Keenan Pov

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“Keenan would it have killed you to act normal? Your behavior this evening didn’t go unnoticed, I had to make excuses for you.”

“Okay, but you know what else didn’t go unnoticed?”

“What Keenan,” my father said dismissively, sighing in agitation as he sat down on his office chair.

“Felix mentioned there being an influx of rogues in the SaltPaw Pack, and rather than roaming alone, the rogues are banding together as an unofficial pack, he said all those rogues are dead now, Alpha Sawyer got rid of them, but… how?”

“I’m assuming the rogues were ambushed by Alpha Sawyer, “ he replied.

“With no casualties being reported? The SaltPaw Pack only has 78 members, they should’ve been at least more than half in casualties. So how did they come out completely unscathed?”

“Huh,” my father said, “interesting catch. Why do you think so?”

“Well remember all the times we’ve met Alpha Sawyer at important council meetings and Alpha gatherings? What was your impression of him?”

“Airheaded, pompous, arrogant just like-”

“Uncle Felix?” I finished his sentence for him, “I’m guessing Felix already found his first ally, how else would he know such information?”

“It doesn’t surprise me, but there’s also no way to prove it. I could barely get anything out of him and trying anything else would make him suspicious.”

“So leave it to me.”

“And what exactly are you suggesting?”

“Send me to spy on him. Send me to live in the Redmond Pack.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Dad I think we need to admit that this secret interrogation strategy you’re trying to pull on Felix isn’t working, you were barely able to get anything out of him. We don’t want him coming onto us.”

“I’m aware Keenan, but the rest of the Elder Council, apart from Bain and Marcus don’t believe Felix is a serious threat, they’re blowing it off and I’m afraid that by the time they decide to take it seriously, it will be too late.”

“So send me to live in the Redmond Pack, under the disguise that I’m seeking out more training. You said so yourself, Felix has no idea what transpired here, he won’t suspect a thing.”

“But how can I trust you Keenan? How can I trust that you won’t let yourself be brainwashed again? How can I trust that you won’t betray me? Why should I even trust you again?”

“I know I fucked up big time dad, and there’s no reason you should trust me at all. But I want to earn your trust back. I need to do this, I need something to focus on, a purpose in my life. Something that keeps me sane. I just want to prove myself to you and everyone. It’s no secret that I hate uncle Felix and I want nothing more than to see him lose everything. But more than anything, losing my ranking, the respect of my family and pack, my… mate, made me realize how misconstrued I was. I want to change, I want to be truly worthy. I will not disappoint you again.”

“I dunno Keenan…” He was hesitating, a good sign, it wasn’t a flat out no.

“Whatever decision you make I will respect it. I’m just asking that you don’t lose complete faith in me just yet. I know I can do this.”

He thought long and hard for a minute, “okay… okay… I’ll speak to your mother, but if you do go… you’re not going alone, and if you don’t have any information by the end of this month, I’m bringing you back home myself.”

“Okay, understandable,” was all I said , internally pleased with myself. This was easier than I thought it was gonna be.

“Now go, I have to call your uncle.”

Once I closed the door behind me, I let my satisfaction show. How convenient that the perfect excuse presented itself in the perfect time?

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After waiting an agonizing two days. With my mother heavily disagreeing, I was finally given the go ahead to stay at my uncle pack for three months minimum.

I told my uncle it was for “superior alpha training” and like the narcissist he was, he ate it all up.

As for who my dad chose to accompany me, they were Dante, Alan, Corbin, and Shane.

Dante, Alan, and Corbin would attend my uncle’s werewolf school. While Shane and I attended the human public school, the same one Daniel goes to.

I told my dad it was to keep a close eye on Daniel. I had to convince him that Daniel was included in all of Felix’s crazy notions, it was harder than expected, way harder than convincing my dad to let me spy on Felix’s pack.

Luckily, he eventually did buy it, it is apparent now more than ever where I get my gullibleness from.

I was set to leave tonight, our rooms were already set up and I’m set to start school tomorrow.

