Chapter 4-Outside Help

A week later

I pace the motel room angrily after another failed meeting with a nearby pack.

‘This is infuriating! Someone has to know something! I don’t understand why no one will talk to us! The only one that told us anything new was Alpha Jackson.’ I say angrily to Enyo.

‘If they do know anything, they probably don’t want to get their pack involved. It could put them at risk.’ Enyo explains.

‘Put them at risk for what?’

‘Pay back? An attack? Who knows? But besides the attack on Blood-Moon, there’s been no other attacks in the area. They’ve at least confirmed that.’

‘I don’t know what else to do. I was an idiot to think that I could do this. That I could do more than the elder council,’ I say as I sit down on the bed in defeat.

‘We can’t give up now. We can’t go back after just a week and admit defeat.’

‘What then?’

‘Why don’t you call Uncle Alex? Maybe he can speak to the other packs and convince them to talk to us?’

I sigh and get my cell phone out of my pocket and call his number. After a few rings, Uncle Alex answers.

“Hey sweetheart! How are you?”

“I’ve hit a brick wall, Uncle Alex… No one will tell us anything,” I say sadly.

“I’m not surprised, Athena. It’s hard to get other packs to co-operate in general. Are they at least meeting with you?”

“They’re meeting with me, but only out of respect for Dad. Then they tell me they know nothing and send me on my way. Except for Shadow Rock. Alpha Costas told me to fuck off and refused to let me into his territory. Can you talk to him? Convince him to talk to me?” I ask.

“I can’t do that, Athena. It’s not my place.”

I rub my face in frustration.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he says when I don’t respond.

“I know. I just thought I’d ask,” I say sadly, lying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.

“Maybe you should just come home…”

“No. I’m not ready to do that,” I tell him.

“Okay. Well, maybe you can reach out to a private detective,” he suggests.

“A private detective?” I ask.

“Yeah. There’s a guy that Alpha Damon uses in town for things. He gave me the number the other day,” he explains, and I can hear him rummaging through papers. “He’s human, but he knows about us. Alpha Damon suggested you could use him.”

“A human? How could he possibly trust working with a human?”

“I don’t know. But he said he’s good.”

“I don’t know Uncle Alex…” I say, unsure.

“I don’t know what else you can do, sweetheart. It’s worth a try.”

“Okay. I guess I don’t really have a choice.”

“I’ll text you through the number,” he says. “I need to go, Athena. I have a meeting. I love you.”

“I love you too,” I say, then end the call.

Less than a minute later, he texts me the number.

“Here goes nothing,” I say, calling the number.

*

A few hours later, I’m walking into the office of Derek Williams. A pretty receptionist smiles as I walk in and tells me that Mr Williams will be with me in a moment.

I look around the small room while I wait. There’s a small painting on the wall of the mountain that Blood-Moon territory backs on to, and it makes my heart hurt thinking of home.

I hear a door open, and I turn my head to see a tall, thin man standing in the doorway behind the reception desk. His dark brown hair and dark eyes seem darker in contrast to his pale skin.

‘Geez, does this guy ever get any sun?’ Enyo says as we look him over.

“Miss Argos?” He asks, and I nod. “Please come in,” he says, standing to the side and motioning to his office.

I walk into his office, and he motions for me to sit in one of the chairs facing his small desk.

I sit and look around the office. This room is even smaller than the reception area, with only his desk, two big filing cabinets in one corner, a small bookshelf, and a coffee table with a fake plant on it.

“Alpha Damon called and said you might be in contact. What can I do for you?” He asks, sitting behind his desk.

“I need help, Mr Williams,” I say, and he holds up his hand to stop me.

“Please, call me Derek,” he says with a smile.

“Okay, Derek,” I say, then continue. “I need help with finding information on the attack that happened to our pack two years ago,” I explain.

“Ah yes. I do remember that,” he says as he writes notes on a pad of paper.

“You do?” I ask, confused.

“Yes,” he says, looking up at me. “Alpha Damon came to me when he was still Beta to see if I could help.”

“And could you?”

He shakes his head. “No, unfortunately. To be honest with you, Athena. Can I call you Athena?” He asks and continues when I nod my head. “It was too dangerous for me to get involved at the time. As I’m sure you can remember, that attack almost lead to a break in the peace treaty. Your pack was furious and out for blood. As a human, I felt it best to stay out of it.”

“With all due respect, Derek,” I spit out angrily, “the treaty was broken the moment someone decided to attack our pack. To kill our Alpha and Gamma, and innocent members of our pack,” I tell him, leaning forward in my chair.

“Of course,” he says, holding his hands up. “I agree with you. Which is why I’m going to help you now.”

I sit back in my chair with a huff. “How do you even know Alpha Damon? Or even about lycans?” I ask.

“Well,” he says, looking nervous. “My father was a hunter…” he says, trailing off.

I let out a low growl. “What?” I ask, barely able to hold back the anger I feel.

He holds his hands up in front of him again. “I never agreed with him or his way of life. I saved Alpha Damon’s life when we were teenagers. That’s how I know him.”

I stare him down, and I see a bead of sweat run down his temple as he shifts in his chair nervously.

“Is your father still hunting?” I ask through gritted teeth.

He shakes his head. “No. He was killed a few years back by a werewolf.”

‘Good riddance,’ Enyo says.

I take a moment to calm down before continuing. “How can you help, then?” I ask. “I don’t have a lot of money to pay you.”

“Don’t worry about that. Alpha Damon told me to add my time to his bill. I’ll make some calls to some of my contacts and go from there. Give me some time and I will see what I can find out for you.” I nod my head and stand, and Derek walks me to the door. “Veronica will give you a form to fill out with your information. I’ll be in contact with you,” he says, then closes the door to his office.

*

‘I don’t trust him,’ Enyo says later when we get back in the truck.

‘We don’t have a choice. Who else are we going to ask for help?’

‘Anyone but a human. You heard him. He was too much of a pussy to help before. So why is he helping now?’

‘He said it was too dangerous to help before. Maybe now that no one’s looking into it, he thinks it’s less dangerous.’

Enyo snorts. ‘Pussy,’ she says again before curling up and falling asleep. I sigh and start the truck up and drive back to the motel.