Treasure
Saying Goodbye

Chase watched from the window as Coral sent their father and his men away. She’d kept the link open and he had heard exactly what was said. He knew the only reason he hadn’t pushed was because of the humans around. “They’re gone,” he told Possum and Roadkill.

“Good, I don’t want him near my girl,” she said.

“He won’t be.” Chase came over and sat on the bed next to her, his hand moving to hers. It was like there was a magnet between them, and he craved the tingles from her touch. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I’ll replace a way to keep them from condemning you somehow.”

“Our daughter is like you, you would think that would be enough motivation for us to keep our mouths shut,” Donna said. “He won’t say anything either, Rori’s shift saved his life and he’s her stepfather now.”

“I’m not sure the Council will see that as being enough. I can argue Rori didn’t know the laws, but you?”

“We’re looking at this the wrong way,” Roadkill said. “They are looking at killing us being the solution to keeping their secret, instead of being the reason their secret is revealed. We need leverage, and we need it in blind button-down mode.”

“Button-down?” Donna looked at him quizzically. “What is that?”

“I saw the idea in a spy movie. The terrorist is holding a detonator to a bomb, and his thumb is holding down a button. The cops can't shoot him because if he lets go, boom goes the dynamite. It forces them to listen to him. Essentially, we record evidence of your existence and leave it with someone we trust, but even we don’t know who has it. If we ever disappear or are found dead, the person with the evidence releases it. They can’t kill us, and they can’t stop us by taking us because we don’t know who has it.”

“What evidence could we use?”

“A video would work,” he said. “I don’t think Rori is up for shifting again, though.”

“I’ll do it,” Chase said. “We need a video camera with a removable memory card.”

“I have one,” Donna said. Ten minutes later, the three of them told their story about the Council, the Packs and how there were werewolves among them. They finished with a short video showing Chase shifting into his wolf, coming over and interacting with them, then shifting back. She made a copy, then placed one card in an envelope with instructions to open and give to the media if they met with an accidental death or disappearance.

“I’ll give it to Wolfman for now, with instructions to give it to another trusted person we don’t know, preferably someone not in his chapter,” Roadkill said. “What happens with the other?”

“We give it to the Council,” Chase replied. “I’m already in trouble by protecting you, so I don’t care that I’m on the video. This way they know exactly what will happen if they mess with you, and they’ll be too scared to do it.” He looked at the two people he was now related to through Rori. “You two should disappear, it’s better if you aren’t here if they come back in force.”

“What about Rori?” Donna looked over at her injured daughter.

“She needs to go to Portland like we had planned,” Roadkill said. “They can keep her safe.”

“I’m going with her,” Chase said. “Coral too.”

“You’re not Club, Chase. I’m not sure what you are.” Roadkill was protective of her, and all he knew was that she was his doctor and had helped her.

“I’m her mate,” he said. “Our kind has soulmates, as you might call it. One person who our Goddess creates just for us, one who is perfect for us. I’ve waited my whole life for her, and I’m not letting her go unless she rejects me.”

“She never said anything to me about it,” Donna said.

“Her wolf knows, but they haven’t been talking enough. She can’t exactly confirm it now, but think of what I’ve done. I got her out of the hospital, told her to stop the drugs and trust the voice, I came here and saved her life. Then I stood up to my father, left my family and Pack behind to protect her, and painted a bullseye on my back by making that tape with you. My sister also sacrificed her future so I could have mine with my mate. There’s no going back for me, this isn’t lust or infatuation. I love your daughter and will do anything to protect her and make her happy.”

“She’s only turned eighteen, and you’re how old?”

“Twenty-five,” he said. “The age difference is meaningless to the mating bond, she is of age in both our laws and can make her own decisions. As the years pass, the difference will mean nothing.” They looked skeptical of him, he was a resident and so much older, he could almost see them thinking it. “You saw my father, how old do you think he is?”

“I don’t know, maybe mid-forties?”

Chase laughed. “My father, Will, is two hundred and twenty-six years old. He didn’t meet my mother until he was in his seventies, and my oldest brother is a hundred and thirty-three. Your daughter will live for hundreds of years, our age difference right now means nothing to us.”

“You live that long?" They both looked over at their daughter.

“Yes, if we’re not killed first. Our immune systems are stronger than those of humans, we don’t get cancer or heart disease, and our bodies age far slower. The oldest person in my Pack came over to the United States shortly after Columbus did, and didn’t replace his mate until the 1800’s. When she passes, he will too. We mate for life, often the widow dies within days of their love leaving them. I love your daughter, I’ll never leave her,” he said.

“Wow.” Donna looked at Chase’s hand holding Rori's, the joy on his face as he looked at her. It was love, she was sure of it. “Where will you go?”