All I feel now is sheer nervous anticipation, it took everything in me not to just dip and go confirm once and for all that my mate was somewhere in Redmond.

And my gut was telling me that she was.

If it wasn’t for the very fact that my cover would be blown and all my plans dismantled. I’d have left to see for myself two whole days ago.

They’d try to stop me otherwise.

As of this morning, Tanner lost any chance of reclaiming his previous ranking, he lost his last challenge and is now officially disqualified. I imagine a part of him is devastated but also relieved that he no longer has to fight everyday now.

We debated traveling by wolf or car but ultimately decided to take the car, there was only so much we could carry in our mouths, definitely not a three month supply of clothes.

We drove our cars through endless woods until we reached a very rural road. The road leads us to a decoy house with a massive garage, from there we’d have to grab our things and travel for miles on foot, no problem, for a werewolf it’s a mere stroll in the park, not so much for a human though.

Even being 2am on a school night, there was a crowd of people waiting for us.

Mostly girls and some adults, I see my uncle, the second in command, and even Laurel. Some of my other conquests were also there, either holding snacks, entrees, or fighting to help me with my luggages.

Not complaining though, I was absolutely starving.

“Nephew! It’s good to see you again! I know we didn’t get a chance to talk two days ago but I really wanna catch up with you and your situation. But tonight I’ll let you guys rest , Laurel here will show you to your rooms.”

Through all my fake smiles, small talk, and greetings, I take in a deep inhale, trying to catch anything, anything at all, but I smell nothing.

I let out a growl of frustration that I quickly have to stifle with a cough as my uncle pauses and raises his eyebrows at me.

“Thank you uncle for giving this opportunity to learn from you.”

“I only thought it right, you can’t get proper alpha training learning under your feeble father. Saying no would have been an injustice to you.”

I resist the urge to snort.

“Of course,” is all I say.

“Well go on and unpack, we’ll be heading off to bed here.”

Uncle Felix did not have a pack house like we did. They just had houses for every family unit, my family’s pack had both. For anyone who did not wish to live in the pack house did not have to.

Laurel, who has been leering at me the entire time, leads us to a large empty house. One emptied just for us. I took the master bedroom, and Shane, the only girl in our group, took the entire attic and bathroom, the other guys took the rest of the rooms.

I didn’t try unpacking, the minute my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

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The next morning I wake up to a knock at my bedroom door, opening it, I see that it’s Shane.

Shane is one of the best fighters we have in the pack, she even had the scars to show for it, she carried a gnarly looking scar that traveled from her forehead, through her eye and down to her cheek. She always walked around like she was only half alive.

“Laurel’s at the front door, Alpha. She says Alpha Felix wants to speak with you.” She mumbled with the same dead voice.

I sighed, “what time is it?”

“Six-thirty Alpha, school starts at eight.”

“Tell her I’ll be right there.”

“Alright.”

Closing the door, I decide to throw on a well fitted black T-shirt and some jeans, my signature style. After brushing my teeth I put my coat on, heading out the door, I see Laurel. She’s wearing a sports bra that’s my favorite color and a... mini skirt? In this weather? I mean I know what she’s trying to do but I don’t care to entertain it right now.

Without greeting her, I continue walking past.

“Well good morning to you too Keenan.”

“Is he in his office?” I ignored her grumble.

“Yea, he’s doing some paperwork. I have to bring him his morning coffee, want anything?” She gives me a suggestive look.

Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t burn all my bridges with Laurel just yet. I was here to spy afterall and she is my uncle’s assistant.

“Yes,” I say, my lips curving into my old smirk, I stop to face her. “Bring me a bagel too while you’re at it.”

“That all?” She lowers her voice an octave and takes a step closer to me.

I wanted to roll my eyes, was she always this… desperate?

“I can see you’ve missed me,” I deadpanned, she was turned on, and very obviously so. I could smell her arousal engulfing us, choking me.

“You have no idea Keenan,” she whispers, the eyes of her wolf peaking through, “no one can fuck me like you.”

