Chapter 11
ELEVEN
MONSTER
Prowler called the meeting to order. “First order of business is our fallen brother. Considering the circumstances, we’ll handle his send-off a little differently.
” They had an approved cemetery on the auxiliary property for club members.
However, Kansas always said if they put him in the ground, he’d come back to haunt them, so they’d honor his wishes.
The problem was making his death publicly known, considering the circumstances. If it were a big deal, there would be questions about when and how.
“I already called in a favor, and he’ll be cremated then returned home tomorrow night. His last ride will be the next morning.” Prez looked pointedly at Monster.
“On it.”
They finalized the plans on where to place him and his cut before moving on to other business.
“How’d the clean-up go?” Monster piped in.
“Perfect as always. Packed him a bag, ditched his car, and cleaned out his safe. Left a trail of clues that he skipped town.”
“How’d you get into the safe?”
“We can thank the prospect for that. He had a cheat sheet on his desk with passwords and shit, but coded. Zach looked at it for all of thirty seconds and, boom, we had access to everything. That fucker is like some sort of puzzle savant.”
Monster had figured as much. He was always doing a crossword puzzle or those logic games whenever he had a free moment.
“Speaking of which,” Ghoul said. “He blooded in by taking out that ruthless fucker, I’d say we should patch him in.”
“Agreed,” Prez said. “All in favor?”
A round of ayes was the answer.
“Done. What do we think of Cypher?”
Everyone pounded their fists on the table in accord.
Monster’s mind turned back to what they’d said about the safe.
“Was there anything useful in there? Anything from Domino or about Carys? Her mother?”
Monster knew the cure wouldn’t magically be in there, but maybe some information to help in the future or to give Carys some answers.
Prowler looked reflective. He gave a single nod. “There was. We’re still sorting through it, but it was like Kansas said. Her mother was repeatedly raped after being injected with an experimental mating drug.”
“Is she your mate?”
Monster nodded. “Yeah. The silver was blocking the connection between Ulf and me, so I didn’t know right away. Ulf knew at Samual’s and then, I confirmed it when we got back here.”
Monster still hated himself for the doubts he’d had.
“That’s what I thought. Apparently, it won’t counteract true mates if they’ve met or are in the vicinity. It was part of their testing group. Separating mates and trying to change it,” Prowler spat with disgust.
“That tracks with what Kansas told me in the van.”
Once you stopped scrambling my instincts with the silver, I knew. I’ll never doubt her. She is ours.
Yeah, Ulf was a different wolf. Three complete and connected sentences, and not a feral thought breaking through.
“Do you plan to make her your ol’ lady?”
“I already think of her that way, just the red tape left.”
Prowler looked around the table. “Any objections to raise?” Monster hated that question, but it was imperative for his club. She’d been sent to betray them so his brothers might have some reservations. Especially with Kansas’s death at her father’s hands.
No one said anything until Prowler nodded.
“I’ll add her cut to the order.”
Of course, Ghoul had to pipe up.
“Shit, Prez. He broke your falling record. What was it twenty-four hours?”
Monster raised his middle finger. “Sit and spin motherfucker, it was at least ninety-six.”
The moment of merriment that broke through the more somber mood had passed. Monster noticed the empty seat and guilt swamped him once more, remembering where Kansas’s wolf went.
He’d been so wrapped up in Carys, he hadn’t checked on his brother.
“How’s Creedence doing?” Monster had always had his wolf, so he didn’t understand how being jumped by a wolf impacted the man.
“Surprisingly well. He’s itching to get to it. I asked him to wait until after his first run. That was when I kind of understood my body and mind better. Creed is a different breed for sure. It’s like River was born to him.”
“I wanna join this week’s run if that’s okay with you, Prez?
Ulf needs freedom without restrictions.” Thank fuck Prowler agreed.
Ulf was itching to get out and stretch his legs.
If Monster were honest with himself, he was just as eager to run with him.
It wasn’t something they’d experienced before.
The taste he’d gotten back at Samual’s felt right.
Maybe because Kansas had willingly let his wolf go to Creedence as he passed, it helped. The other brothers who quantum did so through sudden deaths with reluctance. No gentle transfer, which was the only way Monster could describe the exchange he witnessed between Kansas and Creedence.
