Bad Situation (Wolf Investigations and Securities Inc. #6)

Chapter 7

The First Step

Two weeks had passed, and she was getting nervous. It wouldn't be long before the bosses returned, and they would be on their way to a part of the country that she had hoped never to see again. While she couldn't deny that she wanted justice for her mother and Grant, going there and watching him fight for that justice was not what she wanted to do. Because it was the only way, that's what they would do. She'd never known her mother, but she'd heard much about her from her grandmother. Her daughter looked like her, and she knew it was true because her grandmother had shown her a picture of her mom.

Jenna didn't look like her mother but more like her grandma. Families were weird that way when a daughter could look like her mother or just as easily as her grandmother. She'd never seen George, but she had heard much about him. She'd heard that he was not very attractive, so Grant couldn’t take after him. What would they do if their son took after him? They would make sure that he took after him and looked only. There was no way not to love any child that they had.

She'd been able to send extra money to her grandmother so she could make it well, and they dealt with what they needed to in Oregon. Jenna decided that Grandma didn't need to know what was coming up, but she told her there might be a move in their future. There had been no answer, and that didn't surprise her. Grandma would answer whenever the move became certain. Jenna had no idea what Grandma would say once she discovered what was happening. Justice was something Grandma had given up on, but Jenna was sure she would be happy if they received it.

This thinking made her wonder if Grant’s grandmother knew what would happen. They'd never discussed whether they would tell their families about this. Maybe that was something they should have talked about. It was something that she would bring up to him later. The crockpots were cooking, and the security specialists would soon begin arriving. Grant wasn't always first anymore, but since he worked alone, that didn't seem so bad. Jason and Sylvia were often first but took no bigger list than what Grant had.

Waiting was hard on them, and it would almost be a relief if things just began to happen. Jenna wasn't even sure what was going to happen when it did. She almost jumped out of her skin when Harry appeared.

“Sorry about that. I can't control when I appear, and I have no way to let you know it's about to happen.” Harry explained.

Jenna knew that, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with. “Have a seat, and I'll get you some food.”

“If I rolled that way, I would marry you.”

Harry always said stuff like that to anyone who fed her. That would be a lot of people to be tied to. She gave Harry a big bowl of beans, cornbread, and a small side salad. Jenna had grown a little bit of a garden, and the salad was from it.

“Oh, my! I've not had beans in a while. And what is in this cornbread? It looks so good.”

“It has onions, mild peppers, and a small amount of cheese—some butter for your cornbread," Jenna offered.

“Do I smell fish?”

“You do. It's in the oven and should be done in a little while, along with cake.”

Jenna had the oven full. She'd been doing some baking in an attempt to fill in the time so she wouldn't just sit and worry about what was coming.

“I love you. I get fish once in a while at Ariel’s, but it's not usually the baked kind. And cake is always a favorite.” Harry admitted.

“Had I known you were coming, I would have tried to fix something special for you.”

“You'll get a chance to do that soon. Are Jason and Sylvia trained yet?”

“They are. Those two didn't need much training. It's a job they worked before at their old company occasionally. Tyne, that lucky with the new guys from the old company," Jenna observed.

“Did you hire all of them?” Harry asked.

“No, I talked to Rita because she had worked with them, and there was one she said we wouldn't want. I blacklisted him. All the new guys agreed he didn't do a good job and was slow even after years of working there. They speculated that he must have known somebody in a high position to not lose his job.”

“That happens sometimes. Maybe if they had let him go, he would have found a job he was better at.”

“I don't know what he's doing now, but he immediately tried to get on when he found out that we were in this area," Jenna said. “It could be that he just isn't going to be good at anything because he's unwilling to try.”

“That's too bad.” Harry had finished all the food that she had in front of her, so Jenna went and got her more.

“The fish is almost done. Ready to tell me what you came here for?”

“The time has come to move on to the next step in your life. Jason and Sylvia will need to take over tomorrow, and you and Grant need to pack your bags. I can take one bag for each of you, but anything else needs to be labeled, and someone will put it on the plane. It will catch up with you eventually," Harry predicted.

