He looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure. The only one who told me who he is in the pack was the Alpha. I don’t know who any of the others were.”
“That’s all right.” The Beta must have been present when Ren shifted back to human for the first time since his change. In smaller packs, all pack members were asked to be present when a new wolf awakened and resumed their human forms. In largerpacks, at the very least the three highest-ranked members, along with the head tracker and anyone who might be called on to support the new wolf, would be there. “I’m going to contact the Alpha. From the sounds of it, he didn’t know anyone came after you. Aside from what was done to you, they broke protocol by acting without the Alpha’s knowledge, and he needs to hear about it.”
“Okay.” He hitched in a breath. “I don’t have anything. All my stuff? I had it with me when I was attacked, because I didn’t have anywhere to leave it. I don’t know where it is now. My clothes, but I had paperwork and stuff. Social Security card. ID. Is there…Do you think I’ll be able to get those things back?”
“I don’t know.” Clearly it was important to him to retrieve what belonged to him. No surprise, if that was all he had. But from what he’d said, several days had passed since he was changed. If his things were abandoned at the site of the attack that changed him, they were probably long gone. I didn’t want to dash his hopes by saying so. “When I talk to the Connecticut Pack Alpha, I’ll ask him if anyone brought your things when they brought you to the pack. If not, I’ll have him send someone out to look for them. That’s the best I can do, I’m afraid.”
“Yeah, they’re probably gone.” Sighing, he slumped forward. “Oh, well. The paperwork all has my deadname anyway. And the clothes were filthy.”
“If we can get them back for you, we will.” Seeing how resigned he was to the prospect of losing everything he owned, I was more determined not to let that happen. “I can’t do much over the next couple of days. I have to get ready for the gathering, and then I’ll be running things until the day after the full moon. But once all of that is passed, we can start replacing your belongings and maybe seeing about getting your name legally changed so when you replace the paperwork, it will be correct.”
“These days, who knows if changing my name will be allowed.” He shrugged. “Thank you, Anax.”
“Tobias.” I stood. “Do you want to be with me when I call the Connecticut Alpha? Or would you rather stay up here?” I’d nearly forgotten something. “My doctor should arriveany time now. How are your injuries?”
“They still hurt.” He studied his hand. “This one’s pretty bad. Not as bad as it was. Maybe he should take a look?”
“Then why don’t you come back downstairs? I have a room set up for medical care.” Having Wilbur examine Ren in the medical room might also allow Ren to continue viewing this small room as a safe space for him. Somewhere he could be comfortable, at least until I moved him to the Boston packs’ guest house for the duration of the gathering.
Carefully, with faint gasps that indicated pain, he unfolded himself and followed me back to the first floor. I showed him where the medical room was but quickly steered him back to the parlor. The medical room lay toward the back of the house, and I didn’t want Ren to see the Connecticut wolves, who were presumably still out on the back lawn.
“So, look,” I said as he settled himself on the sofa again. “I’m going into my office. It’s directly across the hall. Come knock on the door if you need me. Xavier will come in when the guys from Connecticut Pack leave. One of my other guards, Davion, will be here soon, and so will Wilbur.”
“Okay.” He picked up the bottle he’d set down earlier and took a sip of water. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to keep thanking me. You deserve help and safety.” I flashed a smile and went to my office, where I took a few breaths to settle my temper before I picked up the phone.
As I’d guessed, Enzo Pereira knew nothing about any of his wolves trotting into my territory to locate Ren. “I was concerned when I realized Ren left, Anax,” he said after I explained the situation. “I had no objection, though. It’s always a wolf’s choice whether to be part of my pack. I keep no one who isn’t willing to be here.”
“I’ve seen that of you in the time I’ve known you, old friend,” I said, purposely using the phrase that indicated I considered him an ally even though I didn’t know him well. “Your trackers report that your Beta and head tracker sent them to prevent Ren from, as they put it, defecting from your pack.”
“Is that so?” His tone hardened. “I wasn’t told about this and certainly gave no approval for the pursuit. I’ll speak with Bertram and Garth about this. They had no right, and I apologize, Anax, for the intrusion into your territory.”
“You owe me no apology, old friend.” This time, I emphasized the words just a touch, hoping he would catch on and stop using my title. I was done being the Anax, at least for the next few minutes. “Please let me know what their justification is, if they have one. Meanwhile, Ren is now one of my wolves, and I trust there will be no further attempts to locate him by anyone from your pack.”
“Absolutely not,” he said firmly.
I hesitated. The beating had happened after Enzo left, from what Ren had told me, so he was unlikely to know anything about that either. But he should know that he had pack members who saw nothing wrong with ganging up on someone simply for being transgender. “When Ren arrived, he was seriously injured. Multiple gashes and a puncture wound on one hand. He said he was assaulted by some of your wolves after you left. Because his wolf form is male but in human form…”
“I saw,” Enzo said sharply. “Ren’s transgender. He told me. You’re saying that my pack members assaulted him for that?”
“He says it. I believe him.”
“I know who was there when I left. I’ll deal with them.” His tone lightened a bit. “Please tell Ren I’m sorry for what he went through, both being changed by one of my pack and this attack and pursuit.”
“I’ll tell him.” I paused. “He’ll be on site during the gathering, though he’ll most likely be staying in the house I’ve reserved for the Boston packs. If he’s willing to meet with you, you can apologize to him yourself.”
“Of course,” he said. “Just let me know.”
“I will. Thank you. And keep me informed of whatever you find out from your pack members.”
“I will, Anax.”
I hung up and stared at the phone. In the front hall, the doorbanged. Either Davion or Wilbur, or possibly both, had arrived. I couldn’t stay in here much longer. In spite of intending my trip to the house to be a breather, now I had work to do. But I could give myself another couple of minutes to talk to my mate.
Kyle answered on the first ring. “Tobias, my love. I thought you’d be back by now.”
“There have been some…complications.” Going into everything would only worry him, but he had a right to know. Since April, when I’d disappeared for a few days after the Anax power started getting the better of me, I’d promised Kyle I would keep him informed of everything I had the right to inform him of. Which, since I was the Anax and decided what my rights were, was pretty much everything.
