📎A/N. Hello my lovelies. I'm back!

Firstly, I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, those of you who sent such wonderful and heartfelt messages of support on the death of my father. I was deeply touched and am so very blessed to have you in my life, albeit at a virtual level. It meant so much to me that people cared enough to let me know their thoughts and prayers were with me and my family during this emotional and devastating time. May God, in whatever form you deem him (or her) to be, bless you and your family and watch over you...

This chapter is dedicated to RubyHenson If you are after fun romantic read, you must check out her story Flower in a Desert Town: https://www.wattpad.com/story/103524460-flower-in-a-desert-town . Show this new author on Wattpad some love, and mosey on over to her story after catching up with Daniel and Parker.

Without further ado, let's return to Evolution.

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Daniel stared at the screen. Parker and her team had, once again, performed their magic and extrapolated the progress of the Lycan attacks, as well as the pattern behind their movement across the country. It took a moment for the ramifications of her discovery to sink in. When it did, the anger that surged through his body knew no bounds, and it took all his self-control to hold back his wolf from breaking free.

Kill. We must kill her.

He agreed wholeheartedly with his wolf. Somehow, the Lycans were under the control of a deranged psychopath. So many questions sprang to mind. How, and why, the top of a very long list. After unclenching his fists, Daniel pointed to a series of colored dots just north of the border, near Vancouver. "And you are sure this is the origin?"

Daniel's jaw tightened and his teeth grated together. The proof was so overwhelming it took a moment to sink in. How was he going to explain this to the council? After the news of the attack on the pack in New Mexico broke, he and Murphy drove through the night to return to Netherland. The packs were now in panic mode, and an emergency council meeting had been convened. This new information would send them spiraling out of control.

"I ran the data four times," said Parker.

Daniel checked his watch. The meeting would have already started. He sighed. They would need to wait a little longer for him. His mate was distressed, and he needed to know why.

When he laid eyes on Parker, Daniel knew something was wrong. If he hadn't already been so attuned to her, the worry lines, coupled with the dark circles under her eyes, would have given it away. The moment Parker explained their findings, he understood why she had looked so distraught.

Elise. Elise was behind the attacks on their people as well as the unfortunate humans who got in their way. He thought she had gone too far last time. To raise an army from the dead was beyond comprehension.

Daniel held back the urge to pull her into his arms and protect her from the stress that marred her beautiful face. This could not have come at a worse time. While they finally had some answers, it was at the expense of Parker's state of mind. He studied her familiar features, and his chest tightened. He was torn, she was in pain, and his first instinct was to find the source of her distress and kill it. He didn't care who, or what, it was. To see her like this, made both him and his wolf uneasy.

"It's all my fault," said Parker in a whisper.

Daniel balked. What was she talking about? "What's your fault?"

"All those deaths, the packs in Wisconsin, Carbine and the others, the New Mexico pack and the rest of those souls. It's all my fault."

Daniel drew his brows together and scanned Parker's distraught expression. Whatever had gotten into that sharp mind of hers, had convinced her she believed this nonsense. He closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her. "You are not responsible, and I have no idea why you think this way."

Parker pulled herself out of his grip. "Don't you see? The Lycan escaped from Middlemarch. They only reason they are roaming free is because you rescued me. If you'd just left me there, all those people would still be alive."

"Have you lost your mind?" He couldn't believe she actually thought that true. "That's it. I've heard enough."

Daniel grabbed Parker by the shoulders, and a low growl escaped from deep within his chest. "Never, ever think that. That bitch is responsible for this, not you."

Parker blinked rapidly and turned back to the screen. "We'll talk about it later," she said. From her stiff shoulders she didn't want to discuss this any further. "Abraham is in your office, he stalled for as long as he could, but the meeting started ten minutes ago, and you need to warn them about who's behind this."

Daniel glanced out towards the patio where Murphy and Kaitlyn were deep in conversation. He didn't want to leave her like this. However, he also had a duty to his race, and those he had sworn to protect. Right now, they needed to know Elise's involvement. He pulled her back into his arms and breathed her in. Parker's familiar scent settled his troubled soul. This was going to get worse before it got better. A lot worse, and there was no way he would entertain this ludicrous idea of hers.

"There is nothing to discuss. This is not your fault, and I will not have you thinking otherwise. Am I clear?" He held her tighter to him. "What we need to do is work out how to find Elise and put a stop to whatever narcissistic plan she has concocted."