“All right. We need to move forward because the worry was driving me crazy. I'm unsure about Grant because he doesn't let those feelings show. I think he'll be pleased as well, though. “

“I know it can be bad waiting for something whether you want it or not.”

Was Harry talking about the fish or about something else?

“I knew you would understand. Where will we be going in the morning?” Jenna asked.

“Oregon, but not to the place that you will take over. We will need to prepare you for that. Mid Oregon will be the last stop on your journey. Do you have a place for me to stay the night?”

“We do. There is a second bedroom in our suite that we don't use. It is clean and ready for you.”

“Excellent. The fish smells like it's ready.”

Jenna chuckled. Harry was always the same, and you could count on her no matter what. She went and checked on the fish and found that it was done. There was also a tray of French fries, and they were also cooked. Jenna didn't like them when they were cooked too much, and they were perfect. She pulled them out, put them on the stove, and then checked the other food. There was food for another plate for Harry now.

“You do love me!” Harry observed.

“You know I do. Some of the teams will be coming in soon. Are you going to be telling them anything?”

“Yes, we'll tell them you two got promoted, and Jason and Sylvia will take over. It's close to the truth.”

“Find out the truth eventually," Jenna guessed.

“By then, it won't matter anymore. Do you have any ketchup?”

“You don't want to ruin my fries with ketchup.”

“I just like a little bit every once in a while.”

Jenna handed her some.

“Are you nervous?” Harry asked.

“A little bit. I was born there, but my grandma came and picked me up when I was just a baby. The place will be strange to me, and so will the people.”

“That's true, but you'll have friends with you. One of them will be me, and I'll stay to help you for at least two weeks.”

Jenna smiled. “I couldn't ask for better backup. Hopefully, there'll be a well-supplied decent kitchen with plenty to cook and eat.”

“You're a girl after my own heart. You cook, and I'll eat.”

That was Harry. She was lovable and helpful but always hungry. Her magic could save you or destroy your enemy. It could unlock doors or seal them forever. Jenna joined her with her own plate of food, and they sat down together to eat. It wasn't long before Grant appeared, and then Jason and Sylvia followed. Jenna began to serve food for everyone except Grant, who always got his own.

“Harry, what are you doing here?” Jason asked.

“Don't look at me like that. I'm not the harbinger of doom. You and Sylvia will start your new jobs tomorrow while Grant and Jenna go to their new jobs. Nothing sinister here.” Harry explained.

“Will we get the manager's quarters? After all, they will be gone.” Sylvia asked.

“You'll have that option if you want, but I thought you had a place nearby.” Harry looked confused.

“I have a small apartment, but my mother and daughter live with me. Jason doesn't mind sharing a place with my family and me.” Sylvia admitted.

“You should have said something. We could have worked something out for you to bring your family here, too," Jenna observed.

“I didn't think you would. It will work out now," Sylvia offered.

“We'll be leaving first thing in the morning. Harry will be staying overnight and going with us," Grant explained. How had he even known that? Tyne must have radioed him.

They sat with the others for a while, and finally, it was time to turn in. Harry had one last snack, and she would follow up. Grant took a shower and prepared for bed. She took the next shower, and then everything was ready for Harry.

“There you are," Jenna observed.

“Here I am. Show me where the bedroom and bathroom are, and you can go to bed. I can handle it from there," Harry offered.

Jenna was glad because she was ready to go to bed, and Grant was waiting for her. It was exciting because they were mated, and she wanted him. They also had to get their bag packed because, besides a bag, she had only things like crock pots and food. She would leave the food for whoever needed it. She suspected that Harry would prefer it. So, she left the two crock pots that she had as well. The other items to cook with were there when they arrived. The small crock pot had also been there when they arrived. It was probably best just to leave the crock passed in the kitchen.

If anything happened to Grant, she would go home, and Grandma had a fully supplied kitchen. If everything worked out, they would have a fully supplied house, and she wouldn’t need anything. That's what she decided to do to make it easier for her and Harry. Grant only had a little bit more than she did. Maybe she could fit some of his stuff in her bag. She remembered Harry commenting on how Grant had more stuff than she did. If the kitchen items weren't counted, that was still true.

