Chapter 74

Sarah POV

It turned out that I did, indeed, need to get up in the middle of the night to deal with a whimpering puppy, but I didn’t mind too much. She just needed a little walk and was happy to be back in her bed.

The next morning, the girls slept in, which I was glad about as I doubted they’d slept well the night before. I texted Dr. Hayes to ask if he’d mind coming in an hour later than usual, and he texted back that considering everything, the girls deserved a little extra rest.

So it was just Zane and I at a cozy breakfast for two that I sternly told myself was in no way a cozy breakfast for two.

“I have to say,” I said over my second cup. “I’m so glad you gave me a little training session on social media to prepare me for last night, at least a little bit.”

“I don’t think anyone could have been prepared for last night,” he remarked drily. He was reading the paper on his laptop, which he offered to turn toward me.

“Are they saying anything new?”

“Not really.”

“Then thank you but no,” I said, putting some jam on my toast. I realized Zane was watching and frowned at him a little.

“I’m just thinking about all the changes you’ve been going through lately. You really are handling it well.”

“It’s Chloe and Grace who are handling it well,” I said. “Thank the goddess for the resilience of youth.” I looked at him sternly. “You are going to find them a therapist to talk with them.”

“Of course, but you’re not really getting what I’m saying.”

I put down my toast and sat attentively. He smiled.

“You have been so very good for this family, from returning Chloe to us, to taking such good care of her and Grace, to being someone I’m proud to escort in public.”

“High praise from a pack alpha. Thank you.” I took a breath. “And I want you to know that whether you’re escorting me in public or not, whenever I am in the public eye I will do all I can never to do anything but bring pride to your family.”

“I know that, but it’s nice to hear. And if you don’t know it already, I will always be here to protect you.”

I laughed a little. “I noticed.”

“Always,” he repeated.

I nodded, and we sat in silence for a while until the doorbell rang and a few minutes later Hans brought a file-holding Travis into the kitchen.

“Coffee?” I asked.

“Please.” He set the folder on the counter while I got the coffee. “We’ve got a lead on Scott.”

“Where is he?” Zane demanded.

“Well, that’s problem number one. We don’t know where he is exactly, but we do know he took a chartered flight into the territory of Alpha Malo Fatialofa.”

“That sounds very far away,” I said.

“It’s not. He’s an immigrant,” Zane said with a frown.

“You know him?”

“A little too well. We’re not exactly on the same alpha wavelength.”

I tried to recall someone with that name. “Was he at the conference?”

“No, he shuns them. He shuns pretty much everything, including basic extradition laws. Of course Scott would go to him for asylum.”

“What does this mean?”

“It means Alpha Zane will need to go to Alpha Malo to ask for permission to seek out Scott in his territory,” Travis said.

“That sounds awkward?” I guessed.

Zane scowled. “It wouldn’t be with just about any other pack alpha, but Malo and I have clashed in the past.” He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “The worst part is that I can’t send an envoy.”

“True,” Travis said, “but I do think you might consider a companion.”

“Of course you’re coming with me,” Zane told him.

“I meant Sarah. She is the hero of the hour in the press, and Malo is ridiculously vain. It will please him to be asked by both of you.”

Zane’s expression turned sour.

“I don’t mind,” I said. “I’m not exactly a fan of Scott myself and would like to see him answer for what he did.”

Travis shook his head. “That’s another thing.”

Zane and I looked at him.

“There is still no evidence that Scott was involved in any way other than making a suggestive comment, and a vaguely suggestive comment at that, to get up Alpha Zane’s snout. What was it he said exactly?”

“I just heard all about the lovely human delivered to a mutual acquaintance of ours upstairs,” Zane repeated.

“You see?” Travis held up his hands. “That’s not exactly, ‘Hey, I know about a slavery ring going on.’ He didn’t even name Sarah or the acquaintance.”

Zane growled slightly, and Travis held up his hand. “Now, yes, listen. I know and you know and Sarah knows what he really meant, but I’m not sure a magistrate will agree. Also, because he’s a beta and you’re the pack alpha, you cannot challenge him directly without facing assault charges.”

“What’s that mean?” Chloe asked, and we turned to see her standing in the doorway. It took me a second to realize that what seemed strange was that Grace wasn’t with her.

“One of the people involved in the problems we had at the party must be treated right so that everything turns out the way it should,” Zane told her with a sweet smile.

Chloe frowned. “That’s one of those answers that doesn’t tell me anything.” She looked at me. “May I have oatmeal and bacon?”

“Of course,” I said and got up to make them.

“Have you ever had overnight oatmeal?” Zane asked his daughter, pouring her a glass of juice while she climbed up onto one of the chairs at the long kitchen island.

“Is it good?”

“Very good. I’ll have Chef Rachel set you up with some.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” Chloe sipped at her juice.

Grace appeared with Gilda in tow and announced, “She needs a walk.”

“I’ll take her,” Travis said. Quietly, he told Zane, “I want to talk to the extra grounds personnel, tell them to keep an eye on things while we’re gone.”

Three hours later, Zane, Travis, three bodyguards, I, and our luggage packed (in case this took more than a few hours) were on Zane’s Gulfstream flying to Alpha Malo’s territory. I was reading the file on the alpha that Travis had gotten prepared for me. It told an interesting story.

Alpha Malo had indeed immigrated from one of the Samoan islands and challenged the current pack alpha pretty much as soon as his feet were on the ground. The territory had already suffered from a sizable income difference, with the very rich and the very poor being largely separated along the lines of the landed gentry and what were basically sharecroppers. Under Alpha Malo’s leadership, the income and lifestyle gaps had only increased.

Malo’s own lifestyle was sheer luxury. He had six different palaces; four were seasonal, one was on a beach, and one a top a mountain. He was rumored to have a seventh palace no one knew about.

He was a television celebrity in his territory because he owned the three TV stations there and had tried, quite unsuccessfully, to ban streaming services that he saw as competition. Oddly enough, he seemed to be beloved by his pack, and to top it all off he collected expensive motorcycles and loved to show “news programs” of himself riding them.

I looked through several photos of him online. He was a mountain of a man, easily six feet tall and 275 pounds. He was also a fashion victim.

Little wonder Zane doesn’t care for him, I thought, quite worried about just how “awkward” things were going to get.