Her eyes drift from my face and then down to my feet. Abruptly she places her hands on my abdomen, trailing them to my arms.

“Gosh what happened to you? Did you go through some kind of growth spurt or something? You’re so… big, bigger than before and your muscles are so much harder too,” she said, squeezing my biceps in her hands. “What in the world have you been eating?”

As if purely on instinctual reflex, my arm lashed out to push her away from me.

I could only stare in mild amusement and surprise as Laurel lay sprawled on her stomach, the ridiculous mini skirt flipped upwards showcasing her bare asscheeks for the whole world to see.

Wow she even came commando, she really thought something was gonna happen.

I chuckled slightly.

“What the hell was that for?!” She screeched, trying to right herself.

This time I bellowed a laugh as I saw the streaks of mud on the side of her face and hair, ruining her cookie cutter sex bomb appearance.

“You’re such an asshole!” She screamed, stomping away. I noted that, if anything, the smell of her arousal only grew.

Sometimes girls are fucking weird.

Walking into my uncle’s office I see him marveling at some strange container in a case, it was glowing blue.

“Good morning nephew, I hope you slept well?”

“I slept fine, thank you.”

“I want to show you something, c’mere.”

Walking over, he opens the container and pulls out a dial filled with the blue liquid.

“What is that?” I ask, perplexed.

“This is wolfcrystral, it’s very potent and very deadly to wolves and humans. Breathing it in will kill you, we’re trying to figure out how to convert it to a powder, and mass produce it.”

“We?”

He paused, “yea… an old friend of mine gave me this sample from one of the very labs he owns.”

The person that instantly came to mind was Alpha Sawyer of SaltPaw.

“What will it be used for?”

“Obviously war, why suffer so many casualties in battle when we can have this stuff do all the work for us? Which reminds me, I have a favor to ask.”

“Yea?”

“Remember the rogues we ran off into No Man’s Territory?”

“Yes.”

“We need new test subjects, we’re working on something big, something revolutionary, I can’t tell you what it is yet though, it’s a surprise. But I need you to take one… discreetly though. It’s not like anyone will miss them anyway, they’re rogues for a reason. I’m only asking you because I can trust that you’ll get it done.”

My uncle really does blindly trust me, he’s given up more information than I even needed to search for.

“Okay… I’ll do it, for the cause.”

“Oh yea, I’ve been meaning to ask, how did everything go with that human girl?”

I froze up, the question hit me like a bus, unexpectedly. I was waiting for the anger, the rage, to take a hold of me but all I felt was a strange... vulnerability.

“You were right,” I said it slowly, trying not to let the shakiness or the anger in my voice spill out.

“It worked, I marked another girl and the bond broke.”

“See? Didn’t I tell you so? Don’t you feel so much better? Isn’t your head clearer?”

My heads clear alright.

“And your wolf? He’s not mad anymore right? Now that he’s not blinded by the bond?”

“No, everything is back to normal.”

“As I told you it would be, you see? You only need to listen to your uncle. You should be very proud of yourself Keenan, you’re a success story. The first wolf in werewolf history to successfully reject their mate and break the bond.”

Damn I can’t believe I used to believe these dumbass lies. Sad thing too is that he truly believed his own bullshit.

“I know you have to get to school but I really want to finish discussing the rogue plan with you. I don’t know why you insist on going to that public human school like Daniel, especially when I have a perfectly functioning high school here.”

“I was thinking I’d go there to convince Daniel the same thing, who knows, he could be a good accessory to us, we just have to let him see things from our perspective.”

“Nah, that boy ain’t useful for shit. I’ve already given up on him, he actually believes I’ll let him be alpha to my pack,”

“And let him ruin everything you’ve built?” I pressed.

“Exactly! Ain’t no way in hell that’s happening. Anyway, come to the training room around 8pm, for some real alpha training. I’ll have Daniel or someone escort you to the human school and show you around.”

“Sounds great, I’ll see you then.”