Jenna headed toward the bedroom she would share with Grant, leaving Harry to take her shower and get to bed. They would just have a quickie because they needed to get some rest, too, because neither of them had any idea what tomorrow was going to bring.

Someone was making a lot of noise. It was not usual to hear so much disruption in the morning.

“What the hell is that?” Grant asked.

“I think it is Harry singing.”

Grant moaned. “You've got to be kidding me? It sounds like a cat trapped in a bag.”

“Shh, you'll hurt her feelings. We'd better get dressed before she comes here to wake us up.”

“I thought that was what she was already doing.”

Jenna hopped up and began to get ready. She finished packing her bag, which sat at the foot of the bed. While Grant finished dressing, she began to work on his bag. Jenna had a little bit less to pack in her bag than she'd had before because some of her clothing had worn out, and she'd thrown it away. Maybe Harry could squeeze Grant’s bag to fit all his stuff.

“Should we take our stuff downstairs?” Grant asked.

“I think we should so Sylvia and Jason can move in.” Jenna offered.

“Ever feel like you're being run out of the house?”

“We are the ones who chose to leave. They just decided we could leave quickly.” Jenna chuckled.

She was glad they were leaving, and it would improve things for someone else. Heading downstairs, she prepared to make a big breakfast so everyone would have a nice meal. This was their goodbye. There was a good possibility they would never see any of these people again. As their coworkers came down, she gave them a plate so that they could eat breakfast. This was her goodbye. Jenna told them that she and Grant were leaving and that any food left behind was for whoever got it first. She wasn't sure who could cook, but some of the food was already dense, so that would work well for any of them.

“Where are you guys going?” Sylvia asked.

Jenna looked at Harry, who immediately answered. “They were going back to Missouri for now.”

That was a lie, but they wouldn't know any different. It wasn't like she had said they'd be staying there. Everyone would leave except for Sylvia, who would be managing the office. Since they had their bags with them, Harry spelled Grant’s bag to where it would hold whatever he had. They held their own bag at that point, and Harry flashed them away. Oregon would be closer than traveling all the way to Blue Eye.

In a flash, they reached their destination. “This is northern Oregon. I believe you know the alpha pair, Bindi and Duroc?” Harry asked.

“Bindi!” Jenna exclaimed. They moved together for a quick hug. “I heard so much but didn't know what was true.”

“Looks like it's your turn now," Bindi replied. “We've just been here not even a year. I knew someone was coming, but they didn't tell me who. I don't think you'll have any trouble getting things straightened out. George is an evil bastard, but he runs the businesses in the pack well. It's the way he treats his people and the string of bodies he leaves behind him that means he must be replaced.”

“I'm glad he's going to be replaced. Both my mother and Grant’s mother were two of the bodies he left behind. Neither of us knows what he did with them, only that he killed them and would have killed us had we not been sent away," Jenna admitted.

“You're both not his children, are you?” Bindi asked.

“No, my mother had me before she met him. He resented me being around and threatened to kill me, so my mother sent me to my grandma. Grant is his son, but because he isn't full-blooded, he wants him killed. The asshole didn't want anyone to know that he had a child that wasn't a full-blooded wolf.”

Grant was talking to Duroc, and she was sure he was getting the story from him. Harry looked like she was trying to listen to both conversations and not having any luck. She finally decided to come over and listen to them.

“You guys decide anything yet?” Harry asked.

“No, but it's almost lunchtime, so I thought I would invite you guys to come and eat.” Bindi offered.

“You are a girl after my own heart. Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Harry asked.

Bindi giggled. “Only the last time I saw you, I missed you. No one is as much fun as you are, Harry.”

“You need any chores done? I bet you still have some of that colorful stuff that I was interested in.” Harry commented.

“I put it all up for you in a storage room. After we eat, you can have a look at it and see what you want. After you've picked it through, I'll probably give the rest to whoever in the pack wants it. That seems like a good way to get things into a good home.” Bindi admitted.

Jenna could only imagine that Harry had been a big help and had been rewarded with something that the old alpha had liked, but Bindi didn't. That sounded fair to her, and she wondered if there would be anything in the alpha house that Harry would be interested in once Grant won the challenge. That would be a good way to reward her. Harry had eclectic taste, but there was bound to be something there.