“Speaking of … how do we feel about promoting him to Secretary?” There were ayes all around.
Monster needed to ask the next question.
“Before … at last church, Kansas mentioned the vamps could help her mom.” He rubbed the back of his neck. How could he ask his club to use a marker to save her mom, but he needed to do it for Carys. He understood how close they were, and it would gut him when she lost her anchor.
Bulldog smiled. “I figured you’d wanna save the mom as soon as I saw Ulf standing there at Samual’s and he didn’t snap at me.”
Prowler looked from his Veep to Monster.
“I took the liberty of making the call already. There’s a man in their clan willing to help.
He lost his blood bond a while back. He wants a new bond, but doesn’t want, in his words, the hassles of romantic entanglements, so he thinks this will suit his needs. ”
Monster felt the smile split his face. The thought of how happy Carys would be had his heart swelling in his chest.
“Fuck,” Ghoul cursed. “What are you doing there? What is that?” He pointed at Monster’s face. “It's creepy as shit.”
His brothers all had a good laugh at his expense.
“It’s called a smile, fucker.” Bulldog mock scolded.
Ghoul shuddered. “Yeah, but he’s doing it all wrong.”
Prowler cleared his throat.
“We need to discuss our pig problem. Bulldog, pull everything you can on Todd Glenn and Melody Davis, both METRO. Do a deep dive and look for the stuff that doesn’t make it into files. When Creedence is one hundred, pass it over to him.”
“Got it.”
“Should we be proactive or wait and see?” Bulldog posed.
“Monster? What’s your take?”
“I think the fucker is obsessed with her. She ended the engagement because he became controlling. She did point out that the way he was acting outside the gate was more than when she knew him, and he wasn’t a cop back then either. I think the only possible threat right now is to Carys.”
Prowler added for the benefit of the brothers who weren’t present, “He’d said some bullshit about Monster being a suspect, but he never said what and had no papers. That partner of his seemed shocked, so I think it was an intimidation tactic.”
Monster remembered the exchange between the officers.
“Oh, see if you can find evidence of any extracurricular activity between those two. There’s something there, I just know it.”
Bulldog nodded.
“That was my take too. Okay, we’ll do our research and be on the lookout. For the next few days, mind your surroundings. Take note of any police presence.”
Everyone acknowledged his words.
“Anything else to bring to the table?” Prowler asked.
When no one said anything, Prez gaveled the meeting closed.
As the brothers filtered out of the room, Monster hung back and stepped out with Prowler so that he could talk with him.
“Prez, you got a few?”
“Of course.” He clapped Monster on the shoulder, and they shuffled to the bar. Taylor brought them two steaming mugs of coffee.
“You’re a goddess,” Monster complimented before taking a sip to test the temp.
“My goddess.” Prowler emphasized and tucked her under his arm. They looked so perfect together.
Prowler kissed her on the top of the head. “I’ll come find you in a few, babe.”
When Taylor started to leave, Monster spoke up, “No. Stay.” He tacked on a please when Prez shot him a look.
Manners didn’t matter one bit in their clubhouse except when Taylor or Cass was around.
Once Taylor settled back in against Prowler’s side, Monster took a deep breath.
“I want to bring Carys and her mom here until we settle things with her ex. I don’t want that pig on your street looking for her.”
He gave a pointed look to Taylor, and she understood his meaning. He didn’t want to bring trouble to her or Cass.
She patted his shoulder. “Awe, I love you too, Arden.”
He rolled his eyes, but secretly loved the connection he had with her.
Until Carys, Taylor had been the only one to use his real name. She’d also been the only one to say I love you to him.
Until her.
Prowler’s growl died out. He had accepted her sisterly affection toward him, but that didn’t mean he liked it.
“Wait. Her Mother? Isn’t she in a care facility?”
The second he brought Carys to the clubhouse, her background became public info. Of course, the information about the vamps and what was really wrong with her mother hadn’t trickled down yet.
“Yeah, but she doesn’t need to be. Western medicine can’t fix what’s wrong with her, only the vamps can. Until then, I don’t want Carys to miss a moment with her. They’ve been robbed of enough.”
“Wow, I did not have vamps to the rescue on my bingo card this year, but here we are,” Taylor joked.
They enjoyed the lightness for a few moments before continuing.