"Already on it," Parker said quietly.

Daniel tipped her head upwards and brought his lips down to brush hers. "As much as it kills me, I have to get to this meeting. Who knows what they will have decided before I get there." He traced his thumb across her bottom lip and wished he could whisk her to their room and show her just what he would rather be doing. "Bring Murphy and Simon up to speed and get them to brief you on the New Mexico pack." He stood to his full height and mentally prepared himself. He already knew the outcome of the meeting, it had been brewing for a while, and wasn't something he agreed with. "There has to be some sort of link between them and Elise. She would not have taken them out on a whim."

The small pack in New Mexico formed in the 1960's and had been there ever since. To the outside world, they were a religious cult living on a commune. Daniel had to give them credit, they had managed to set themselves up in such a way that any strange behavior was dismissed and blamed on their hippy religious ways. The pack had been in the area that long they were not seen as a threat, and were as much a part of the community as the locals. They supported the local farmers by paying top dollar for fresh produce, and while they didn't frequent town as frequently as normal, they were immediately recognizable by their tie-dyed clothing.

Daniel reluctantly left Parker and headed towards his office. As he approached the door, he braced himself before he walked into who knew what. The walls of his office were sound proofed so he couldn't hear through the door. With the twenty minutes head start they had, anything could have been decided. The council was already at odds, the latest killings would have put them in an untenable position with their packs. They would want answers, a solution, and someone to blame.

His suspicions were confirmed when he stepped into the room a moment later, and multiple voices vied to be heard over the others. Daniel nodded to Abraham and announced his presence. He took a seat and stared at the speaker phone. "I thought we were not going to begin until I returned."

"In light of the subject," said one of the alpha's, his voice echoing around the room. "We decided to start. Someone is killing our people, and we could very well be next."

Daniel steepled his fingers, breaking the news of Elise wasn't going to be easy. They were already on the edge. This would tip them right over. "There's a new development that you need to be aware of."

A few moments later he was proven correct. Pandemonium set in, and a heated argument erupted. Unlike other meetings, no one stayed on the fence. The revelation that Elise, was once again, behind a systematic killing of their people upped the stakes. How she was involved with the Lycans, or how she had come in contact with them in the first place, wasn't clear.

After an hour of accusations and grandstanding, Daniel was ready to explode. He raked a hand through his hair and glared at the speaker phone. If Rossi and Baker were in the room, he would have a hard time restraining himself from leaping over the table and breaking their necks. They were focused on the immediate and didn't consider the wider implications. Implications that could affect their very way of life.

"I agree with the others. We have to arm ourselves."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. Alpha Wyatt was the youngest alpha on the council as well as one of the most even-tempered. He leaned forward. "This is ridiculous. We should be focused on finding Elise, not putting weapons into the hands of our people." His voice came out in a low growl. "Arming ourselves is not the answer. To do what you are asking, will raise alarms with AFT, FBI, Homeland Security, as well every other agency and militia group in the country. We have managed to stay under the radar because we don't draw attention to ourselves. As soon as anyone gets wind we have an arsenal, it will be like we have painted a bullseye on our people."

"That's easy for you to say. You have one of the largest packs, and your land is protected by the best surveillance. What about the rest of us that are exposed and vulnerable?"

Daniel couldn't comment. It was true. Parker had installed cellular towers around the property, and the entire perimeter of their extensive, and private valley, was under constant video surveillance as well as motion. If they were attacked, they would be alerted well before anyone got near."

Abraham leaned forward and placed his weight on his ever-present cane. "This time Daniel, I have to agree with the others. We have very little options left, and, if what you say is true, that Elise is behind this, she is the one forcing our hand. Whatever is coming after us has the strength and the numbers. We have to close ranks and protect ourselves in every method at our disposal."

"We need to act now," said Rossi, alpha of the pack in New York state.

Daniel bit back on the reply ready to fly from his lips. It would not do to have the council in its own civil war on this matter. He exhaled and said, "Fine, but we had better start thinking logistics. If it's not done correctly, this could backfire on us."

The council agreed with his assessment, they failed to act swiftly enough with the Wildfire outbreak, a situation they would not repeat. Much to Daniel's relief, they agreed to open their doors for any unaligned or rogues that wished to take refuge. Provided they agreed to abide by the pack's rules, they would be under the protection of the pack for the duration.

