The Alphas Wonder Land Phoenix Mountain Book 9
Chapter 3

After my second encounter with Miss Fox, I’m left believing Plan C is my best plan yet. Yeah, I may have steamrolled her into a date with me, but what can I say? I’m impatient and direct. Life’s too short to mince words. She didn’t shut me down, so win for me.

One thing is, she’s damn attractive. Maybe this date isn’t a hundred percent for the mission. I can’t say I wasn’t drawn to her from the moment I saw her. Damica Fox is all kinds of foxy. What a Red wolf like me could do to that precious little body. I’m getting worked up just thinking about it.

There’s also something strange about her that peaked my interest. First, she smells human, but doesn’t smell human at the same time.

Second, I know she’s human, but there’s something not quite right. Something she’s hiding inside. I can sense it a bit.

Third, is her fear. She’s coated in it. I noticed it right away. It wasn’t fear of me, it was something else. I almost want to replace out, but one problem at a time.

“Run it by me again?” Zander leans on the table and looks to me.

I’m leaned back in my chair, playing with my retractable Billy club. “I just ‘date’ the curator. Get close and gain access to the piece…through her.”

Mateo crosses his arms. “So you’re using her.”

“She’s a mission target. Of course, I’m using her.” I snort.

Darcy scoffs. “Geez, don’t have feelings or anything.” He smirks.

I collapse my club and lean forward toward him. “Special ops doesn’t allow for feelings. Feelings get you killed.” I lean back and open my club fast and hard.

Peter leaned around Zane. “I’m not sure I can agree with this. How is that any better than what Mateo did?”

Mateo raised his finger. “Almost…did.” He corrects.

“Almost did. Sorry.” Peter nods to him.

“Besides the fact that I’m not committing treason like him?” I point my club to him.

Mateo squints his eyes at me. “I never committed treason.” He leans on the table.

I tilt my head to him. “Yeah, you did.” I raise my brow.

“Anyway.” Zander rubs his forehead. “Why can’t you just break in.”

I shake my head. “That’s too messy.” I lean my head back to him and grin. “I like this plan way better.”

Brody crosses his arms. “Only because she’s hot.” He furrows his brow.

Darcy motions his hand out to Brody and I. “Wait. Hot scientist?” His brows go up. “Is that a thing?”

Graham scowls. “Scientists can be hot.”

Darcy smirks. “You’re not.”

“I am too.” He scowls.

“Whatever.” He scoffs.

Ricky holds her head. “Guys! OK. Can we move on, please?”

Darcy leans back. “No. I really think we need to explore this sexy scientist thing.”

“DARCY!”

“Ok! Alright!” He waves us off. “Continue…with your plan to bag the lab hottie.” He slumps back in his chair

I slam my club closed. “I’m not bagging her, ok. I have the code for the box. I just need the right time to slip in and get it. It’s just way better to do that when her guards down.” I rock in my chair.

“Ok. When’s that happening?” Zander says.

“Next Friday, we have a date. Little dancing. Lots of alcohol, I should have it when the nights over.” I smile.

Zander points to me. “Ok. Remember, she has no idea we exist.”

“Secrets are my specialty, Zan. Don’t worry. I won’t blow my cover.” I reassure.

I lean my head to him as a light bulb goes off. “Oh. I need a 100 G's.”

Zander arches a brow. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I need 100 G's.” I spin my chair and lean on the table.

“Why?” He says suspiciously.

“My cover of being a museum charity donor needs a 100 grand to keep said curator in a good mood. So cut the check.” I smirk.

“What the hell, Sawyer?” Zander growls.

Ricky taps his shoulder. “Relax. It’ll be written off your taxes.”

“What? What taxes?” He looks at his mate.

She chuckles. “You don’t know you pay taxes?”

“No. Why am I paying taxes?” He looks concerned.

“All citizens pay.” Ricky informs.

He thumps his finger on the table. “I’m the damn King! They can’t make me pay taxes!”

Ricky chuckles. “They can and they do, King.”

He stands up. “Who’s head do I have to roll? This is ridiculous! Insolent!” He steps in front of his mate and points in her face. “This will not slide! They will beg for death for stealing from me.” He growls.

She taps his shoulder. “Whatever you say, sweetie.”

He stomps to the door. “GET MY ACCOUNTANT IN MY OFFICE, NOW!” He yells as he leaves the room.

Ricky clears her throat. “Ok. While his Royal Highness throws a Royal hissy fit, Sawyer, your donation will be made by the end of the day.”

“Thanks.” I lean back.

She looks around the room. “Now, the repairs to the city continue. Jake, how’s the Shaman coming along?”

Jake rocks in his chair. “The vaults been emptied. My mother’s now looking for another secret location for it all.”

