Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (63 page)

Dallas had to clear his throat twice before he could speak. His mom was crying softly beside him. “Children? Were there any children that he burned?”

Georgia nodded. “Four little ones. Two under the age of five, the other two just nine and ten. If I go back, or he finds me, he’ll do worse to mine. He was extremely angry that Tim had allowed him to be hurt.”

Dallas had to leave. He had wanted to hunt the man down himself and stake him to the ground and set fire to his nuts first then work his way around other body parts. But he couldn’t. First it would bring the pack down on his brothers and if he didn’t win, the man…no, he was an animal, would know where Georgia and her family were.

Then he’d run into Stacy. And he’d fucked that up too. Christ, could he not get a break? He came to the pack house just as Austin was going at it with another male in the yard. Both men were bloodied and Dallas wanted more than ever to join in. And from the looks of it, the other man wasn’t going to be walking for some time.
Good,
Dallas thought.

He knew what kind of man he was and Dallas stood to watch, hoping that some of his own anger would be satisfied by proxy. Watching Austin beat the shit out of the slimy bastard was fun, but he also wanted to make sure the guy didn’t get the upper hand. Not that he had much of a chance from the looks of things.

Austin stepped back when the other man didn’t rise. Dallas was sure that he wanted to finish the man off, but by law, he couldn’t. He loved his brother very much, but there were times, like now, that he wished he would bend the rules a bit.

“He nearly killed another man’s mate.”

Dallas looked over at his brother Gordon when he stepped up beside him.

“Alexis heard about it from Stacy and sent us over to catch him. We were nearly too late. The doctor is looking after her now.”

“What was he going to do with another male’s mate? Or was simply beating her what he had in mind?”

Gordon shook his head.

“He went there to rape her?”

“Seems so. He didn’t expect her to be able to fight back. I guess this isn’t the first woman he’s tried this on. Only this one was ready for him.” Gordon laughed as he continued. “She took a hot poker to his ass. If he’d caught her in the house, she said she would have shot his sorry ass, but she’d been out burning brush from some of the clearing they’d been doing.”

They watched as the man crawled away finally, begging Austin for forgiveness. There was none, of course, and the man was given two hours to get his crap gathered and get out of the territory. Dallas hoped he didn’t make it.

“I think he’s finished with his lesson,” Dallas said as they all, including Austin, walked toward the house. “Do you think it’s possible I can sit down with you two later? I have something more to add about the pack leader. I’ve had a conversation with Georgia. It seems this other pack leader is a bit of a sadist, more so than the one you just knocked the shit out of. And even more so than we’d first thought.”

“Like what? Does he try to rape innocent women in their own homes? Does he blame them for what he considers simply a fuck and nothing more?” Dallas looked toward where the man had gone and Austin patted him on the back. “You can have him if he returns. I’ve had my fill of the prick. What does this other leader, Sterling, do that so much worse than nearly killing a babe?”

Dallas looked at his brother as they entered the house. “Nothing. Not really. But he doesn’t allow them any luxuries such as heat and electricity. But he has them. I’m not even sure they have running water.”

Austin shook his head and cursed for several second. He shook his head as if to clear it before answering. His brother didn’t have a short fuse, but today had tested him. “Sure. I’ve a bit to add myself. And I think bastard is a tame word, don’t you?” Austin picked up his jacket and tossed it to Gordon as he looked at Dallas. “You can help me take this prick to the other side of the grounds. And just so you know, you smell like female. Might want to get that off you before Stacy smells her on you.” Gordon started to walk away, but Dallas called him back.

“You can smell Stacy on me?” He flushed when Austin looked at him hard. “Nothing happened, but…you can scent her?”

“No. Just female, but nothing more. By the way, you might what to talk to Alexis. She told me if I saw you I was to tell you to find her. Something about promises she made and how she needs to talk to you.”

Chapter 3

Rich kicked out at the man curled in a ball at his feet. Fucking bastard wasn’t worth even learning his name. And now he was dead. It was getting harder and harder to keep an enforcer to help him out. He knew that he was scraping the bottom of the barrel and was getting men who were more terrified of him than wanted to keep him safe. He walked over to his phone and picked it up.

“Find someone that can replace the idiot I just killed. And if he isn’t any better than this one, you’ll have the job.” He hung up, knowing that his butler would do it at all costs. They knew the life expectancy of an enforcer was small and no one wanted the job.

He moved to the fireplace and leaned against the mantle. He’d not been able to find that fucking bitch either. Rich knew that they all were talking about him and his lack of ability to keep his bitches in line. He snarled at the dead man on the floor and wished he could have another go at him. But dead men were not nearly as much fun as living, whimpering ones. He kicked at the wood near his feet. The door opening behind him had him stiffen, but he knew if anyone tried to kill him, they’d be as dead as the man on the floor.

“I’ve come to clean up the mess, Lord Sterling.”

He wanted to laugh but only nodded.

“Shall I dispose of him as the others?”

“I could care less if you took him home with you to fertilize your garden. Just get him the fuck out of here.” Rich had a moment of panic when he realized that the butler knew where all the bodies were, but let it go. Your own brother didn’t turn you in to the counsel no matter what you did. “Harvey, you know what will happen to you if anyone starts asking questions about any of this.”

