Beta Alexander began the day vastly annoyed at being called to this small community in Washington state to deal with an issue that Bright Moon should have banded together with other local packs and handled. He understood the uneasy truce between the indigenous packs and the Bright Moon pack of European descent, but could not fathom how the common enemy of rogue wolves had not managed to pull them together with at least a modicum of solidarity. More complications; politics and sins of the father muddied that water. Cungr attempted to reach out to the indigenous packs only to be given the cold shoulder. The Arch Alpha wasn't willing to push the issue with them. Why start a fight in the center of his territory where things were otherwise calm?

Now the Arch Alpha had run off after an obviously insane woman proclaiming to have found his mate. Not that Alex was going to reveal that little tidbit of information to anyone. Kate would lose her shit. Goddess only knew how the local pack would take the news considering they had a rather dim view peppered with a healthy dose of fear regarding the crazed female in question. With everything else going on in the North American territories, pressures from the South American packs trying to move up into Mexico, and attempting to navigate the crazy political environment in the United States; Alex was worn out. The last thing he needed was Cungr going hormonal over a mate. Always one to look for advantages in a bad situation, Alex prayed that perhaps a mate would calm the Arch Alpha. Vexed by the situations they faced, the Arch had been leaning towards full out war the last few months. So far Alex and Kate were able to convince him it would not solve the issues of displaced packs seeking refuge and native pack members going rogue. That was an immense shock, the discovery that most of the rogues were cropping up from what had previously been considered stable well-adjusted packs. The occurrences were becoming more prevalent and getting harder to keep under control. At least the other Arch Alphas were having similar issues in their own territories so the Council had not yet singled Cungr out to be unseated from his position. It was like the entire planet had lost its mind and it wasn't just the supernatural community affected.

Alex rails on Davin, “Who the hell is that half-cracked woman the Arch just lit out after?”

Davin and his cohorts, thoroughly cowed by the towering Beta and his men, stumble out an explanation. “She is a… well we don’t know Sir.”

Alex, with an incredulous look. “Why did you not report her to the Arch? You know all rogues must be reported.”

Davin, hesitantly, ”She’s not really a rogue…” half-whispering, “We don’t know what she is.”

Alex, “Enough, explain!”

At this Davin’s Beta, Thompson, steps up. “Beta Alexander, she’s not a werewolf. We don’t know what she is. She has lived here longer than the pack has from what we know.”

Anger mixes with concern in Alex’s eyes. What the hell did Cungr just take off after? He reaches out with his mind link only to find a solid wall still blocking him. It is cold comfort to know the link would at least tell him if the Arch dies. He thrusts that thought aside and calms himself.

Alex asks, “What do you know about her?”

The local pack members shift uneasily, a few mumbling under their breath. A young Delta blurts out, “Willie talks to her more than anyone, go ask him.” All heads whip to the Delta.

Alex, “Who is Willie?”

Davin’s tongue finally loosens, “Hush Red. You can’t trust Willie, Sir. He’s a half-addled Omega that runs the service station. He makes up crazy stories, especially about K.”

Alex regards Davin coolly then turns to the young Delta named Red, “You, come with us. Davin, verify what the woman said about the rogues. We’ll meet back here at first light if the Arch Alpha has not returned before then.”

The wolves nod and the pack begins to disperse a few gathering around Davin, phones flicking open, calls being made.

Alex slides behind the wheel of one SUV as the rest of the group piles into the vehicles. Red is sitting uneasily in the front passenger seat regretting his life choices. “Where do we find this Willie?” Alex asks.

When the two SUVs pull up to the 1950s looking gas station Red opens his door. Before hopping out of the vehicle “Would you mind staying here for a minute Sir? Willie can be a bit spooky, he doesn’t care for strangers. If he takes off into the scrub we won’t see him for weeks.” Alex nods silent agreement. Brice and Trip exit the SUV behind them and walk up to Alex, leaning against the vehicle on either side of his window, watching Red as he disappears behind the service station.

A few minutes later Red returns. “Willie’s waiting, may I make a suggestion Sir?”

“Sure.” Alex replies in an annoyed tone.

“If you want to get information out of Willie, leave the Gammas out here and make it just us and your Omega.”

Alex nods and gets out of the car closely followed by the Omega Kate.

The group walks by a pair of tall dented garage doors, around the back of the service station, entering through a once grey and now mostly rust-colored man door. The block building's blue paint has peeled back in areas revealing the grey concrete underneath. The smell of motor oil and the sweet scent of antifreeze engulfs them as they enter. Willie is humming gently and putting a red enameled kettle on a small hot plate that sits on a tan formica counter. A green-tinted mason jar filled with tea bags is placed next to a set of little piggie salt and pepper shakers on the plastic waxed table cloth covering a small wobbly card table in the far corner. Willie's body stiffens when Alex's scent hits him, he turns around cautiously. Panic flashes across his face as he regards Alex with a furtive sideways glance.

“It’s all right Willie, this is Beta Alexander. He’s the one who needs your help.” Red says trying to sooth the old man.

Willie instinctively casts his gaze to the floor, Kate steps forward and indicates wordlessly for Alex to stay back. She places her hand on Willie’s arm. “Hello, I am Kate. Please, we really need your help.”

Willie looks up at her, a soft smile fills his face. His weathered mahogany skin plucks at some primordial string in her, she can smell burning sage and almost hear drums melding with rich indigenous voices that echo through time as she looks into his amber-colored eyes. “Please, I promise we aren’t here to hurt anyone.” Kate beseeches.

Willie nods and sets down at the small table, placing teacups and a sugar bowl down for use. “Please, hav’a chair. How kin I help?” His voice rolls out in soft rich tones.

