The Arrangement |1|

Chapter Twenty-Seven

   Emerson's Beta met them at as they walked through the Pack House doors. His mate was quiet by his side and he knew the reason for it. Unfortunately, it wasn't something he could fix. He tried to place a comforting hand on her back but she moved away.

   "How did it go?" Brandon asked.

   Madeline pushed passed them and hurried to the living room where her friend was waiting for her. He watched the two embrace.

   "That good, hm?"

   Emerson scowled at him and smacked him upside the head. "Let's discuss this in my office."

   He didn't say anything else until they were both seated in his newly repaired office. He barely glanced at his remodeled office. He knew it wouldn't stay that way. Madeline had a thing for interior design. She loved to completely redo everything, much to his dismay. It wouldn't be so bad if he could find his things.

   "Why is she upset?"

   "You just don't beat around the bush do you, Brandon?"

   His Beta gave him an unamused face. "What happened?"

   He braced his elbows on the table. "In a week, all of us Alphas will be bringing our best warriors to the Bloodmoon Forest."

   "Shit Emerson, that's Rogue territory," Brandon growled.

   "We have intel that they are regrouping not far from there. We don't have an exact location on where they will be. Once we're there we'll send scouts out to locate them. From there we'll ambush them. Hopefully, Benjamin will be there and we can end this."

   "Are we even sure that he's the one calling all the shots?"

   Emerson opened a drawer and pulled up a folded piece of paper. He opened it and smoothed it out. He placed it in front of his Beta. Brandon looked at his Alpha for a moment before reaching for it and read:

Dear Son,

How did you like my gift for you? I hope nothing is too damaged, I don't want my Pack to be in rubble when I take over. Rebuilding is so much work is it not? I expect that you will get calls from the other Alphas if you haven't already. You weren't the only one that got a gift. The other Packs got them too, though they did more damage. Turns out my army is very peeved with them, for throwing out my soldiers and all. So really, the only ones to blame for this are you Alphas. You were the ones who created all this anger in them. But I've promised as soon as I take my Pack back I will help them get revenge on all who have hurt them.

I will take back my Pack. I am the rightful Alpha. You have done nothing but hurt them. I will bring them into the light. That does mean you must die. I wish there could be another way but there is none. As for your new little mate, she's a pretty thing, isn't she? If she hadn't meddled in my affairs, I would have let her live. Perhaps taken her as my own mate. Think of the beautiful children we could have. Alas, she must die as well, though I do suppose I could always break that spirit of hers. Doesn't matter, you'll be dead. You won't know what I'll do to her.

The next time you hear from me it will be in person and a much bloodier environment.

Sincerely,

Your loving father

   Brandon placed the paper down and massaged his temples. "Emerson, you have some serious daddy issues."

   Emerson snorted.

   "When did you receive this?"

   "The day after the attack."