“I don’t know, I am still doing my psychiatric residency and I have to talk to her first. I do have savings, and they will have to cash out the shares Coral and I have from our old Pack’s investments. That should be enough to live on for a few years.” The Cascade Pack was prosperous, and each member was given a share of the corporation upon birth and as dividends were paid out. Those who left for other Packs redeemed their shares for cash.

“I hate leaving her,” Donna said.

“It’s better if you are gone soon,” Chase said, “And you have to set up the protection before they can stop you. Go back to the Renton Clubhouse now, take most of the men with you. I’ll ask Wolfman for use of the van and some men to deliver Rori to Portland.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Roadkill said. “It’s Club business. I’ll explain that you and Coral are family, and that should be enough to get you in. When she wakes up, you better explain all this and I want to talk to her before any decisions are made,” he said.

“Rori is going to need time to heal and learn who she is, and I will not do anything without talking to you first,” Chase promised.

“Good. We’ll be flying back to Florida in a couple days, but the Brotherhood is watching. Hurt her, and they’ll come down on you hard.”

“Then I’ll kill you myself,” Possum said.

“I’d sooner hurt myself than her,” Chase promised. “Go downstairs, it smells like the steaks are ready. I’ll watch my mate.” He loved the sound of that.

They walked down the stairs hand in hand and joined the madness that was the impromptu Club gathering. Grabbing a plate of food and a beer each, they found Coral sitting on the front porch and sat by her. She was crying and alone, having sent away the several males who tried to chat her up. “Are you doing all right,” Possum asked quietly.

“I didn’t think it would hurt that much to leave them,” she said.

“Chase said you had a fight with your father,” Roadkill said softly.

She huffed. “Fight? No, a fight was when I told him I wanted to leave to train in another Pack. He declared war on us, called us the enemy. I can’t step onto his lands now without being attacked. None of my family or friends is allowed to help me. I can’t even go get my clothes from home, all I have is my motorcycle and what is in my saddlebags.”

“Can you go anywhere else?”

She shook her head. “I was working for the Council, but I’m sure my father has told him I chose you over their laws and that window is gone. All I have is my brother and your daughter, and the last time we met I was trying to capture her. What if she doesn’t want my brother? Worse, what if she takes him and doesn’t want ME? I’ll be all alone.”

“There’s no going back? You couldn’t replace a way to reconcile with your family?” Donna was replaceing this hard to believe.

“My father is a stubborn and proud man. If he is still Alpha of the Pack, there is no possibility of reconciling.” A fresh sob tore through her. “My Mom, oh Goddess, what must she be going through now?”

Donna pulled her into her arms, her heart breaking for the young woman who she had just met. Hearing Chase talk about how much he loved Rori, there was always the thought that maybe he was just using her. With Coral, she gave up everything for her brother to be with his mate. She had to respect that, and it gave her new appreciation for Chase’s commitment to her. She looked over at her husband, who nodded as he got up. He went over to talk to Wolfman about what they needed to do.

When their lunch was finished, Possum and Roadkill went back up the stairs to say goodbye. They found Chase sitting on the bed holding her hand. “We’re heading back to Seattle,” Roadkill said. “You take care of our baby for us, all right?”

“Of course.” He held his hand out, but Roadkill pulled him into a hug that Possum joined. He was family now, they had accepted his declaration of love for Rori and trusted him to keep her safe.

They both kissed the sleeping woman and said their goodbyes. “She’s going to be all right?”

“She’s doing well, she’ll wake up in a few hours. I’ll tell her everything when we get to Portland.” He watched them leave from the window of her room, the two of them on a motorcycle owned by the Prospect driving the van. He packed her bag for her, handing it to one of the guys escorting them before he picked her up and carried her out of the house.

They had made a bed in the van for her, a few sleeping bags and a blanket and pillow, and he made her comfortable in it. Not wanting to be separated from her, he tossed the Prospect his keys and drove the van himself. He followed the six motorcycles as they headed away from Mount Rainier, his Pack, and everything he had ever known in his life.

He was glad he could make some calls along the way. He called his work, telling the dayshift attending he had a family emergency and was going to be out for a couple weeks. The Doctor didn’t like it, warning him he was endangering his Residency, but Chase was firm. He could always repeat it if he had to, and his mate and sister needed him now.

He called the Pack Accountant, ensuring his and Coral's shares would be cashed out and the balances transferred into their checking accounts. He also made arrangements for their belongings to be boxed up and shipped to his apartment in Seattle. It was the only place the two of them had right now, even if they never lived there.

Finally, he called his Mom. She didn’t answer, whether she wasn’t available or wasn’t allowed he didn’t know. He left her a long message, thanking her for all she had done and telling her not to worry. He found his mate, she was an amazing woman and they would be happy.

Coral was going to replace her happiness as well, he would make sure of it.