AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And if Ryder’s Wolves weren’t in deep hurt, where were they? Dear God, did they have even more of these recruits?
But the guys were lining up as they’d been instructed. Ryder walked up the line of the first row. He stared at them in silence. “I thought you said you had some training up at the lodge,” he said at last. “In what? Cleaning latrines? Because I sure can’t see anything else you might be good at.”
Benny swallowed a laugh. He’d heard Dad use that line when chewing out Ryder. So maybe he wasn’t channeling his own Army days; God help them, he might be channeling their father.
“If you’ve got any weapons toss them forward, onto the ground,” Ryder ordered. “Guns, knives. Get them out here.”
They didn’t have much. One gun, three knives. Pretty pitiful.
“Now, how did you get here?” Ryder demanded. “You!” He pointed to a young man in the front row who was at least standing straight with his eyes forward and aimed at Ryder’s feet. “Where were you earlier?”
“We came home after work, sir,” the young man said. “And one of our bosses was waiting for us. He sent us on this mission. Said this house was that of a traitor and we were to harass those inside. Let them know his kind wasn’t wanted here.”
“Are you pack?” Ryder asked.
“I... I thought I was,” he said, his voice quavering. “But something happened yesterday. And I guess I’m not pack. It hurt. But the man tonight said when he came to power, we’d be pack again. That someone had killed the old Alpha, but he wouldn’t last long. And when he was gone, he’d take over, and things would be like they were before.”
“I see,” Ryder said. “And so he sent you out to risk your life, while he stayed safe in the dark? Or did he come with?”
“He said he had other places he had to be, sir,” the young man answered. “That this was a test. I guess we failed.”
“Be grateful you failed,” Ryder growled. “If you had harmed one person in this house under my care, I would have killed you all without remorse. And gone inside for dessert.”
Benny’s eyes crinkled at that one.
“Who are you?” someone asked.
“My name is Ryder,” he answered. “I’m the new Alpha. I killed the old Alpha in a fair challenge fight, because he kidnapped and tortured a friend of mine. And I stand by my friends. Trust me, if I send you on a mission, I’ll be leading it. Not going off to a nice roast beef dinner.”
So Ryder was thinking the same as he was. But how was he going to resolve this? Apparently there had been a third dorm of men. How many of them were there? Were they breeding them like rats in the dark?
They just might be, he realized with growing dread. The Pied Piper was still out there. The pipeline was broken here in the middle, and there was no one in Vancouver to receive anyone. But that didn’t mean that the Pied Piper wasn’t still creating new wolves, wasn’t spreading the word that Chen was recruiting an army. He closed his eyes briefly. He needed to call Cujo. Like yesterday.
“All right,” Ryder said. “So. You’ve gotten a raw deal. You were essentially shanghaied into this. For some of you, this is a world you didn’t even know existed. For others, you left all you knew because you were told there was a place waiting for you where you could belong, maybe have a family someday. And so you set out, much like our ancestors did. Only they lied to you. They were going to throw you away, use you for cannon fodder, and let you die in a war you don’t understand. And if you ever came to understand it, you’d probably realize you were on the wrong side. Wouldn’t matter. You’d be dead soon anyway.”
Benny’s eyes burned. That was spoken from Ryder’s own experiences. No wonder he was giving them more than one chance here. Benny would have sent them up to the lodge by now. Cujo would have sent them up there with no supplies, and probably taken their shoes. Probably only Jake Lewis would understand this man. And just like Lt. Col. Jake Lewis, Tom George Garrison was someone worth following into battle.
“But one thing they weren’t wrong about,” Ryder said. “There is a battle coming. It’s a battle between the traditional packs who treated you like shit, and treat women worse, and the modernized packs that offer jobs and education and a chance for you to have a real life. Traditional packs are great — if you’re on top. And if you’re not? Well, you can shovel shit in some barn for the rest of your very long life. That’s what the war that’s coming is about. Opportunities for as many people as possible vs everything for the few men who rule. So, here’s the deal. We’re going to go up to that gate, and I’m taking you inside. And you’re going to get your first lesson in building a camp. And then we’re getting some sleep tonight. Tomorrow you can tell me which side you’re on. And if you want to fight to be treated like shit, I’ll let you out the gate, and tell the traditionalists to come get you. But if you want to build something worth fighting for? Then we'll talk.”
“Damn me,” Duncan said under his breath. “Sign me up. I never saw that coming.”
Benny glanced at him. Truth be told, he hadn’t known his kid brother had it in him either. Not that he was going to admit that to anyone. He just raised one eyebrow, and then turned back to face the men in front of him. And one by one, they started nodding.
“Well?” Ryder barked. “Speak up. I can’t hear what passes for brains rattling in your skulls!”
“Yes, sir,” said the one who had spoken for them.
“Yes, sir,” the others echoed.
Ryder grunted. “Well, it’s a start, I guess.”
He started toward the gate, Jessie at his side. There was something terrifying about a man and a wolf like that. And compelling.
The young men fell in behind him. “Those with keys, drive those pickups inside the walls,” Ryder said over his shoulder. “Benny, you might bring our rig inside too.”
Benny tossed the keys to Dennis, and he and Duncan walked through the gate bringing up the rear. Well, well, Benny thought. What have we here?