Bindi informed the guys that lunch would be waiting, and the ladies headed out. Jenna looked back and saw that the guys were following them. They headed into the kitchen, where a table was loaded with food. This could only be a dream for Harry because there was every kind of food you could imagine on top of it. There were sandwiches, soups, side dishes and entrees. She looked at Harry and noticed that she was practically drooling over the food. Bindi pointed them to the plates, and everyone grabbed 1 and began to load up.

Even though Harry had an incredible appetite, she ate with manners. She only filled one plate, then sat down and ate quickly. Jenna knew she needed the energy because she had brought them far. It was like a car driving until it was low on fuel. Harry finished her plate and then filled it again. Jenna admitted she was a little jealous because Harry could eat all she wanted and never gain a pound. In Jenna's opinion, Harry was beautiful in more ways than one, but Harry never seemed to think so.

They all sat with their full plates and ate, and no one seemed too concerned about what Harry did. There was a lot to talk about, and with Duroc and Bindi recently having gone through this exact thing, they were the right ones to start getting advice from. Duroc was a well-trained pack alpha, and Bindi had a little training from her stepmother. It was obvious they were both perfectly suited for this kind of position, which only made Jenna feel like she wouldn't measure up. She was willing to work hard; hopefully, that would make all the difference.

According to Harry, money was one thing they wouldn't have to worry about, but that wasn't the only thing an alpha pair had to be concerned with. They needed to work on the success of the entire pack, including each and every individual. There were programs that many packs had, and this one had few of them. George was selfish and cared only about himself. One good thing about coming here first was that she could see how these programs were being run and get information on how to set up the same thing herself. Duroc would get the same information about those programs that the males had.

Even though they both had their separate issues, there were things that they would do together. There was so much to learn, but she intended to learn it all. Neither of them had the training that they needed, but they were both smart and could learn.

“We'll be talking about many things today, but Tyne and Damon will arrive tomorrow with their mates. That's when things will get serious, and the challenge will be issued.” Duroc explained.

“When will the actual challenge take place?” Grant asked.

“The challenge will be issued tomorrow, and the actual fight will occur the next morning. That is so that he is not given enough time to cause any problems or set up any cheating. Our girl, Harry, will spell the circle, which should prevent most if not all of the possibilities concerning cheating," Duroc explained.

“Is this the way things occurred when you fought?” Grant asked.

“It was exactly the same. Damon should be able to make things easier since he has been through several of these now. Marissa will also be here to help Harry strengthen the spell. Just try not to worry because you must keep your strength for the fight. One thing I have noticed about these lousy alphas is that they want to live and hold their power, so they give it all they have," Duroc mentioned. “They are like a cornered animal, so make no mistake, they are dangerous.”

That worried Jenna because she did not want to lose her mate. She also needed to worry about whether she would be challenged once Grant won. “Do I need to be concerned about a challenge, too?”

“I don't know. There is no mate to challenge, and I am not sure who the current bitch is or even that there is one. Most of the attention will be on the two alphas fighting for control of the pack. Will not know anything else until after the challenge is done. I believe most females know at this point that winning a challenge will not get them the alpha. They will also know that Tyne trained you, and a trained fighter is not something most pack females want to take on. You will have to worry about things like being poisoned or sneaky traps. Harry will be happy to check out the food at the alpha house for you. She can find poison easily. I've heard that you have an artifact, which should protect you from sneaky attacks," Bindi explained.

“This is almost surreal. How do people live like that? They will be banned from the pack if they do anything devious like that," Jenna admitted.

“Maybe telling them that up front will stop them from doing things like that.” Harry counseled.

“Has that helped in the past?” Jenna asked.

“We've not done it in the past, so you will be the first time we attempted. Sounds good though, doesn't it?” Harry suggested.

“What do we do now?” Jenna asked.

“We're going to my office, and I'm going to explain to you the different programs that I have and give you copies of the books. The guys will be doing the same kind of thing but in Duroc's office," Bindi explained.

“What about me?” Harry wondered.

“I'm going to take you to the storage room so you can look through it for things that you want. I think that will keep you busy and happy for a while.” Bindi offered

“Oh. That's cool.” Harry declared.

