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And then Tuesday everything had changed again. They’d felt Bjorn’s death, and it had cut the wolves out here loose. Benny thought that fit with what had happened in town too. The most recent arrivals were linked to Bjorn, not to the Alpha. Bjorn Hansen had been building a troop of shifters who were loyal to him — not McKenzie. Not Campbells. Not the Penticton pack.
Benny wondered how long it would have been before Hansen took over the pack —and how he had planned to do it. Academic question, now. But Benny thought that they’d probably interrupted a coup in the planning stages.
And then the Alpha died too —a challenge fight, but neither Mark nor Logan could tell who. Someone they didn’t recognize. That started a lot of phone conversations between Logan and Angus Campbell that Mark hadn’t been privy too—which had told Mark all he needed to know about how the family hierarchy was shaping up. When Logan had announced that the dominance fights would be to the death — the shifters needed to be blooded — Mark had protested. And got attacked by Logan in wolf form and then tossed into the basement. An example had been made of him, Mark thought, so that the younger wolves would know who was boss and what happened if you disobeyed. If Logan would do this to family, what would he do to them?
He’d been joined by Growler —whose name was Isaac apparently —and his team when Isaac refused to kill his defeated opponent.
There was no place in the century for sissies, Logan had told them all, according to Isaac. But even sissies could serve the century.
Isaac had been working in Glacier National Park as a guide, but when things shut down for the winter, he’d drifted down here, pursuing a call for lone wolves looking for a place to belong. He’d thought Penticton might do for the winter. And then he’d ended up out here. “If I wanted to spend the winter in a god-forsaken half-destroyed lodge I could have stayed at the park,” he said with disgust. Benny thought he’d grill him later about that call he’d heard, but for now, he had to focus on Campbell’s plans to take over the pack.
“Campbell needed bait and you were it,” Benny said, considering it. “If the place had been abandoned we wouldn’t have come in there. And the sniper couldn’t get his shot.”
Mark grimaced. “Sounds like my grandfather,” he said. “Plans within plans.”
“What was he planning to do with the wolves who left?” Benny asked. “Someone came up after them, right?”
Mark Campbell met his eyes. “Rory came up,” he confirmed. “He had vans with him. He’s going to attack Wolf’s Head. He said if the Alpha didn’t come here, he’d be there. And if he did come up here, that ‘damn female pack Second’ would be there, and that would be almost as good.”
Benny sensed the description of Jessie was a quote and he didn’t challenge him for what sounded like disrespect.
“Are the wolves he took in as bad of shape as you?” Benny asked.
Mark nodded and closed his eyes as if the memory of the last few days pained him. “We were due a food delivery on Tuesday. But with Bjorn’s death, then the Challenge, and everything in turmoil, I think they forgot about us. I wanted to send some wolves out to hunt, bring in a deer. But....”
But Logan was in charge, and he thought a bit of hunger would give the men an edge. Benny added Logan’s name to his growing list of men who must die.
“Had some time to think down there,” Mark said wryly. “Logan and our grandfather probably started planning this the minute the Alpha fell.”
Probably, Benny agreed. Or even more likely, they had been fantasizing about the Alpha’s death and how they’d assume power for a long time.
“And is Logan the sniper on the hill?” Benny asked.
Mark looked up at the hillside too. “I don’t know. I’ve been in the basement,” he reminded him. “It could be Logan. Or he could have taken the wolves in to Grandfather, and left Rory up here. I don’t know. Rory came down to the basement to gloat — said I was paying the price for my lack of obedience to Grandfather’s wishes —so I know he was here. But I don’t....” He trailed off again.
“I’ve lost track of time,” he admitted. “I’m pretty disoriented.”
Benny considered him. He didn’t think the man was lying, but as he just said, he might not be completely reliable either. “So what is the plan for using the wolves?” he asked.
Mark Campbell shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean if I were to guess —he’s going to turn the wolves loose and tell them to attack. And if they’re hungry? They’ll go for the house and after everyone in it.”
Benny nodded. Simple and almost foolproof. And Benny was three hours away from being able to do a damn thing about it. Well, that would have to be Jason’s problem.
“Eat,” Benny ordered. “Get these others to eat too.” He looked at Isaac. “They’re your team. They’ll look to you for leadership. You want them to eat, and to talk to you. That’s your assignment. Mark will help you, but you’re the one that’s kept them alive so far. So bring them home.”
Isaac looked at the other young men consideringly. Mark met his eyes and nodded. Good enough. He turned away from the bonfire and walked toward the Expedition. He called the number he had one more time. A woman answered it. Amanda, he thought. She found Jason for him, and he filled him in.
Jason’s swearing was memorable.
“Wish I could be there to help,” Benny said, meaning it. It was killing him not to be on a bike heading south toward them right now.
“Wish you were too,” Jason muttered. “Any bright ideas?”
Well actually, Benny had one —a message for Jessie. Jason listened silently. Benny waited for a reaction, but apparently Jason had none. Couldn’t say he blamed him. “How is she?” Benny asked.
It seemed to be working, Jason said. She was stretched out on a couch in Duncan’s study, with Dennis monitoring her pulse. Amanda Chen had taken over the house; at least she was the one he was working with. “Is she related to Alpha Chen?”
“Granddaughter,” Benny said.
