Chapter 68

I have known Marco for a few years. He’s helped with my father’s will and also the transfer for my takeover since I was under investigation for his murder at the time. Most pack takeovers are either handed down or challenged for, but each city abides by its own rules. Unfortunately, in the last city where we lived, challenges were public events, so I was in hot water for killing my father. Marco helped me with that.

He is also the one helping me with the expansion of the city. I’m looking to purchase the surrounding land all the way to the mountains, and the red tape is a pain in the ass to acquire supernatural council land and human towns.

“Axton.” Marco nods, pulling out the chair beside me.

“Stupid thing, it’s broken. Says my fingerprint isn’t reading,” Derrick snaps in frustration, bringing everyone’s attention to him.

“Eli, go look at it for him.”

Eli huffs, but Derrick slides it over.

“For now, read off Thomas’s,” I tell him.

We review the twelve attacks for the next three hours before stopping for a break and returning.

When we do, we move onto the development of the city. Bringing up the maps, Marco starts taking down the list of surrounding towns and the map locations.

“You can’t purchase that area,” he says, tapping the screen.

“What? Why not?” I ask him.

“Privately owned.” He shrugs.

“By whom?” I demand. Great, this is just what I need.

“A new pack. Paperwork went in yesterday,” Marco tells me, highlighting the next part.

“A new pack?” I ask him, feeling that we now have everyone’s attention.

“You know they have a week of anonymity,” Marco answers.

But I know if a new pack registers, he will know who they are. That is his job in the council.

“When?”

“The land has always been privately owned. It just transferred hands to the Alpha. That is all I can tell you,” Marco tells me.

“I need that land,” I tell him, knowing we already have plans for it.

“Well, in a week, you can speak with the Alpha.”

“You’re seriously not going to tell me which pack moved here?” I snarl at him, and even Khan comes forward, knowing how close this new pack is to the borders.

Marco shrugs. “We are friends, Axton, so I can assure you it is not a rival pack to yours, but a new one.”

“Can you at least give me the pack name, anything?”

Marco shakes his head.

“So what? You’re going to make us wait a week before we find out who the new Alpha is?”

“Yep,” Marco answers, smiling, showing off a little of his fangs.

He’s never been one to hide them, though I can see he’s getting a few nervous glances from the others.

“We can just go out there and meet him. Nothing stopping us from paying a visit.” Eli nudges me.

Marco chuckles. “Yeah, he’s a top guy. Met him a few days back.”

I raise an eyebrow at him.

“It’s not working, Eli,” Derrick snaps, tossing the tablet onto the table.

Eli sighs, scooping it up. He looks over the screen, and I glance over his shoulder. The tablet says it can’t identify him or his registration number.

“Can’t you override it?” Derrick snaps at me.

With a growl, I snatch my tablet. Logging into the members’ portal, I move to override his login when I snort. The system is automatic, yet not even I am prepared for what I find.

Marco leans across, looking at the portal while I try not to laugh at Derrick, who is watching us impatiently.

“Well, that explains why he can’t get in. He no longer has authority,” Marco says, pinching the screen and opening his fingers to zoom in.

“Can I override it? I don’t know what Louise is playing at, but this has her name all over it.”

“Not unless she signs it back.”

“What are you talking about?” Derrick demands.

Blinking, I look up at him. “Your signature is verified for automation with the council. And fingerprint?”

“Of course it is.”

“Well, you messed up your forms somewhere,” Marco tells him, pulling up the document of transfer.

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t have access because the pack decision no longer belongs to you,” I tell him.

“Excuse me?” Derrick sits up straighter.

“According to this, you have handed the pack over to your daughter, Elena Hale.”

“I have done no such thing!” Derrick roars, reaching over and snatching the tablet.

“Why does that name sound so familiar to me?” Marco wonders.

“My mate, the one that ran,” I answer him.

“Oh, the sex tape, right,” Marco says offhandedly. “Wait.”

I look at Marco, and he blinks at me.

“What?” I ask him.

“Nothing, I just remembered something. Unrelated, of course,” Marco says, and I shake my head while he scratches his chin.

“This is bullshit. I never fucking signed this!” Derrick roars. “This is a setup. She can’t run a pack. She is a fucking woman! Fix it! Fix it now!”

Sighing, I shake my head, knowing I can’t. I can override passwords or add new council members but can’t change pack ownership. No, that is Marco’s job, but since Louise cunningly did it online, it verified him by his device and verification identification. All Elena has to do is accept the ownership. So unless Derrick fights it in the courts or gets her to hand it back, he no longer has a say. Although, he would have a fight on his hands because I doubt Louise and Elena will admit to the courts they forged it.

“You’ll need Elena’s signature to sign it over,” I tell him.

“But I never signed this!”

“Well, according to this, you used your main computer, fingerprint, and signature,” I tell him after snatching my tablet back.

“She forged it.”

“And your fingerprint?”

“Also forged!”

I shrug. He would have to find some way to prove that.

“I am still Alpha.”

“Just not on the paperwork,” I add with a laugh.

Derrick huffs like a raging bull at my words. “I am ALPHA!” he snaps, his face turning red in anger, and he thumps the table with his fist.

“Yes, unless Elena comes back and asks them to submit,” Eli tells them.

Derrick growls, and his hands fist at his sides. “They will never! I will fucking kill anyone who dares try,” he snarls, storming out.

Eli shrugs and folds his arm across his chest beside me, finding all this amusing. “I guess Elena got her wish then.”

Yep, Elena seems to be the first female Alpha, at least on paperwork anyway, and I would love to see the look on her face when her mother tells her she owns her father’s pack. But for now, I need to figure out who this new Alpha is and convince them to sell their land to me while also figuring out this vampire situation.