Ricky arches a brow. “Will we know this location?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. She says it’s a condition of the Shaman.”

“What about the guardian?” Ricky asks

Jake shakes his head. “No sign.”

“Batting a thousand. Just great.” Ricky sighs.

“Hunt. Do you have anything to not tell us?” She leans her head on her hand and looks to Hunter.

“Actually, I have lots.” He grins.

“Ok.” Ricky says.

He stands. “As you know, we developed the dolphin. This allowed us to map the spring and follow it to its source. You’ll never guess where it ended up.”

“Where?” Ricky asks.

He hits the keys on his laptop. Atlas pops up on the monitors. “Atlas. More specifically. The Heart of Atlas. Was Titus ever pissed we had tech in his tree lake.” He laughed.

“Hold up.” Peter says. “The tree and the pool are connected?”

Darcy looks at him. “If that’s true, why don’t we live forever?”

Sawyer held out his hands “Technically, we did until you guys showed up.” I tossed my club on the table.

“You still died, Sawyer.” Ricky says.

I nod. “Yes, but with the Phoenix, we could just come back. Over and over forever.”

“Without the Phoenix?” Jake asks.

Sawyer twists his lips. “Hard to say. The pool weakened as we used it. Worked for 19 years, but it was slowly dying. If it wasn’t for Sage replaceing Mia, it most likely would have been just water by now.”

Hunter presses some more buttons and the dolphins trail goes right across the country. “What we believe is, as the water passes through the various minerals and rocks, it’s composition is changed. It becomes what we know as the Lazarus pool. Now, the problem is the mountain is taking the water. So we only have a small trickle. We can try and dig a bigger hole to force more water out, but we don’t know what that will do to the mountain. The other thing we can do is rebuild the pool.”

“How do we do that?” Ricky asks.

“Well, we dam it and then build the dome around it. I theorize that as the Heart water concentrates, the Phoenix will get her power back.” He looks to Jake.

“I hope so.” Jake rubs his forehead. “She really needs something to do. Taylor told Trinity to go away, so guess who got a pedicure for four hours.” He groans.

The table snickers.

Ricky straightens her papers. “I guess anything’s better than a gaping hole. Over the coming months we are asking for development suggestion for our new tourist attraction. We want to make it good, so ask around and present your ideas at the next meeting. I guess I should go replace Zander and make sure our accountant isn’t going to quit on us. Bye guys.” She smiles and shakes her head as she walks out.

I slap the table and get up. Just as I hit the door, Jake stops me.

“Hey, Sawyer. Got a minute?” He asks as he spins me around.

I cross my arms. “30 seconds.” I grumble.

He scratches his temple. “You want to tell me why your Beta is calling me, questioning our occupation agreement?”

This burns my ass. Matt’s a dead Beta. “Don’t worry about it. My Beta is…not a team player.”

He puts his hands on his hips. “Ok. You know, if you want to renegotiate the terms, my doors open. We’re suppose to be a team here. I don’t want to step on toes.”

I kind of huff at that. “Isn’t it your job to step on my toes?”

“No, Sawyer. I recognize that the Phoenix wolves own part of this land…”

“We own all the land.” I snarl.

“That’s not what we agreed to, Sawyer. I realize you feel that way, but reality is, you lost the war. We agreed to give you the portion your pack now occupies. If that is no longer the way you want it, then come over and we can discuss it.” He eyes me.

“It’s fine. See you later.” I turn with a scowl on my face.

If I thought we could win, I’d take all my city back, but I know we stand no chance in hell. I have to accept what the Alliance gives us. This land was ours for 2000 years. There’s no way I’m leaving it to them.

I’ll have to kick Matt’s ass later for kicking the bees nest.

Jake won’t do what he wants. He thinks he can tell Jake to move out. He’d have to kill him.

Matt just needs to accept our fate. If I lose pack members because of it, so be it. I don’t care. I will keep my mouth shut until this occupation falls apart. One day it will and I’ll be there to kick all their asses out the fucking door.

I really feel that one day soon, Zander is going to do something so colossally stupid, the entire house of cards falls. His bullshit runs too deep. He can’t control it. He will fail. I see it. The longer this mission goes on, the more he’s weakened by it. He can’t fool me. I don’t need to read minds to not see the toll his father is taking on him. He’ll fuck up. Screw us up and if Destiny is right, kill one of us.

Like a witness to a train wreck, I’ll be there. Watching the mighty King crumble to his knees. I’ll be there, standing over his body and taking my city back. The Reds will take the city back. I will run it the way it should have been. Our destiny may be different now, but that won’t stop us from being the greatest pack in the country. No, the world. The time of the Reds being trampled on is ending fast.

I hope everyone is ready for it.