Nodding, Oracle asked, “Do you know how long you want to wait?”
“No…but I know it won’t happen before Rudy and his gang have been captured and Frank is found. That should give Cain some time to settle in and decide if life in a wolf pack is something he can handle.”
“I will inform the High Council,” Oracle replied. “And speaking about Rudy…has Tristan contacted you?”
“No…I asked Reeve to have him call me, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”
“I am sure you will. Now I must go and inform the Fates of your decision. And, by the way, I have asked Mystia to see you immediately if she uncovers any further information.”
“Thanks,” Jackson muttered, glancing down at the new text on his phone as Oracle left his study. After reading it, he quickly answered Groose, approving his defense plan. The likelihood the Blackwood Pack would be Rudy’s target was slim since killing him wouldn’t make Rudy the Silver Point Pack Alpha, but he agreed with Groose on ‘the better be safe than sorry’ theory. Just as he was about to set his phone down and get back to going over the Pack’s monthly expense report, it began to beep.
Hitting the accept button, Jackson said, “Hello Cousin.”
“I haven’t gotten used to the fact I have so many cousins,” Tristan said, chuckling.
“After this mess with Rudy is over, I’ll have you over for a barbecue. My brother makes a mean steak.”
“Sounds good,” Tristan replied. “Now for some housecleaning…I’m sorry about Reeve’s call…he’s assured me it won’t happen again because he knows the consequences if he forgets who’s Alpha. As for Rudy…my main concern is protecting the members of my pack, but I don’t have enough enforcers to guarantee that, so I’ve come up with two options…the first is to move all my members to the main building and use my enforcers to form a ring around it.”
“That sounds okay,” agreed Jackson, “but unless there are enough enforcers to stand shoulder to shoulder, you run the risk of one or more of his gang sneaking past them. And once Rudy has men inside, he’ll have you under his control…and Tristan, that would be what I’d expect Rudy to do.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Tristan replied. “Which is why I came up with option two…Rudy can’t use or harm any of my pack members if they aren’t here, which leaves him with only one choice and that’s to fight me and my enforcers.”
Impressed by his cousin’s reasoning, Jackson asked, “Where would your pack members be?”
“At my brother’s condo. According to Heath, the building has a number of meeting rooms that could quite easily handle all of them. And there are only two doors, both of which Reeve’s men are guarding now.”
“Sounds like a good plan…what do you need from me?” asked Jackson.
“Could you ask Maximus if he knows how to contact Mystia? I don’t have enough vehicles or ones big enough to move my pack in a timely manner…”
“And you thought Mystia, being a witch, could use magic to do that,” Jackson finished.
“Exactly,” Tristan replied. “It’s the fastest way I could come up with.”
“Unfortunately Mystia isn’t available,” Jackson said. “But I know someone else who can do it. I’m not sure if you met him when you were here. His name is Remy and is the mate to your cousin, Carson.”
“I’m not sure, but the name sounds familiar,” Tristan murmured, thinking back to the day he met his cousins.
Chuckling, Jackson replied, “Probably because his younger brother Galen was brandishing a sword and warning you not to hurt Remee.”
“Yup, I remember that,” Tristan said, smiling at the memory. “He was quite insistent I would be made to walk the plank if I did.”
“That sounds like Galen. He said the same thing to Carson when they first met,” Jackson replied. “If you’re okay with Remy helping you out…”
“I am,” Tristan replied. “How soon do you think he would be available to move my pack? I’m not trying to rush you but according to Reeve, it could be as little as three hours before Rudy shows up with his companions.”
“I’ll go ask him now,” Jackson said. “And I’ll call you back with an answer.”
“Sounds good,” Tristan replied.
After hanging up, Jackson sat for a moment, thinking about his cousin. He had expected a plea for help, but what he got was a well-thought out plan. That was a pleasant surprise, but his cousin’s determination toprotect his pack members over himself was pure Alpha—and Jackson couldn’t be prouder of Tristan for mastering a lesson that many others couldn’t.
Jackson learned in his youth that assuming the leadership of a pack was a two-edged sword with sacrifice and duty on one side and absolute power on the other. It was a constant juggling act to keep everything in balance and he knew from his own experience it wasn’t easy, but the lessons his father drilled into him in his youth helped him navigate the tricky waters of being an Alpha when it had been thrust upon him.
Tristan had lacked that training in his youth and Jackson had expected that when his cousin faced his first crisis, he’d concentrate on saving his own skin. New Alphas, who sometimes made that mistake when their lives were in danger, usually ended up losing their packs.There’s more to Tristan than I first thought…and a barbecue is a perfect way for me to see what else my cousin has in him.Jackson smiled to himself as he pushed back his chair and got up to find Remy.
~/~/~/~/~
