In The Beginning, Chapter 103
Daniel POV
After a night alone with Charlie, waking to her arguing with her alarm, and showering together, I felt more at ease. I was heading downstairs to make coffee when Ben called my cell to let us know Maria had been given the all clear by the doctors, and they would be heading back immediately. Charlie skipped down the stairs in her stockings as I picked up the cups, I was running late, she cocked an eyebrow as she walked into the kitchen. We had developed a routine on workdays, and I was usually waiting at the foot of the stairs for her.
“Ben called, Maria was given the okay by the doctors to travel, so they will be home later today.” I explained with a smile as I handed her a cup. My eyes raked over her suit with interest, it was dark blue, making her paler blue eyes sparkle, there was a flare to the jacket and skirt that made it more feminine, and a high-necked soft white sweater underneath. “You look beautiful.” I added, and she blushed adorably.
“Thank you, I’m a little nervous. Today is the first day for my team, do you mind if we go in a little earlier than usual?” She asked with a smile.
“Of course, you want something to eat here? Or are you having a breakfast team meeting?” I asked.
“I should’ve done that! No, but I can’t eat anything right now.” She shook her head and took a seat at the table, her phone out as she tried to figure out how to produce a breakfast for ten in less than two hours. I grabbed a muffin and placed it in front of her, to distract her from her internet searches.
“I asked Ms Michaels to take care of it.” I whispered in her ear, leaning over her shoulder. She turned in the chair, towards me.
“Best mate ever.” She said with a smile, planting a soft kiss on my lips.
“But your meeting isn’t for a while, so eat your muffin.” I teased, kissing her hair as I went in search of something more substantial to eat for myself.
After we arrived at Appletree, and Charlie had left for her office, I checked over the schedule Ms Michaels had created for the Alphas and gave her permission to send it, I opened the encrypted line Kasa had provided us with.
“Daniel?” Kasa nodded, looking uncomfortable as we waited on Lander.
“Kasa, everything good?” I asked, as he was beginning to look like he was sitting on broken glass.
“This was not what the technology was supposed to be used for.” He hissed.
“But you found something.” I replied, my face passive.
“You can’t use it without telling every Alpha that came to you, that you spied on them, so it doesn’t matter what I found!” Kasa nearly shouted, the guilt obviously too much.
“What did you find?” Lander asked when he logged on, midway through Kasa’s outburst.
“We had to act, and we couldn’t get hold of you, I’m not blaming, just explaining.” I added when his face grew red with anger. “I convinced Kasa to install spyware onto the Alphas’ phones, allowing Kasa to check their search histories, read every text message and email, even listen in on calls, and my favourite bit, turning the mic on his phone into a twenty-four hour a day bug. And he found something.” I sighed, while Lander laughed, before looking at us like we were insane.
“You spied on the Alphas!? You realise that’s an act of war, right?” Lander asked, half pissed off, half stunned.
“We had very little time to make a decision, Ben and Maria were attacked at Ponderosa, and I had Alphas pouring into my city. It is only an act of war if we make it one, for now we need to know what Kasa found so we can move forward.” I pressed, and Lander relented, both of us looked to Kasa.
“He could destroy my company, my reputation, my family’s name.” Kasa shook his head.
“I will only use it to trap him, I would never risk your friendship.” I swore.
“None of them have had contact with any vampires, most of them, like me, believed there were only a few vampires left before you corrected that notion...” Kasa paused momentarily. “Two have suspicious contacts with Lycans, Alpha Parker of the Hickory Grove pack, made a phone call to his cousin, a female, mated to the Delta of the Dogwood pack in Florida. And about an hour after he left you, Alpha Lyall used a burner phone to call someone.” Kasa explained, hitting a few keys on his end.
