mind eating with them mind you, it’s just that while I didn’t appreciate the way the guys behaved the other night, I didn’t hold grudges and I would have liked to chill with them at lunch like we usually did.

“Stop sulking Thomas, we’re better off without those assholes.” Grady said, stealing a handful of fries from my plate.

“I don’t sulk.” I replied with a glare and he raised an eyebrow.

“Then what’s that you’re doing with your face?” he questioned and I shrugged then looked over at Carson when he answered his vibrating cell phone.

“You have news?...Where are you keeping them?....okay I’m on my way.” He spoke then ended the call, by now the entire table was looking at him because we knew that the only time Carson answered his phone at school was if it had to do with the pack.

“Thomas, Grady, come with me.” He said and pushed up from his chair.

Grady and I glanced at each other briefly before we got up and to no one’s surprise Laken followed, leaving the other four at the table. Other than Grady they were the only humans who knew we were wolves but our secret was safe with them.

Carson didn’t pause even when we pushed through the school’s main doors.

“We’re heading back to camp.” Was all he said as he jumped into his car with Laken following suit and I didn’t ask questions as I turned to where I had parked and started the engine as soon as Grady jumped in.

I had no idea what was going on but I had a feeling this was big.

“What’s going on?” Grady asked, pulling on his seatbelt.

“Guess we’ll soon find out.” I replied and maneuvered the car out of the parking lot.

Twenty minutes later we were pulling into camp and I trailed behind Carson’s vehicle, parking my car beside his when he came to stop before the holding rooms. I was even more confused than before as I stepped out of the car and when we met up with Carson and Laken at the door, the Alpha still offered no information. Instead he turned to Laken and spoke in a firm voice.

“Laken, you stay here.” He told him and when it looked like his mate was going to argue Carson cut him a look that said he wasn’t kidding and Laken fell silent, glaring at Carson’s back as we entered one of the holding rooms.

I offered him a small smile before closing the door thereby shutting him out.

The atmosphere in the room when we entered was tense. I sensed fear, anger and danger and my hackles rose as we walked pass the first set of guards standing by the door.

In the middle of the room stood at least four other guards, their faces grim and around the small table in the centre sat three haggard looking men, one of them I recognized instantly as the man who had tried to kill Grady that day I was shot. Paul I believed he was called.

“Thomas, Grady I’m sure you know that I had asked my team to continue the search for the man responsible for your injuries.” Carson spoke, his voice reverberating through the silent room. I nodded but Grady seemed to not have heard as he stared at Paul, his expression unreadable.

“Well after weeks of searching and hitting on dead-end leads we finally found him and these two guys in a warehouse not far from the school. They were recruiting more students and asking around for you Grady.” Carson told us. “A bit stupid for you to stay in town though, don’t you think gentlemen?” Carson spoke again, this time addressing the thugs.

The big one; Paul, sneered at him, cutting him a dirty look. “Wait till I get my hands on you kid, you’re gonna wish-’ he started but broke off when the guard standing closest to him kicked the back of his chair.

“They told us, they get their orders from their boss, who gets his orders from the head in London.” The same guard said and Carson’s brows furrowed.

“London? I didn’t think the operation spanned to overseas.” He said “What’s the head’s name?” he asked but the three men remained silent.

“The Apha asked you a question!” the other guard shouted and the man closest to him looked over at Carson.

“I-If we tell you we’re dead men!” he said, his voice quivering and I watched as Carson stepped closer to the table, staring into the face of each dealer.

“You don’t talk, I’ll be shipping what’s left of you to your loved ones, so open your mouth and give me the information I need.” He said, his voice low and deadly and I saw Grady shiver next to me. I put a hand on his arm to offer support.

“You don’t understand!” the guy in the middle spoke up and we all saw when Carson nodded to one of the guards who, grabbed the chair from under the guy in the middle and proceeded to drag him out of the room literally kicking and screaming. Then Carson turned to the other two.

“Your friend won’t be leaving this camp alive, so either you two start talking or you join him.” Carson said and if I didn’t know him any better I’d think he was serious, but Carson wouldn’t harm the other guy, this was all a bluff to get them talking. I knew his strategies well.

Paul only folded his arms and looked away, jaw set but when Carson turned his gaze on the other, he started spewing everything. He told us that the organization was run by one Adrian Corsetti along his brothers Marcus and Scottie.

Apparently this Adrian character were one of the biggest drug Lords in London, as well as a reputed arms dealer and hit man, a force to be reckoned with I presumed. When they told us all they knew, Carson instructed one of the guards to call the police.

These men were about to be found handcuffed to a table in the warehouse they had been found, with more than a couple bags of Cocaine and evidence linking them to a few other crimes in town.

Carson was nothing if not thorough. These men would be going away for a long time.

When they had cleared out the room and Laken was finally invited to enter, Carson turned to Grady. “Adrian Corsetti, ever heard of him?” Carson asked and Grady shook his head.

