“Peyton told me to give this to you for us all to watch together if something ever…happened.”
It was a thumb drive.
“What’s on it?” Trent asked.
She wrapped her arms around herself and shrugged. “I don’t know. He said Ken knows the password. That if you are alive, if there comes a time where a vote will be taken to name an acting or permanent successor, then and only then am I to give it to you to personally give to Ken just before the successor’s named. As long as you’re, you know, alive. He gave me other options, too.”
She sniffled. “I let him Prime me for that command. I mean, I know Ken’s standing right here, but Peyton…” She choked back a sob and Duncan walked over, slipped an arm around her, and guided her back to where he once again stood guard on the door. There, he tucked her against his side, where she quietly cried against him.
Fuck. Ken stepped forward and took the drive from Trent. He dropped into the chair behind the desk and slid the thumb drive into the USB port on his laptop, which still sat on the desk.
Sure enough, when the password box appeared, Ken typed in the code he’d held in his brain for months, the same one he’d used for the other thumb drive. It allowed him access to the files embedded inside folders with various labels.
There was a file at the top level, however. A video with the unambiguous file name KEN-SHOW-TRENT-DEWI-GILLIAN-ETC-AND-ENFORCERS-IMMEDIATELY.
And based on the file’s time-date stamp, Peyton filmed it hours before he left for Europe.
Ken swallowed back his nerves. “Everyone needs to watch this one, I guess.”
Gillian untangled herself from Duncan, blew her nose, and walked over. Ken turned the laptop around, facing into the room so everyone could see. Once they gathered around, Ken hit play and stood, craning his neck so he could watch, too.
It looked like Peyton filmed it using his computer while sitting in the same chair Ken had just occupied, and wearing the same clothes Ken remembered Peyton wore that evening.
“Whatever the situation is, it’s obviously dire if you’re watching this,” Peyton said without preamble. “It also means Ken’s here watching it, too, because he has the passcode. As Pack Alpha of the Targhee Pack, I hereby officially designate Ken Ethelbert as acting Pack Alpha. If he declines the position, he is acting under my direct authority to designate the next acting Pack Alpha, who will be in charge until my return. Should there be concrete proof of me…never returning, then Ken, Dewi, Trent, and Badger can decide together who the next Pack Alpha will be to take my place. If, for some reason, all of them are deceased, then I cede the authority to Beck, Duncan, Joaquin, Gillian, and Asia to decide the acting or permanent Pack Alpha. Aisling Walsh and Trevor Clarke are next on the list, if none of the others are alive.”
Peyton heavily sighed. “If all of them are dead, too, then I guess we’re beyond royally fucked, and I’m sorry. Make the best choices you can under the circumstances.”
The video ended.
Ken heavily slumped into the chair. “Nope. Abso-fucking-lutely not.” He looked at Dewi. “And do not Prime me, mate,” he growled.
The air in the room grew tense and prickly as she stared at him for a long moment. Then she took a deep breath, subtly shifting her stance back and tipping her chin up just a hair close to submitting but not quite. “No,” she said. “I won’t Prime you to do it. But I’m also not doing it.”
Everyone marginally relaxed as a collective breath was exhaled.
Then Ken looked to Trent. “Well? You’re it, since Dewi doesn’t want it. You should be it. As the oldest brother and Peyton’s second, it makes sense.”
“Nope,” Trent said. “I’m not a Prime. That might work for Trevor Clarke and his pack, but for what we’re dealing with, especially now, our Pack Alpha must be a Prime.”
Trent looked at Duncan, crossed the office, and took a knee in front of him, tipping his head back to expose his throat. “I nominate and cede all authority to our former Pack Alpha, Duncan Lister, to be our acting Pack Alpha.”
Duncan had resumed his previous position, leaning against the office door with his arms crossed over his chest. He stared down at Trent as Dewi handed the baby to Badger before she also walked over and took a knee next to Trent. “Me, too.” She tipped her head back. “Seconded. I submit to our acting Pack Alpha.”
Ken, not knowing if it was needed, stood, rounded the desk, and joined them. “Thirded. I officially nominate Duncan Lister to be acting Pack Alpha. Motion carries.”
Except for Badger, who held the baby, the other Enforcers turned to face Duncan and took knees to him, every one of them tipping their heads back to expose their throats.
Duncan silently studied them for a long moment before he pushed off the wall, crossed the room in three steps, and knelt in front of Badger.
He tipped his head back to expose his throat. “I cede all authority to Rodney Williams and recognize him as our acting Pack Alpha.”
Joaquin, who’d ended up next to Ken, leaned toward him. “Who’s Rodney Williams?” he whispered, which was completely unnecessary considering every adult in the room except Ken was a shifter.
“He means Badger, idiot,” Ken hissed back.
“Oh, right. Well, I guess that makes sense.”
Gillian knelt next to Duncan. “As do I,” she quietly said. “I recognize Rodney Williams as acting Pack Alpha, sir, and fully submit to your authority.”