“I need to talk to the Alpha.” We heard Lyall demand, then silence. “You remind him how much I’ve invested in this, and you get him to call me back immediately, someone’s on to you... I don’t care where he is or what he is doing, he will call me tonight, or I pull all my money.” Lyall threatened before hanging up. Kasa hit a few more keys and another recording started playing. “What fucking time do you call this?... Well, I’ll tell you, Alpha, I’ve been sat in an office full of Alphas, while they discuss your fucking business and how to dismantle it. You need to get the products out now, get in touch with anyone who’s looking for a pet to train, and get rid of them, and get the product papers ready... As long as the products are... And don’t have visible damages... Then get rid of the damaged ones too! I don’t care, just have everything looking on the up and up, you have maybe three days before they will have someone to come take a look... Because right now, they got bigger fish to fry... That family, they’ve always been jealous, now they think they can replace us, with tales of a fake goddess, and war with the vampires... I think it may have been a smoke screen... They’ve provided no evidence that she’s anything, although her scent was different... Maybe the vampires will kill him, and we can give her a job?” My blood boiled as I listened to him laugh. “No, I won’t be able to visit for a while... Then take care of it. Quickly...” The audio ended and I looked at Kasa, there was nothing that told us who he was talking to, but it didn’t sound like a legal deal.
“Where’s the rest?” I asked.
“He must have left the room his phone was in, by the time he came back, he had ended the call.” Kasa replied.
“Keep going, I want to know if he contacts whomever this is again, hopefully get some details.” I pressed.
“How long?” Lander asked.
“How long what?” I asked, and he sighed heavily.
“How long are you planning on spying on the other Alphas?” He asked.
“Until they leave the city, if they haven’t said something incriminating in that time.” I replied.
“Daniel, if they find out-“ Kasa began.
“If they find out I will tell them it was me, that I didn’t trust their intentions towards Charlie, and I wanted reassurance they were genuine when they came onto my lands uninvited and unannounced.” I spat, both men remained quiet. “If it were Mia or Astrid, would you have done any less?”
“No, after everything I have guards on Mia and Leif twenty-four hours a day, they barely leave the pack house, when they do neither of them is comfortable away from the pack lands for long. Leif hadn’t slept for more than an hour before Luna’s Day, but he’s been right back to waking up screaming since we got back. Mia isn’t eating, not really, a bite here and there, and only when I force her, she sleeps all day, and spends her nights watching Leif, or ordering warriors to investigate every creak she hears. I’m failing her, and I don’t know how to help... I’d give anything for this not to have happened to them, so I can’t really blame you for trying to protect Charlie from that” Lander sighed, Kasa looked torn, and both men looked exhausted.
“How’s Astrid?” I asked Kasa.
“It’s been bad since Eric died... I think, now he’s gone... she’s starting to remember more...” We stayed silent for a few moments, none of us knowing what to say, when I had an idea.
“Could I send Hyacinth to both of you? She’s surprisingly low maintenance, if you have a small cottage, she could stay in near the pack house, and you make sure her kitchen is stocked. I think... she might be able to create a barrier for the pack house.” I said to Leif, it had been something we had been discussing, putting barriers in place, to be activated if we were attacked, to keep those who couldn’t fight safe.
“I’m not sure-”
“I don’t think-” They both tried saying at once before I held up a hand to stop them.
“She doesn’t offend easily either, and if she can make Mia and Leif feel safe? Or help Astrid’s nightmares? Just a few days?” Lander was the first to break, nodding his agreement.
“Give me a day or two to find somewhere for her to stay.” He sighed before ending the call on his end.
“He doesn’t look well.” Kasa muttered when it was just us.
“Neither do you, brother.” I admitted softly.
“One of you let me know when to expect her, I’d better get back to spying.” He said bitterly.
“I’d do it for you, but you would have to give me access.” I teased, hoping he would at least crack a smile.
“You’re too idealistic to go through someone else’s secrets, leave it to someone who is more cynical.” He chuckled bitterly.
“Kasa...” I began, but he held up a hand to stop me.
“Whether you like it or not, you started all this, you will be the one to lead us into battle. You need to trust the men you command, and that won’t happen once you see their search histories. More importantly, they won’t trust you if they find out. I’ll let you know if I find anything else, but it doesn’t seem likely I’ll find anything if Lyall is using a burner.” Kasa explained, while I stared at him, dumbstruck. “Give Charlie my best.” He smiled before hanging up.
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