Finding Shadow BOOK ONE
Crosses

Alpha Payne watched in silence as his old Beta threw the second snow globe at the wall, making a mental note to purchase another one so his poor mate wouldn't learn the fate of her little homey touches in his office.

"Would it do any good to tell you to calm the fuck down, Santos?" He asked, reaching into his desk and retrieving a small rectangle wooden box.

Flicking the lid open, he carefully selected a cigar from the contents inside, appreciating the smell his favorite brand gave off.

Payne was quite partial to the Corona Maduro, the rich flavors of cocoa and espresso married together nicely on his tongue, and the Brazilian Maduro wrapper added an extra edge of chocolate and spice to the smoke, making it a decadent pleasure that he found himself quite addicted to.

Watching a sixty-year-old wolf throwing his toys out of his cot like a toddler was highly amusing to the old Alpha, who was enjoying egging him on a little too much, if he was honest with himself.

Santos glared in answer to his loaded question, sending another missile flying at the wall. This time a teapot fell victim to the Beta's rage.

Payne toasted his precious cigar, running the flame from his match over the length before finally setting fire to the tip. Bringing the other end to his thick lips, he took a deep drag. As a young boy, his Dad had told him that one didn't inhale cigar smoke; it was a lesson in refinement. Holding the smoke in one's mouth, milling the different flavors around, and then exhaling the smoke.

That piece of advice, as well as a long list of other gentlemanly must do's died when the old man did, and Payne greedily swallowed the sweet smoke.

"At least tell me what's on your mind. A problem shared is a problem halved and all that."

Santos looked like he was considering it for half a second before he closed off again, asking instead, "Alpha do you mind if I leave early today, there is nothing urgent that needs tending to, and I need to check on any updates concerning my daughter at Howling Warriors?"

Feeling like a bit of a dick, as he remembered the Beta's daughter had been seriously injured a few weeks ago, Alpha Payne waived his ringed hands in the air. "Of course, Beta Santos, family first. Take a couple of days if you need to go visit her; I'm sure Maria must be beside herself knowing Isabella is so far away."

Rewarding his generosity with a tight smile, Santos replied, "Actually, that sounds like a good idea, Alpha if I hurry I might be able to convince Maria and Raeann to depart with me tonight."

Considering the matter dealt with, Alpha Pane leaned back in his chair, eyes half-closed as he prepared to enjoy his afternoon cigar in silence.

Meanwhile, Santos took leave for his family home, a plan starting to form in his head.

The Romano household was eerily quiet as Santos closed the front door. The hallway was a precursor to a winding staircase that led upstairs to four bedrooms and a study that the Beta male spent much of his time in. The two rooms on the left belonged to his daughters Isabella and Raeann, and the two rooms opposite belonged to Mikhail and the Romano couple.

Downstairs was a fairly open plan space, and as Santos wandered towards the large kitchen, he spotted Maria out in the garden, pottering around in the last rays of sunlight tending to her vegetables.

A small part of him felt a little guilty at the affairs he'd had behind his mate's back, but the first affair had produced Camille, a daughter that he had molded into the perfect image of himself, and the second was Abigail. Despite how it had ended, Santos truly loved the Howling Warriors Luna.

Now, it was time to tie up loose ends and to do that, the Romano's would need to return to their roots.

As he watched Maria toiling in the dirt, he let himself think back to the day it had all gone so horribly wrong...

Abigail was everything that Maria never could be, and despite their casual beginnings, he had grown to love her deeply.

After months of sneaking away, planning Tarakona's death, hiring the mercenary rogues to stage an attack on the pack, and making it clear that they were only targeting certain families, Santos had finally broken the news to his eldest daughter.

Camille had surprised him with her resilience. The she-wolf was a mirror image of him, after all.

She understood the need to stay behind and continue her father's work, obeying without question.

Of course, it helped that Camille had harbored a crush on the Alpha's boy, and knowing that Isabella would be out of the way, Camille could slot straight into the role of a best friend, confidante, and eventually Luna.

But Abigail had gone and ruined everything.

The knowledge that she expected him to play papa to someone else's pup had sent him into a mindless fury.

And when all was said and done, there were two bodies on the ground and a battle underway.

Santos almost lost his family that day, and coming to Shadow Moon presented a fresh start.

The Romano's had thrived. His children were well received, and Santos worked for an Alpha he genuinely respected.

Santos would be damned if he was going to allow that jump-start to mate with Isabella. He had never approved of their friendship; they were always far too dependent on each other.

No, Camille was the better match for Shadow Stalker, and Santos intended to make sure his eldest daughter got her wish.

"Oh, honey, you're home early?"

Maria had finished in the garden and came across her mate, sitting silently in the kitchen.

Putting her basket of fresh vegetables on the counter and washing her hands, she quickly tied her auburn hair into a bun and put the kettle on for her hard-working husband.

"Is something wrong, Santos?"

He lifted his head to look at those lavender eyes, so much like his daughter, and he replied tiredly, "Nothing's wrong, my love, in fact, Alpha Payne has kindly given me a few days leave so we can go and visit Izzy, would you like that?"

Maria's eyes lit up, and a breathtaking smile transformed her features as she clapped her hands in glee, "I'll go and fetch Raeann from the clinic. If we hurry and take the car, we could make it there tonight!" She kissed her thoughtful mate on the cheeks, feeling glad that she had such a strong family man by her side, and rushed out the door to get her youngest daughter.

Santos waited, just long enough to be sure she was gone before he bounded up the stairs and into his study, making sure to lock the door.

Grabbing a phone, he dialed the number.

Ring ring ring ring ring ring...

"Hello, you have reached Howling Warriors HQ; this is Beta Menendez speaking; how may I help you?"

"Can you talk freely?"

"Yes, papa"

"Okay, sweetheart, you need to prepare two rooms at the packhouse, for Maria, Raeann, and myself, we are coming tonight to bring Isabella home, it's time to tie up loose ends."

"I understand papa."

And the line went dead. The plan was underway.

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