Alex leans against the concrete block wall by the door as Red and Kate sit on aged metal folding chairs with Willie.

Red starts, “We need to find K.”

“Ya know I can’t help you with that. I Promised her.” Willie says softly. “Sides last time someone went lookin' it dinna turn out well.” Willie shakes his head, his expression one of worry.

Alex makes a grumbling noise from across the room, shifting forward as if he intends to force an answer. Kate flashes a withering gaze at the tower of muscle. Alex settles back down, acknowledging this is her show. Red exhibits an amazed expression at the exchange, he has never seen an Omega and dominant wolf interact that way. In this pack, an Omega would never dare look a dominate wolf in the eye, let alone back one off. Even a female Omega mated to a dominant wolf wouldn't dare such a thing, not in front of others in any case.

“Is there anything you’d feel comfortable to tell us about her? Our Alpha took off after her.” Kate's sweet voice cajoled.

Willie's eyes jolted up to her with a look of concern. “Ats no good, he'll have a rough time if she’s not feel’n charitable. Maybe you folks better start planning the service.”

There is a scuffling sound as Alex's heavy boots start to move forward again. Kate waves him back without bothering to cast a look his way. Water in the teapot starts to bubble and the teapot sends a shrill whistle out in notification. Red rises to fetch it and fill their cups. “Would you like some Sir?” he asks Alex. Alex shakes his head no, crossing muscular arms across his broad chest. The look on the Beta's face unnerves Red. The young man's hands shake slightly as he pours. Alex's anger hangs heavily in the air.

Willie casts the occasional nervous glance the Beta's way and begins to fidget with the edge of his teacup. Kate reaches forward calmly to open the mason jar containing the tea bags. She finds the smell of black tea and bergamot strangely soothing in this tense situation. Her easy actions and unruffled demeanor in the face of the Beta's disquiet soothes the two less dominant males.

Red, knowing he needs to get Willie talking before the Arch Beta loses patience, pats Willie on the shoulder, ” Why don’t you tell us some of those great stories of yours about K?”

Willie’s Eyes light up. “Happy to do that!”

Willie starts out talking about this "K" with costive reservation, as he continues his fear melts away, Alex's brooding presence forgotten. Willie becomes more animated in his stories.

Willie’s tone is warm and appreciative as if the creature he speaks of is a close family member or old friend instead of a fearsome beast. In his joy of weaving tales, Willie lets information drop that causes Alex to jolt back, anxiety building in his chest. How Kate is keeping her cool is beyond him. For the first time in years, fear is crawling through Alex’s veins clawing along his intestines, unsettling his calm. If half of what this man says is true his Alpha has leapt into danger that Alex doesn’t have the manpower to pull Cungr out of.

Alex listens raptly as the aged Omega tells fond stories of a skilled hunter and powerful adversary. The creature he is describing, the way it hunts, moves, kills. It harkens the image of a mythical monster supposedly eradicated by Arch legions over three-quarters of a millennia ago. When pressed, Willie admits to not knowing her age, he claims she has been here longer than the western packs but not as long as his ancestors. From what Alex gleans the creature at least predates the 1700s. Though Willie’s stories are vague, Alex can fill in the blanks with his own historical knowledge. A few of the stories match events that may have occurred during the 12th and 13th centuries. There was no way possible this creature was that old. Nothing known of in this age lived that long.

Willie recalls his young life, how his parents were friendly with the beast, how the monster had always been a fixture in their lives. Willie's family was a long lone of revered Omega Shamans. His ancestors were the first to contact this "K" and broker an understanding that allowed the native packs to live alongside the creature in peace, even being able to call on the beast for help in times of crisis. When packs of European descent overran the area, killing most of the native werewolves, K withdrew. Willie was not sure why, but for some reason, K was not fond of the invading packs.

Willie finishes with the story of an Alpha who allowed the pack to use Willie for hunting practice after his parents were killed by rogues. They would set him loose, give him an hour head start then chase him down beating him and caging him again once caught. Krish spirited him away during one such hunt, raised him, taught him to course deer and how to evade the pack if he needed to run. He chuckles about her frustration when she finally realized teaching him to fight would not work. Willie tears up when speaking of how K stalked the rogues that killed his parents for months then slaughtered all 7 of them. Most rogues stay away from the mountains surrounding the region because of the rumors that something ancient and evil lives there. Willie chuckles at this, "K ain't any meaner than a storm or an earthquake. Her morality just don't fit most folk's standard."

Alex is deep in thought as Kate thanks Willie for his help. On the way to the vehicles, Alex stops Kate and Red. "Not a breath of this to anyone. Understood?"

Alex decides he'll continue to keep the revelation that this creature may be Cungr's mate to himself. Kate would not take that news lightly. Cungr promised to mark Kate soon, make her his Selene. He had no heirs and was a third of the way through an Arch's life expectancy. The leggy platinum blonde female was chosen for her intelligence and lineage. She quickly became attached to the Arch Alpha and he didn't seem to mind the attention, though he never exhibited the possessive protective nature most Alphas would show to a potential partner. This was going to get complicated and messy, two things Alex loathed most. He needed to focus on something else for a bit.

Regarding Red, Alex's mind considers options. "How old are you Red?"

Warily Red replies, "Nineteen Arch Beta."

"Good, we are going to transfer you to our pack. You will be leaving with us as soon as the Arch Alpha returns." Alex states.

Red's face is stunned for a moment, then he bows his head in acceptance. There really wasn't much use in arguing with any of the Arch hierarchy."If he returns you mean." Red wisely keeps that thought to himself.