Harvey nodded, but didn’t speak. He picked up the dead man and walked out of the room. There wasn’t a lot he could do to his brother any more. He had no mate, no children, and their mother had been killed long ago. Harvey didn’t have anything thanks to him. He moved to the desk again and tried to think if there was one person in the pack he could bring in.

Over the years, the pack numbers had dwindled. He had started out with over a thousand and now he thought he had less than half that, though he wasn’t all that sure. He knew that word had gotten around that it wasn’t going to be long for this pack, so Rich had made laws to increase the number of members. He’d decreed that every female would have a litter a year without fail of he’d kill her and find one that would. It mattered little to him if they had mates or not. If they didn’t have a cub then he’d simply kill them. So far, the numbers seem to be increasing, but not at a rate that he’d hoped for. When his phone rang, he nearly didn’t pick it up.

“Rich Sterling, this is Councilman Nigel Briggs. I’ve heard you’ve had some problems in your pack.”

Rich wanted to snarl at the man to mind his own business.

“I’ve called to see if the rumors are true.”

“Well, since I don’t have a clue what you’re referring to, I’m not sure how I should answer that.” He wondered if that bitch Georgia had contacted them and was sure of it when he spoke next.

“Well, let me see…I have a report that you have invoked the rule of death to your enforcer. I’m not sure we’ve used that rule in…well, centuries. What sort of harm has befallen you from the neglect of your man?”

Rich closed his eyes and counted to ten. If he told the old bastard what had really happened, he’d be brought before the courts. He doubted very much he’d live long if he told them that his pant leg had gotten muddied when they’d been walking to his car. It really hadn’t been the man’s fault. It had been completely Rich’s, but someone had snickered and his enforcer had been the closest.

“My enforcer…oh you mean Reynolds. Well, it seems that he coveted my female. He has his own wife, you see, and when he started making advances to my bitch, I had to put him down.” Rich rolled his eyes. Like he had a bitch at all. “I can’t have that sort of thing going on, especially when it involves a man who is supposed to enforce the rules, not use them for his own personal gain.”

“I see. Entirely different story than the one I got. I can see where that would…I had no idea you’d taken a mate. Congratulations. Best thing in the world for an alpha to take a mate and breed more of his own. Your numbers have been going down of late and, well, we feel that we may have to come and see what is going on.”

Over his dead body, he thought. “Nothing the matter. Just the economy. You know how hard it is for a pack to keep together now days. Younger breeds wanting to strike out on their own and all.”

“Yes, but you see, your numbers aren’t coming up at all. Not even your births have been reported in the black for some time now.” Rich heard him rattling around papers as he continued. “There hasn’t been a recordable birth in your pack for a number of years. Oh, there has been a few, ten, over the past five years, but your infant death rate is nearly double that. What could be the problem?”

“I’ll have to see who isn’t giving you the correct numbers and get back to you on that. I’m sure it’s been a great deal more than that.” Or it would be soon enough. “I know that there are a number of bitches ready to whelp, but as of…let me get back to you soon.” He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t suppose you know where Reynolds’s mate and family have gone, do you? I can’t tell you how concerned I am about them and her children. She must be terrified out of her mind right now.”

“No doubt, no doubt. But I only have a missive from another pack leader. I don’t recall his name right now, but when you call me with those corrected numbers tomorrow, I’ll see if I can locate it.”

Rich wasn’t happy with the way the call ended, but the stupid bastard on the other end didn’t know anything about his pack member and that’s all that Rich cared about. He began to pace the room and thought about what he had learned from the call.

So, she was with another pack. Well, that didn’t really narrow it down, but it did tell him that he’d have more members by the time he got her back. And get her back he would, along with the pack of the man who dared hide her away from him.

He stopped pacing and moved toward the door where there was a file cabinet. He pulled open two drawers before he found what he’d been looking for. Pulling out the directory, he tried to figure out whose territory was close enough to his that she would have been able to get quickly. There were two that he could get to in a day, one that was further out, and one that was brand new. He dismissed the one that was new. That alpha would be too set on following rules because he would want to make a good impression right now. The council was breathing down everyone’s neck and the new guy would want to be on his best behavior.

The one that was out about three hundred miles he marked off too. She had a shit ton of kids and going that far on foot with as badly as he’d beaten her and her brats, she’d have to be local. He picked up his phone and thought about what he was going to do to the pack leader harboring what was his.

“I want the car ready in an hour. And as many of the pack as you can assemble to go and find my bitch.” Harvey said he would. “Oh, and by the way, you’re coming too.”

He didn’t know why he wanted his brother there, but decided if he didn’t come back, so be it. He was a good butler, but not worth much else. He leaned back in his chair and thought about the pack he was going to destroy. Yes, Alpha Alan Wilkinson wouldn’t be doing something so stupid like this again.

