Better Together

7

Leah’s POV

[Present Day]

My dad grabs my shoulder and murmurs. “Leah, you there?”

I blink at him and shake my head a little, coming back from the memory. “Yeah, sorry, you know how I get when an idea hits.” I say with a small smile, it’s not a lie, but I know he sees right through me, yet won’t question a thing in front of this group of guys.

I clear my throat. “So you’ll notice the full scale aerial maps of each territory hanging from the far walls. These are updated every 2 weeks from satellite imagery. We also use the satellites to monitor crop growth in each pack, the population shifts in rogue territory and any other anomalies in the outer borders. This necessity was clear after the hunter attack that killed my mom 10 years ago and then again with the rogue uprising 5 years ago when I was captured.” I make eye contact with each Elder and attempt to keep the blatantly hateful judgment out of my voice while silently judging them with my eyes. I have never been quiet about my feelings in either situation, which has gotten me in plenty of trouble in school the last few years. Neither situation should have happened and they wouldn't have if the Elders and Alphas were actually doing their jobs as leaders and protectors of our territory instead of being holed up having whatever useless meetings they had or entertaining the various she-wolves they kept around to satisfy their se*ual appetites.

[Rewind 10 years ago]

I'm sitting in the window seat in our front room. It's my favorite place. I can watch people come and go from the house and hide behind the curtain when I don't want to be found inside the house. I also read here every night with my mom. No matter how rough the day was we always end it like this and it just makes me feel better.

My mom walks up to the window and gently pulls back the curtains. She has that sad look on her face, the one she uses when she has to tell me something I probably don't want to hear. She leans down and cups my cheeks between her hands and makes me look up into her eyes. “We’ll be back soon baby, and I promise I will read with you as soon as I walk back in the door. This is really important, Daddy needs my help.” My mother says with a smile and a wink. I can tell something is bothering her, but she is trying to be brave for me, so I will be brave for her.

I take a deep breath and sigh “OK, but can we read extra long tonight? It was just getting to the best part!” I exclaim, hoping my excitement would lift her mood.

“You got it sweet girl” She chuckles “I’ll see you soon, I love you.” My mother kissed me on the forehead and left me sitting in the bay window looking out to our front lawn watching them walk away.

I thought something might be up. People have been wandering in and out of our pack house all day, whispering. Anytime I came within earshot they would all stop talking. At least the people in my pack did not take my innocent looks for granted. They knew I would figure out what was going on, even if they tried to use code words. So they just don't say anything around me anymore.

[Present}

Those were the last words my mother ever said to me. 'I'll see you soon and I love you.' She never came home to me that night. Even when my father came in, after the sun had risen, to find me still sitting in the window and told me that their scent marking group was attacked by hunters and mom was hurt too bad for the pack doctors to save her. I stayed in the front window staring out into the forest, just watching and waiting. Knowing, in my soul, she was too strong to be taken out by some stupid, weak, human hunter and that dad and the pack doctors were wrong. There were several days after that I don’t remember. My father says I was in shock and that’s how my brain coped with her loss, by erasing those days altogether, but to me it felt like she took a piece of me with her.

I never cried once, I couldn’t, not even when I was alone. I had to be strong for my dad and I hated the way that people looked at us with pity. Some people were genuine, but more were just putting on a show. I wasn’t allowed to go to her celebration of life. I overheard the Elders giving my dad their decision. The elders thought because I was only 10, I would cause a girly scene blubbering over my dead mother’s body. And it would be rude of me to take attention away from her and it would make others feel uncomfortable and disturb their grieving. I never finished that book either. It still is laying on my bedside table with the bookmark right where she left it that night. I keep it as a reminder that no one will have that much control over me again. Not the hunters, who took her life and we couldn't get help to her in time. Not the Elders, who kept me from seeing her one last time before she was returned to the Moon Goddess.

