Intransigent

Intransigent | 8

Chapter 8

Ashton's POV

I was sitting in my office doing some paperwork that I got behind on when my Beta, Dane, linked me. I've got two rogues cornered, he told me.

I sat up straight in my chair. Rogues had been a huge problem lately. They were forming temporary packs to take down regular packs that they had issues with. They'd just attacked one of my neighboring packs last night and it had me worried. I didn't get along with the alpha from that pack, at all, but with a pack of rogues so close, I knew they could target my pack next.

Bring them back, I ordered Dane. I needed to question them and make sure they weren't planning to target my pack next. I didn't care what I had to do, I would get answers from them. I would not put up with a threat to my pack.

Gotcha, Dane replied. They're not putting up much of a fight, should be easy to get them back and into a cell.

I smiled and turned back to the paperwork in front of me. Dane could handle the rogues and he'd let me know when he had them secure downstairs. I could focus on these financial statements from the restaurant for a little bit longer. The pack ran several businesses in Prairieville, the closest town. It helped fund us, plus most of the wolves had jobs as well. Unfortunately, I had to keep track of all the businesses that we owned and sometimes it was very time consuming.

I was happy with the paperwork in front of me though. The restaurant was doing very well, and I think I can give some of my better employees a pay raise. We had enough revenue coming in that it shouldn't be a problem. I knew the ones I wanted to reward, too. Linda, for sure. She was a dedicated worker and my best waitress, not to mention she could really use the money. She'd lost her mate to some rogues a year ago and was trying to care for their two year old daughter by herself. Sam would also be getting a pay raise. He was amazing at settling disputes of any kind and had a great work ethic. I'd have to think of a couple more later.

I sat that paperwork aside and started looking at some paperwork from the Moon Light Pack. They were requesting a couple of my pack members to help with training because the rogues were getting closer to the borders and it was making Alpha James nervous. He was worried that his younger wolves weren't ready and wanted some extra hands available for training.

I picked up the phone and called him. "Alpha James," his voice came through the line, sounding slightly distracted.

"James, it's Ashton," I told him. "I got the paperwork you sent. How many wolves were you hoping for?"

"Ashton, thank you for calling," he replied. "I was hoping you could spare three. Time is short and I want them trained as well as possible as fast as possible so I want to split them in smaller groups."

I looked over my own training schedule quickly to see who would be free for a couple weeks. "Yeah, I can spare three," I told him after some quick calculations. "I'll send them your way tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, Ashton, you're a lifesaver," James replied, sounding relieved. "I asked David, but he's got all his wolves looking for his daughter."

I sighed. Alpha David had been looking for his daughter for longer than I'd known him. I'd signed a treaty with him last year and his daughter had been missing for two. "I hate to say it, but I don't think he's ever going to find her," I said sadly.

"I know," James replied quietly. "It's a shame, too. She was a remarkable girl."

"You met her?" I asked him. I'd always been curious about David's daughter. His whole pack is somber and quiet now and I'd heard they used to be a lively, happy bunch before her disappearance.