"As a priority, we need to let everyone know of the danger."

"My teams can get word out to the pockets of unaligned, and they can spread it from there," said Daniel. It was part of his team's role to know the local haunts and hangouts, werewolves invariably gravitated to.

It was ironic. These werewolves chose not to live in a pack, or have anything to do with pack society. Yet, they congregated on a regular basis in many of the larger towns and cities across the nation. They helped each other when necessary and retained the fundamental rules of their race. They were delusional if they didn't think they lived in a pack society.

"So how do we go about arming ourselves?" asked Alpha Wyatt. "I dare say the DOD and Homeland Security will start to ask questions if there is a sudden large demand for guns and ammunition."

Daniel stared at the aerial map of the valley. The idea they had reached this point did not sit well with him. However, it was his duty to uphold the rules set down by the Council and to protect their race. "I think we might have a solution that won't raise alarm bells. I have no doubt, however, that it is going to cost us in more ways than one."

"Do you really think this is the answer?" Daniel asked Abraham once the emergency council meeting was over.

Abraham scratched his cheek as he considered the question. "Probably not, but what choice do we have? Packs are running scared. If nothing, at least it will allay their fears that we are not doing enough."

Daniel wasn't so sure. "Let's say the pack in New Mexico had a supply of guns and ammunition. Would that have made a difference? It was a surprise attack. What we are now saying is that we need to be permanently armed."

"Change is the only constant, you know that Daniel, as well as I do. We must adapt accordingly. I think we forget we are inherently a feudal race." Abraham sighed and leaned back in his chair. "This uneasy truce over the last few hundred years has given us a false sense of security. I can't help but feel this is one of these defining moments in our history."

Daniel couldn't fault Abraham's assessment. When he broke the news to the council that Elise was somehow involved with the Lycan, the entire group were undeniably apprehensive about what her ultimate goal was. From the destruction that blanketed the different packs, gene purity was no longer a big factor in her decisions. They were all possible targets. What had surprised him was the undercurrent about the mixed breed, unaligned, and rouge communities that were on the rise. Never before had members of the council voiced their opinions on the matter. He had been shocked at some of the xenophobic and derogatory comments passed by some of the alphas.

As far as Daniel was concerned, all werewolves, irrespective of whether they were considered pure or not, were equal. Nature had given their race a way of surviving, and it didn't matter whether you could trace your werewolf ancestry back to the dawn of time or not.

Abraham shuffled forward on his chair and made a motion to stand. Daniel moved closer to assist the elderly werewolf, but was waved off. "Not an invalid yet. It may take me a bit longer, but I can do it under my own steam."

Daniel stood back and waited for the older man to rise. Of them all, Abrahams line was the oldest. While his mind was still sharp, the ancient Alpha's body was failing him, and it was only a matter of time before it failed him completely. He was, by far, one of the oldest werewolves and had seen both the rise and fall of their race.

"I'd best be heading off," said Abraham as he shuffled towards the door. "Parker has finished copying the ancient tome, and I've supplied her with the last of the translations."

"Are you sure you won't stay another day to rest up?"

"Thank you for your concern, Daniel, but no. The elders want me back on pack land. Tamas has had to attend to some personal business and has yet to return to Texas. With both of us gone, you can imagine how nervous the pack has become. The vehicles are already waiting for me, and your beta, Simon, has stocked us up for the trip home." Abraham paused and took a breath. "Now my boy, walk me out to my car, and you can tell me how you intend to go about obtaining these weapons for us."

***

"Do you ever get the feeling that things are going from bad to worse," said Simon.

Daniel kept his gaze on the back of Abraham's small convoy as it headed out the gates. "I suppose you heard?"

Simon pushed his hands into his pockets and kicked at a small stone. "If you mean that Bitch is back and we are about to get all Rambo, then yes, I heard."

They headed back towards the house. "I'm not sure I'm going to be able to source that through Costco. Although, with that sized order, I'm sure I'll get an all-expense paid holiday to the Bahamas." Simon grinned. "That would get me so many brownie points with Lyssa, I would be set for life." He paused and tipped his head to one side. "How do I expense it, and who's paying?"

In addition to his other duties, Simon was the financial controller for the pack's business ventures.