I cleared my throat again. “We are currently working on better routes in and out of the territories for outsiders that need to enter the pack. That will allow better safety for our members and avoid humans getting too close to areas where young wolves may uncontrollably shift. Better routes between the pack lands will also allow us to move supplies more efficiently within the territory, and get help where it's needed especially during harsh winter months. The last three winters have gotten more and more rough and too many have gone without food, water, medical aide or power for more than two days due to limited access. We also have border patrol stations evenly spaced around almost the whole territory, Blood Moon and Red Claw are the last two packs we need to integrate into this system. But, as you can see from the aerial shots, the stations are evenly placed at the edges of each exterior border, allowing for storage of supplies, food and clothing, keeping our warriors better cared for allowing them to be at their best performance at all times. This also allows for a better scheduling of patrols.”

I wouldn’t be too fussed if we didn’t integrate Red Claw and Blood Moon and a rogue group took out the whole lot. That would save us so much trouble. Nyx chortles in my head. I give her an internal eye roll, neither agreeing or disagreeing with her.

“You can also clearly see the solar panels, water reclaim and storage units and greenhouses that allow us to take care of pack members with the most basic needs. All of these were Luna projects of ours," I pointed to Elyse, Ellinore and myself, "that each of you and your packs have benefited from, but probably had no idea about. All of these facilities are cared for by female pack members on a rotating schedule so as to not interfere with their other pack responsibilities. ” I’m slowly getting more flippant with my speech. Ellinore giggles before quickly covering her mouth. "We are capable of being off the grid for all basic needs and can supply the entire Concordat for a year with the supplies we have now." We are actually capable of more, but they don't need to know that yet. We also have more than just females working for us, but that has been kept a secret until we know what their reactions are going to be, I don't need these 'leaders' being spiteful to hardworking pack members, just because they supported us. We are taking a risk telling them this much, but I want to make sure there is a hint that they don’t have as much control over the Concordat as they once thought and we will not stop making changes to benefit the pack. We will soon be the Alphas and the leadership will not remain status quo. They have been idle for too long and have become too self important and self obsessed to see the real damage their failing leadership is doing to our packs.

“Wait, you set up the greenhouse system and the solar panels?” Damien asks, and immediately my stomach does a flip at his impressed tone.I turn to look at him, my bravado slowly melting as I look into his eyes. “Taylor, Trent and I always wondered who put them in. I know my Gammas and Omegas love working their shifts in the greenhouse, they talk about it all of the time. And our packhouse used the generators last year, I didn’t even know we had them until we lost power and one of our omegas told me about the solar panels.” He says with a huge smile on his face looking genuinely pleased.

“Those were collaborative projects, with several of the ranked and non-ranked females involved in organizing, planning, building and maintaining them.” I said, getting lost in Damien’s eyes as I did so. I really could just stand here and stare into those gorgeous eyes all day. Someone, probably Ellinore, cleared their throat and I blinked rapidly to break the staring contest we were having. Man, I really had to try harder to stay focused around him.

I blink my eyes several times and look away from him and begin speaking to the room again. “Finally we have our border cameras. You can see we are monitoring all of the outer borders regularly, we have someone in this room around the clock.” Elder Victor raises his hand to stop me from saying more.

“It’s quite impressive, really, but what I want to know is how you managed to pay for all of this. I can only imagine the sum of money it takes to have satellite imagery and round the clock monitoring. Not to mention your other little side hobbies.” Victor said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I would really hate to find out you’ve been embezzling money from the Concordat to fund these little projects of yours, when that money could have been used to help some of our more unfortunate pack members.” Victor says slowly annunciating each word in his slimy snake-like voice. I snorted, like he has ever cared for any of these pack members, let alone the lowest ranking and most needy. I know what he’s doing and we fully planned for this line of questioning, but it doesn’t piss me off any less that he’s trying to make it seem like we needed these men’s money to get our project moving, and that we had to steal to get it. The question now is, how do I really want to play this out? Do I stay calm or do I go super aggressive? Which will get the biggest reaction out of him?

