The Downhill Meeting

             Magnus watched his new mate and Beta disappear around the side of the building before he entered the packhouse of a rival pack. Something was off when no guards greeted him or stopped him. In fact, there appeared to be very few people around at the time. This was the height of the day and the hub of the pack. Where was everyone? He would have thought that a show of force would be on the table, but there was nothing.

             “Ahh, Magnus, come in. I’ve been expecting you.” This wasn’t what Magnus expected. The man looked hard, which he expected, but nothing out of the ordinary. “Have a seat. I just need to take a call before we get down to business. My beta is out taking care of some business for me while we are here, and he wants my okay on something first.” Now, this is more like what he expected to hear. He couldn’t believe he’d walked in here with blood literally on his hands and clothes. Not a single person inquired about it. Everyone must smell it if they can’t see it.

             “What’s up, Al? What have you got?” Alpha Franklin stood there listening. “Well, if they did it knowingly, then they know what the punishment is. I don’t care if it’s their first mistake or not. Everyone knows if they screw up, then they pay the price. Deal with it. I’m in a meeting.” He disconnected his call and sat down across the desk from Magnus.

             “Problem in the ranks?” Magnus decided if they were going to ignore the blood on him, then he’d just it to his advantage to get information from this man.

             “A pup messed with something that he knew to leave well enough alone. I set a punishment for any who went against me and crossed the line. Now the pup will learn what it means to be a member of this pack.”  

Magnus took a rag from his pocket and began cleaning off his hands before he said anything. A glance around the office showed photographs of who he assumed were Alpha Franklin’s mate, Ivory, his daughter, and several others. But Sapphire was not in any of them. “Hmm. I hope it’s not too severe on a pup. I would hate to see you lose another pack member because the punishments were too harsh.”

Alpha Franklin frowned at Magnus’ words for a moment before he looked at him sternly. “Another? What do you mean?”

“Tell me about that little waitress at the Black Hole. What did she do wrong to be punished so?” Magnus raised his eyebrow. “The one that can’t look anyone in the eye without shaking like a leaf. Blamed another wolf attacking her. Threatened with being declared a rogue, and before you say a bloody thing, blaming her for lying and accusing others. She said nothing. Your daughter did all the talking. Now, after seeing that and dealing with the violent offender, I am seriously calling into question why we need this non-aggression agreement. After all, at the end of the week, it’s useless since you’re stepping down and this offender is becoming alpha.” Magnus knew what he looked like. It wasn’t the first time he’d ever fought. So, he sneered at Alpha Franklin as he watched him process everything he said.

Magnus’ phone pinged from receiving a text. A quick look did nothing for his mood. Hayden never added triggers like this to his texts unless there was something seriously wrong.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, if the kid, Clive. No, Cliff. Survives his beat down. He plans to mate with your daughter and be the alpha by the end of the week. Your daughter plans to help him. In the process, that sweet little waitress is to be declared rogue or become Cliff’s side piece for when he’s bored with your daughter. She didn’t take that news well. I suggest you learn who are your true resources and who is your dead weight. I’ll be taking that waitress off your hands, and you can shove that agreement in the trash because I won’t be signing it. You aren’t the people my pack wants to work with. Now I need to get back to my territory and you can deal with the mess. I’ll tell me, people, to avoid the Black Hole from now on. We won’t be doing business with people that act like this.” Magnus stood from the chair and strode to the door. Stopped long enough to say, “Have a good afternoon, Sir.” Then left the packhouse.

Magnus didn’t need to have anything more verified. He didn’t want to know what the punishment for the pup was, but he was sure by the smell of the fear that oozed from the very walls of the packhouse that it would be far too excessive. Who thinks it’s normal to walk around with fresh blood on them? Wolf or not. That was wrong.

At the bikes, they were waiting for him. “We need to move out now and don’t stop at the gate. Head straight for the Black Hole. We’re not leaving anything for these people that belong to Sapphire.” He started his bike and pulled it out. Magnus and Hayden drove the same way they’d entered and, sure enough, the people at the gate didn’t close it or stop them. He suspected this whole thing was a plot to keep the hostilities between the packs going so that his pack would move. That wasn’t happening.

At the Black Hole, they parked at the back of the building. Magnus handed his cellphone to Sapphire. “Sapphire. Call the Black Hole and then give the phone to me.”

“Okay, why?” She punched in the number and handed it back to him. The building held a large, closed sign on the front door.

“I’m getting you your paycheck. Hi. Who am I speaking to? Hank.” Magnus looked at Sapphire for identification.

She whispered back, “He’s the cook and runs the Black Hole for the pack.”

“This is Magnus McDonnell. I want you to go tape Sapphire’s last check to her locker. No, you don’t need to see her again. She won’t be coming back. Sapphire will enter through the back, empty her locker, and leave her key in the locker. You won’t be seeing her again. Anything that happens to her in there will be taken out of your hide. I don’t care what state that twit is in. He’s an entitled waste of space and will never be an alpha.” Magnus knew he was laying it on thick, but he needed Franklin to know that he wouldn’t be a pushover for anyone. “You don’t need to know what will happen to Sapphire. It didn’t matter this morning, and it doesn’t matter now. That paycheck had better be attached to the locker by now. It is? Good. This will soon be all over for you. Now walk away and don’t interact with her.” Magnus disconnected the call and looked at Sapphire. “Go in and get your things quickly and get out. Leave your key in your locker. I doubt anyone is here from the incident earlier, so you shouldn’t have to deal with anyone from that incident. You aren’t there to clean anything or apologize for anything. I expect you back in the next three minutes or less.”

“Yes, sir.” Sapphire realized this was her chance to get everything she wanted. Then, if she needed to, she could run from this before it turned bad.

Once she disappeared inside, Hayden looked from the door to Magnus. “Please tell me I’m wrong. She’s your mate, isn’t she?” Magnus nodded. “She’ll run as soon as she can. The pack won’t be happy with her showing up.”

“They’ll get used to her and if she’s runs… Let the hunt begin…”