“They said he’s based in London, I’m gonna give Lucas a call, find out if he’s heard anything.” Carson said. “he can take it from here, our job is done.” He said and when we nodded he turned to go.

“Don’t worry Grady, if anybody can get these guys it’s Lucas.” Laken assured him then turned to leave in the direction Carson had gone.

I turned to my mate. “You okay?” I asked.

He took a deep breath. “Yeah I’m just glad they caught them, but I doubt this is over.” he said and I nodded. It rarely ended so easily. I had a feeling that if Lucas got on this Adrian guy’s trail, it would do more harm than good but who was I to question my Alpha.

…………………………………..

~Lucas’s POV~       >>>>London<<<<

I burst into his study, pushing pass the guards who tried to block my entry but one of them grabbed my arm while the other jumped in front of me, acting all macho like he owned the place.

“Let him go.” The man around the large mahogany desk spoke and in an instant the arms fell away and the guards retreated.

“What game are you playing at Corsetti?” I asked, the anger billowing off me in waves. The man in question simply sat up straighter in his chair and appraised me with one raise eyebrow.

“Really Lucas? We’re back to last names after all we’ve been through?” he questioned in amusement and I glared at him, gritting my teeth. The bastard actually had the gall to sit before me smiling after what he had done.

“Stop with the bullshit, how could you?” I asked, my voice had risen and my hands were clenched in fists at my side.

By now the smile had fallen off his face and I watched as he pushed away from his desk and walked over to where I stood, stopping inches away from me.

“Are you going to tell me what exactly you’re accusing me of or am I to guess?” he asked, his tone serious and I took a deep breath before I answered him but it did nothing to calm me.

“I just got a call from Carson.” I began, watching his expression as I tried to detect some sign of guilt but he only stared blankly at me.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” I asked in disbelief.

“Am I supposed to know who this Carson person is?” he asked impatiently and my eyes narrowed.

“He’s Laken’s mate and he called to tell me that some of your guys have been messing with his pack members. One of them shot the Beta a few weeks ago.” I said seething, it was taking everything in my power not to reach over and throttle him, he knew what that pack meant to me, they were as close to being family as my actual blood relatives and if someone messed with them, they messed with me.

Adrian shook his head and crossed his hands at his chest. “It’s always about Laken isn’t it? Every time I turn around, you’re texting him or emailing him and now this?” he asked, his voice low and his eyes narrowed. He was pissed, I could see it in the dangerous glint in his eyes but I didn’t back down.

“So you don’t deny it then? You sent your men after them because-”

“Stop right there, get your fucking facts straight before you start throwing around accusations. If your little werewolf friends, got mixed up with my men then they caused it on themselves. I don’t have the time to be going around and ordering hits on crazy werewolves.” He said cutting me off.

I bristled; “Fine then, you didn’t do it directly but it’s still your fault they got hurt. Carson took down three of them but you know how this works, the others will only go after them, call off your men.” I told him.

“I told you when we started out what my job entailed. This isn’t a pack, my men are free to do as they please so long as they take care of my main business and if they got into something with the wolves then it’s probably because they messed with my business. I’m not about to screw up what I’ve got going because your little friends can’t keep their noses to themselves, got that?” he all but shouted. The veins were standing up in his neck as he glared down at me and I knew from experience it meant he was close to losing his temper.

I chuckled; a harsh sound that in no way meant I was amused, then looked directly into his eyes as I spoke my next words.

“We’re done.” Was all I said and I watched as his hands fell to his side and his expression, changed from anger to uncertainty.

“You’re breaking up with me over this? Lucas, they got themselves into this, I can’t have people messing with my trade. You interfere, you die, that’s how it is in my world.” He said, not quite pleading but more like trying to get me on his side.

I shook my head. “I knew this was a mistake. You’re a criminal, a fucking drug Lord for god’s sake! I knew I should have just walked away.”

“I told you what you were getting into with me and you were fine with it and now as soon as it gets tough you wanna bail?” he said in frustration and I backed up a step.

“You mess with my family, you mess with me, like I said…we’re done.” I said adamantly and turned to go. I walked across the room and threw open the door but stopped short when I came face to face with about seven armed guards, all looking down at me with purpose and I spun to face Adrian once more as I realized what was going on here.

“I’m sorry Lucas, but I can’t let you leave.” He told me and all I could do was stand there glaring at him and cursing myself for getting into this mess in the first place.

I was always a man of the law. I even helped the police with tough cases when they came to me with them yet I’d gone against my instincts and found myself in bed with a criminal. For the second time in my life my heart had lead me into a situation that could only end badly for me. Maybe it was time I stopped listening to it.

                                                              AUTHOR'S NOTES

YOU CAN CALL IT A SNEAK PEEK INTO LUCAS'S STORY... SO NOW YOU HAVE AN IDEA WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE.

I WILL BE POSTING LUCAS'S STORY IN A FEW DAYS SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT... I HAVN'T QUITE DECIDED ON A NAME YET BUT THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

ENJOY!

My Twitter: TwinZ_Double

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.