Daniel shook his head. Even when things got serious, he could count on Simon to try and take any advantage he could. "Sorry, but no free holiday for you. You won't be running point on this purchase."

Simon's surprise was swift. "I won't?"

Daniel checked his watch. "Is Parker still in the house?" he asked, avoiding the question that was on the tip of Simon's tongue.

"Yep, she's in the house with Murphy and that wack job."

"Who?"

"You know, that FBI woman who everyone thinks is Murphy's mate."

"That would be because she is."

"You're not drinking the kool aide as well, are you?"

Daniel swung his head towards his friend and narrowed his eyes. Simon's face dropped, and he quickly averted his eyes towards the ground. "Sorry, Alpha. I meant no disrespect."

Daniel picked up his pace. "Simon, I have no idea why or how you two are at odds. But she is Murphy's mate. End of story."

Simon mumbled another apology and followed Daniel up towards the house. As they neared, the scent of freshly baked goods wafted out the front door, and Simon's stomach chose that moment to grumble. He chuckled. "Sorry, it's been at least an hour since I've eaten and I'm still hungry." He sniffed the air. "Whatever is in the oven, I want me some."

The moment they entered the large family room that opened out to the kitchen, Daniel gravitated towards Parker who was focused on her laptop. He bent down and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you," he whispered into her hair. "So stop blaming yourself for something out of your control."

Parker looked up and him, her lips in a grim line. From the self-recriminations in her eyes. Nothing he could say was going to change her mind. At least, not yet. He would just need to show her later just how wrong she was.

Simon rubbed his hands together as he stared at the array of muffins and cupcakes on the counter top. "I didn't know you baked. Why have you been holding out on us?"

"I don't," said Parker.

Simon chose the largest chocolate cupcake and brought it up to his mouth. "So, who did?"

"That would be me," said Kaitlyn. She, along with Murphy was seated near the window, also intently pouring over a laptop screen.

Simon's jaw locked just as it was about to bite into the still warm cake.

"And I've put something extra into them just for you." The wicked gleam in her expression was hard to miss as she glanced towards Parker and winked.

Not skipping a beat, Parker scrunched her nose and said, "It's not fair. She wouldn't let us have any, and insisted that batch was yours.

Simon dropped the cake as if it were hot coal and took a step backwards. An instant later, both Kaitlyn and Parker burst into fits of laughter. Once they had brought themselves under control, Kaitlyn wiped her eyes. "Oh, my God. You should have seen your face."

Simon scowled at Kaitlyn and snatched back up the abandoned cake. "Freak."

Kaitlyn snorted. "You're the one who turns into a mutt, and urinates against a tree to mark his territory, and you call me a freak?"

Simon's face turned an angry shade of red. "Are you really going to let her speak to me like that?" he asked Murphy.

Murphy looked up and glowered at Simon, who, realizing his error, mumbled under his breath and wisely dropped the subject.

"How did the meeting go?" Parker asked.

Daniel let Parker go and reached for a muffin. The smell was too tempting. "As expected."

"I suppose that means I'm off to New Hampshire," said Murphy, once Daniel had given them an outline of the council's decision.

Daniel nodded. While he didn't agree with the decision, the reality was, he had seen this coming and had already discussed their options with Murphy.

"Simon, I need you to book three tickets to Boston," he said.

"No problem, when did you want to leave."

"I'm not going."

"Oh?"

"No, it's for you, Murphy and Kaitlyn."

Simon nearly choked on his muffin. "Me?" he said, sending bits of food across the countertop.

"Murphy and Kaitlyn know how to get their hands on what we need, and put a deal in place. Only you know how to negotiate a price, then get your hands on that sort of cash."

Simon's brows disappeared into his hairline. "Cash? Who deals in cash these days?"

Kaitlyn picked up her Taser and grinned as she rose. "Pack your bags freak, and don't forget the Amex, this is not going to come cheap."

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📎A/N. Well the cats out of the bag now, and they know who's behind the attacks. Lets hope Parker continues her magic and works out how to find Elise. 

It looks like Daniel couldn't put the council off any longer and they are about to become their own private army... I can't help but feel that's just not the answer. What do you think? Are guns the answer?

.... And Simon's having to head to Boston with Murphy and Kaitlyn.. I wonder if he will get there in one piece, or will Kaitlyn use that Taser of hers? 

Next chapter will be up next Sunday PST. 

Till then, take care,

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