Elder Seamus and Erik look like Christmas just came early. My dad, Alpha Andrew and Alpha Drake look worried for the first time. They all saw what Victor was doing as well, he wanted to make it look as though I stole money and needed the help of the elders, essentially making this entire surveillance system theirs to control and having an excuse to kick me out of the pack or have me executed. I didn’t miss the manic gleam that crossed his features as I was explaining what we were capable of in the war room. An almost imperceptible hunger was there. I’m sure he already had big plans for my operation, including blackmail of some sort, but what he didn’t realize was he can’t have it. EVER. I have no loyalty to him to even consider working with him and we all decided to put a self-destruct plan in place in case he tries to force us to hand over control. This man has bullied, beaten and neglected us and has encouraged the whole pack to do the same to us and all the other female members simply because we are female. He has even tried to override the Goddess’ plans for mates, by choosing mates for us. He thinks he is better than the Goddess herself, and man is he going to be surprised when he finds out she is one pissed off female.

I take a deep breath and speak as calmly and slowly as possible, like I am talking to a toddler who is being unreasonable. “First, let’s get one thing very clear. Every Luna project that you just called a hobby has been in place for no less than three years, we employ and pay the people who work for us. All approved by the council, I might add. You set the wages. The food you eat and the water you drink is supplied by those very same projects. The overall benefits and cost savings outweigh the costs to initially install and implement them and should have been paid for collectively by the packs’ funds. All of our projects were evaluated and signed off, if that was done so blindly, well shame on you for not paying more attention. And second, all of our funding for the initial costs came from an outside source.” I say in an almost bored voice and rolling my eyes, like he should have known that. I figured I would start with calm-ish and if that didn’t work I would unleash my crazy wolf on him.

'Finally!' Nyx purrs in my ear

“We will need to see all of your records including the banking information to verify your claims. As well as detailed descriptions of all the Luna projects you have implemented around the Concordat. I, for one, do not remember giving permission for any such projects. Do any of you?” Victor looked around the room at the rest of the Elders, all shaking their heads. He stopped when he got to me and gave me a half smile and mirrored my bored tone like he was negotiating a business deal. "That paperwork will need to be on my desk by the end of the day for reevaluation."

“Not, going to happen.” I say bluntly. “Our benefactor wishes to stay anonymous and you can just as easily go over each of the packs’ finances with the Alphas and work with the Concordat financial manager to see there was no money used for these projects without the Alpha's permission. Although, if you do a thorough investigation you may find questionable activities. Some of the Elders and Alphas might not want their spending looked at too closely. Your secretary has also been given copies of the signed forms allowing all of our projects to take place. I thought you might have misplaced yours.” I c****d an eyebrow at him and the knowing smile that crossed Ellinore and Elyse’s faces as I said this was priceless. They knew as well as I that not all of our Elders and Alpha’s were on the up and up. Many things go on behind closed doors and I’m sure they wouldn’t want anyone to know what a lot of the pack money goes towards. Considering how little pack members have to do with the world outside of our connected packs. Any dealings with outside packs, humans, hunters and even the Alpha King was all handled by our fearless, and corrupt, leaders. Lots of money is exchanged and I don't believe it's for the benefit of the pack as much as individual leaders.

Victor pursed his lips, and then let out a snarl. “How dare you defy a direct order from an Elder, little girl. How dare you accuse your leaders of corruption.” he growled low and dangerously. "You will produce that information, and I will have it by the end of the day or all of your 'projects' will be permanently shut down." He is breathing heavy, trying to control his temper. I bet if he were a cartoon, smoke would be coming out of his ears.

"No." I simply said. No emotion showing on my face at all. I was done giving information and done negotiating.

"WHAT?!?" He balled his fists up andthe snarl was so deep it shook the room. His Alpha tone trying and failing to make me comply.

This was the reaction I wanted, for him to lose his cool so we could actually prove he is crazy and power hungry. He lunged toward me and grabbed my hair. I let out a little whimper and a grunt as he tugged my head back so I was staring at him full in the face. My dad and Damien moved in my peripherals like they were going to come to my aide, but I put a hand up. I needed to fight this fight on my own, I was openly challenging him in front of everyone who mattered. It was now or never. I needed him to show he was the crazy one, not us.

I mind-linked my father. “Dad, stay out of this and keep Alpha Drake and Uncle Andrew out as well. Anyone who is loyal to you, let them know s**t is going down, but they need to stay out of the way, no questions asked.” I just hoped all of our planning worked. As soon as he gave me a small chin tilt, letting me know he got and passed on my message, I lunged.