They dropped Terry off on their way to the office, and when they arrived, Bindi sat behind the desk. She immediately began to pull out notebooks containing the information that Jenna would need.

“How many of these are there?” Jenna asked.

“A bunch, but you must understand that you get help handling this. You need a number two, and certain programs also need someone in charge of them. They will answer to you, but the daily work will be theirs," Bindi said.

“I can understand managing people who are working in various positions. Maybe that's why Tyne gave me the job as office manager. That, and he needed someone there at the time. The important thing will be finding the right people for the right positions, especially when I don't know any of them," Jenna explained.

“You left when you were a small child, didn't you? That will make things harder for you, but if you manage the office, I think you might understand what people trust.”

“I like to think I do.”

“Two days and we'll begin to see how things will work out with the pack," Bindi suggested.

“Hey guys! I'm back, and I have found some of the greatest things. Are you sure I shouldn't pay you for them or at least do something?” Harry asked.

“You do so many favors for people that you deserve something like this. How do you plan to move it?” Bindi wondered.

“Oh, I already moved it, but that means I need a snack now," Harry admitted.

“We have a lot of leftovers, and I heard that one of the cooks made a pecan pie because she heard it was one of your favorites.” Bindi offered.

“Have I told you lately that I love your cooks? Pecan pie is one of my favorites but is hard to find. Why don't we go and start our snack?” Harry asked.

“Grab your notebooks, Jenna. You can start studying as soon as we're through with the snack," Bindi suggested.

“I'll have a lot to study. I shouldn't feel bad about that because Grant is risking his life in a challenge.” Jenna admitted.

“I think he will do just fine, and we will be there to give him moral support." Harry encouraged.

“Come on, ladies. Let's go to the kitchen and sort out the leftovers and the desserts.” Bindi directed.

When Jenna had met her, she had not been an alpha bitch, but she had seamlessly slipped into the position. That made Jenna wonder if it would be as easy for her. It just showed how much life could change in a short amount of time. Regardless of how this turned out, Jenna's life would be completely different when it was over. Hopefully, things would work out the way they wanted. George needed to meet justice, and the pack needed him gone. No matter what kind of a job she and Grant did, she was sure it would be better than what George was doing now.

They ate their meal or snack, depending on whether you were Harry or someone else, and then she left to study the notebooks she'd been given. This was not something she would learn overnight, and she had to pick the most important ones to study first.

“Jenna, are you still awake?” Harry asked

“Yeah. Did you need something?”

“I did. I need you to come to supper so we can eat.”

“I didn't realize it was that late. I'll just follow you.” Jenna suggested.

Harry moved quickly, and Jenna struggled to keep up until they reached the kitchen. Harry was right, and everyone was waiting on her, which made her feel bad.

“Sorry, I didn't realize what time it was," Jenna admitted.

“That's okay. You have a lot to learn, and it's important," Bindi offered.

All the plates were on the table, and everyone was ready to eat. Even her plate had food on it.

“I fixed your plate while Harry was getting you," Grant explained.

She had no doubt that that was so that Harry could eat quickly. That was alright because Harry needed to be at her best for this whole mission. A fed Harry was a powerful Harry. They sat and ate but didn't talk about anything important this time. Everyone wanted to prepare to get their sleep so they would be in good shape in the morning. Tomorrow was not the most important day, but it was the start. Once things started, they developed quickly and became immersed in the challenge and what came afterward. This last pack would complete the Washington/Oregon area, and she did wonder what they would work on next.

Maybe they would finally start in California, which has been a mess for many years now. So many lives have been torn apart because one of the alphas wanted power. Damon taking on California would be something to see. If that was his plan, he had started it right because now he had the support of all the alphas in Oregon and Washington. He might go down or even next to California so that he had all the surrounding packs before he took them on. There were rumors that some improvements had already been made in California. Maybe he would slowly work his magic on the inside out.

She had to admit that Damon's actions, even with council backing, were unbelievable. He had organized several pack takeovers and, as far as she knew, had been completely successful every time. Maybe it was because he hadn't jumped into them, and he had taken his time to organize them, possibly for years.