“Yeah, sure. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt,” she replies in a deadpan voice. “How much was Remy Matisse actually able to tell you about the Rockcastle pack?”
“Not much beyond the fact that they’re fairly isolated,” says Luke, eyes darting to Yang and Smith. “Why? Is there something else we should know about?”
Yang makes a face I can’t read. “Yeah.” She sighs. “To start off with, the last time anyone from the triumvirate had directinteraction with the Rockcastle pack was almost twenty years ago when Rockcastle absorbed a smaller pack, and there was some question about whether that was… voluntary.”
“And what else?” Luke asks. “There’s no way you two made the effort to come all the way out here because Rockcastlemighthave illegally taken over a smaller pack twenty years ago.”
“You’re right,” says Smith, speaking up for the first time. “We’re here because, after a preliminary investigation in Smyrna, we have reason to believe the Rockcastle pack has ties to the human lab Ollie was kept at.”
Twenty-Two
Ollie
Smith says they alreadyhave enough evidence to arrest Rockcastle’s Alpha, Earl Jenkins, but they want to get a better idea of the pack structure and compound layout before moving in—a task Luke and I will be positioned perfectly for since we already have an invitation into their territory. The invitation Remy wrangled out of the Alpha Mate can’t extend to Smith and Yang, but, as Luke’s second, we’ll be able to bring Macy in with us without causing an uproar.
So, just like that, our visit to Rockcastle goes from family reunion to a sort of recon mission for the triumvirate. On the plus side, we no longer have to worry about Rockcastle having any objections to our mating. Yang guarantees whoever the triumvirate appoints in Earl’s place will be more than happy todo whatever’s necessary to officially release me from the pack in return for our help with this.
That’s one problem solved, but it seems like a bunch more just got piled on top.
Smith pulls out an actual paper map and lays it over the hood of their vehicle, smoothing out the creases with one hand. He points at a large shaded area in the center. “This is our best estimate of the Rockcastle territory borders. It spans over five hundred acres and backs up to the National Forest, so we’re obviously not expecting you to go over all of it.” He sets his index finger on a smaller section outlined in red. “There is only one marked road where you’re headed, and it leads to this area where we believe the main house is located.”
Yang taps a finger on the eastern edge of the territory. “The only other access to the property that we can find is this old fire road. Smith and I will wait there in case we’re needed.”
Macy frowns. “How will you know if you’re needed?”
“With this.” Yang pulls a small rectangular object from her pocket. “It’s a satellite messenger. It can’t do anything more than send a distress signal and give a location, but it keeps things simple.” She quickly goes over how to use it and hands it to Luke, who slides it into his pocket.
After going over a few more details, the two praetorians wish us luck and then we’re off, this time with Macy driving and me sitting in the backseat.
The dashboard GPS leads us to a narrow curving road that hugs the side of the mountain, a rock wall on one side, and nothing but a frighteningly small guardrail protecting us from the sheer drop on the other. My ears pop as we continue upward, and Macy’s grip on the steering wheel tightens.
I’m not sure how long we climb, but the road eventually levels out—sort of—and Macy takes a narrow gravel road that, thankfully, leads away from the side of the mountain and intothe forest of trees. The gravel gives way to dirt, the trees encroaching further and further into the path, and eventually, Macy has to pull to a stop when what was a road becomes more of a dirt path that’s much too narrow for the SUV to squeeze through.
To our left is a rectangular cleared area lined with gravel that appears to be a parking area. That’s what Macy uses it for anyway, backing the SUV in and turning it off before the three of us get out.
“Smith didn’t think to mention we’d have to go part of the way on foot?” Macy asks, glancing around uneasily.
“He probably didn’t know,” says Luke, shrugging.
“I don’t like this,” says Macy. “Not having an easy getaway makes us way too vulnerable.”
“Maybe that’s exactly why they have things set up like this,” says Luke, striding across the clearing to the edge of the narrow path between the trees. He crouches down and takes a closer look at the ground. “There are tire tracks here. ATVs or something like that. I guess once you’re on Rockcastle’s territory, you’re at the mercy of whatever transportation they’re willing to provide.”
“I don’t think we’ll be getting the transportation welcome committee,” I say. “Remy didn’t commit to a time frame and they probably aren’t expecting us to show up yet.”
“I guess we walk then,” says Luke. “It can’t be that far.”
He opens up the back door of the SUV, retrieving his bag, then tosses a second bag to Macy who’s still standing there looking around.
“This is all so… weird,” she says. “How did a pack this isolated end up associating with humans in Tennessee?”
“I guess we’ll find out,” says Luke, wrapping an arm around my waist and starting down the dirt path.
We follow the trail for maybe half a mile before it starts to widen, and a hundred yards or so later, dead ends in a large, cleared area with smaller paths branching off in various directions.
A large structure sits in the center of the clearing, its rustic wood motif making me think most people would call it a cabin, though it’s definitely a luxury one. The cabin has two stories with an A-frame area in the center and one side that’s almost entirely made up of windows. A deck spans the length of the building, a few groupings of patio furniture spaced out across it along with a grill and a smoker on one end.
Macy’s gaze runs over the house, eyes narrowing at a twitching curtain in a window on the first floor. “I think they already know we’re here.”