Laughing, he wondered if the man had any breedable bitches he could steal off while he was there. This was turning out to be much more fun that he’d thought it would ever be.

~~~

Connor looked around at the destruction that had once been someone’s home. He’d snuck onto the property with Phil’s help late last night and had come out now to see what they could see. He pulled out his phone and started taking pictures of what once was nothing more than a few slabs of wood surrounding what looked like three two-by-fours. He looked over at Phil who’d just come from the woods behind the house.

“I can’t find anything that resembles a house anywhere. She was right. They all seem to live like this. How can he do that to his pack?”

Connor shrugged.

“I can’t understand any of this.”

“He apparently wanted to keep them beholden to him. And from what Georgia said, they all gave more than they could afford and then some.” He took a few more pictures before turning to his brother-in-law. “Will I want to puke again if you take me to where the lord lives?”

“Nah. You should be okay this time.” Phil laughed. “Never seen a wolf puke as much as you did. Not even Holly throws up that much.” He seemed to forget what he was saying for a minute and Connor nearly leapt at the man.

“She’s whelping? Are you insane? What if she…why aren’t you taking care of her right this minute?” Connor flushed when Phil laughed. “She’s my baby sister and I don’t want to think of her having sex with anyone much less having cubs. Especially with a prick like you.”

“She didn’t have sex with me, Connor, she got pregnant by thought. You moron. I suppose you think your brothers aren’t having sex either.”

Connor grinned. “They can have all the sex they want. And do, I would imagine. But Holly? She’s still just a kid.” Connor knew his logic was askew, but he didn’t back down. “Especially with a blood-sucking ass like you.”

Before they could get to the obvious end to their kidding around, they heard something and Phil grabbed him and pulled the shadows around them again. Both men stood as still as the trees around them.

The man who walked toward them looked as battered as Georgia did. Connor watched the man search through the rubble as if he was looking for something. Connor wasn’t sure what he’d hoped to find, but the man seemed intent on something. When he pulled a chest from the floor, he thought the man had found a stash of money, but all that he pulled from the small chest was a few canned goods and a package of what looked like moldy bread. But if the look on the man’s face was any indication, it might as well have been gold.

After he left, Phil stepped back. “This is horrible. If your brother treated his pack this way, I’d drain him then lay him out in the sun until he burnt to a crisp.”

Connor knew just what he meant.

“Are you ready? I can’t be here any longer.”

Connor nodded and was soon going across the compound at a dizzying speed. He didn’t get ill this time, but he did feel his legs tremble a little bit. He didn’t ask for help, but Phil led him to a tree and helped him sit.

“Sorry. I didn’t slow down when I knew it made you sick. I needed to…I don’t know how you stood there with the stench so bad.”

Connor raised his hand to say he was fine. “No problem. It was getting to me as well. Let me send these to Austin and Dallas and we’ll have a look around the alpha’s house. I’m ready to call in the counsel and have his ass put into chains.”

They walked to the house after the pictures uploaded. And Christ, what a house it was. The thing was three stories of brick and wood that made even the rich and famous look poor and unknown. Connor walked around the house twice and still couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“This borders on sickening. I mean, really? Why does he need to wipe their faces in the fact that they are paying him to look this good? I bet you there are Italian suits in every closet too.” Phil walked up to the front door. “I’m going to drain the prick and piss on his shoes.”

Connor thought he was going to have to knock Phil on his ass to keep him from knocking. Which would have been a good thing but for the car that was coming up the drive. Phil grabbed him from behind again and they stood still on the steps when a man got out of the back of a limo. This had to be the alpha.

“I don’t care. Find the bitch and bring her and her filthy brats to me now.” It was then that they noticed the device in his ear. He was on a cell phone. “You either bring her to me by the end of the week or you’ll be joining your family in the grave out back.”

The driver walked around the car after closing the door after the alpha got out and stood there for several minutes. Connor thought the man was looking at them, but Phil spoke to him through their link that they’d established before coming here.

“He can’t see us. I think he’s watching the alpha or waiting. He might have to wait to be dismissed. If dumb fuck goes in the house without the driver leaving, I’ll go and touch him after securing you. All right?”

“
Christ, be careful.”

The front door to the house slammed shut and the man stood still where he’d been left. Phil moved them both, slower this time, to the edge of the tree line and left him there. Connor didn’t have long to wait, maybe ten minutes before he came back. Phil looked ready to explode. “Let’s go.”

Connor didn’t ask what he’d found out. He let Phil wrap his arms around his waist and they were off again. He’d thought they were going back to their pack house, but they were deep in the forest now.

“Phil? Where are we?” The smell of death was strong. And some of it wasn’t very old. Phil walked to the large backhoe and then pointed to the hole beside it. Connor was almost afraid to walk to it.

It was about ten feet deep and nearly half filled with bodies. Not only adults, although that was bad enough, but children as well. And not all of them looked as if they’d been there all that long.

“The driver is the alpha’s brother. He’s to bring the dead out here and drop them in the hole when they’re murdered. The brother feels he has nothing left and only helps his brother because he provides him with drugs to forget.” Phil’s voice was soft, but Connor could hear him. “Sterling killed his mate some years ago because she wouldn’t submit to him. So he raped her and then killed her. As punishment to his brother for mating with a cold bitch, he’d made him bury her and their unborn child.”