Chapter Tiptoeing around the Truth

One month after the fall of Monarch Mountain

Monarch Jacob 'Jake' Vanguard POV...

I stood in my brother's office at the Monarchy headquarters of the North American Pack Alliance, only it wasn't his brother's office any longer, it was mine and I didn't want it. Our grandfather's last act after the battle that killed most of the surviving Ravers of Monarch Mountain was to strip James of his rank and prestige and declared me the new Monarch of the North America Werewolves.

And all it cost me was my reluctant mate and my son, I thought bitterly.

I knew I should blame the Human Purity Movement and the terrorist attack that turned me into a Raver. Raver was the term the original group of survivors in the Quarantine Zone had coined for those nonhumans who became stuck as their monsters. The things we did as Ravers caused us such trauma that many had taken their own lives. All the male nonhuman survivors suffered from the Rage, a form of PTSD that caused an uncontrollable shift back to their Raver with often homicidal consequences, and those who became stuck as their monsters were killed. There were less than one hundred of us that recovered fully and still lived, if it could be called recovery. The best doctors, researchers, and healers of four species didn't know what the bio-chemical weapon which turned all nonhuman males in the Colorado Front Range into monsters was, but my allies had found something. I hesitated, wondering, Could I really call them my allies when they really belonged to my mate?

"Monarch Vanguard?" A strangely accented female voice interrupted my musing.

"Yes, Petra," I knew I could not trust the Angeles Fae who had been my brother's assistant for two decades despite the fact James insisted she was trustworthy and made the best coffee. I hated her coffee, and my wolf won't let me drink it.

"The liaison from the human government is here to meet you and you have an 8pm with the Rosesea Vampire ambassador." Petra was a forever blessed Demonus Fae and not an Angeles Fae as James believed but I needed to keep her close so I could find out who she held under her influence.

"Please show them in, Petra. Thank you for setting up the meetings while I was in Westcliff." I made myself mean it as I said it because Nicolea explained how Fae could read auras and that the only way to lie to one was to mean the lie. I am glad she nods and then closes the door behind them.

I smile without teeth as I greet Vice President Marshland and General Forrester. "Gentlemen, I am glad you could come before the information we uncovered is released to the press. We have found Dr. Strawford."

"I demand you hand that bastard over for trial!" the general snarled with uncharacteristic anger in his scent. He publicly raged to the press about Dr. Coyllier's suicide, and all but claimed the nonhumans somehow killed him inside a secure human government facility.

"His very decayed remains were found at Erie Municipal Airport in Colorado with the remains of a tanker truck, the source location of the planes that sprayed the Project Elm Street chemical weapon into the storm. He was not a victim of the terrorist attack, he was shot in the head along with the airport manager." I kept my voice as level as I could, putting up the pictures on the wall monitor. The two humans stared at the screen. "These images at ground zero which were taken by Dr. Jon Lance and his team. He and a vampire CSI other barely made it out alive when they were attacked by the vampire and werewolf Ravers that remained in the area and were evidently consuming the residue."

"Did the rest of Dr. Lance's team make it out?" Vice President Marshland asked with a frown.

"We haven't heard from them," I replied quietly, not revealing that we only knew for certain that one died while another had been mauled and exposed which resulted in him becoming a Raver. "The site provided definitive proof that the A.S.H. created by Dr. Troy Phillips to allow humans and nons to coexist was not responsible for the Revelation Night."

"Then what was?" Marshland demanded.

"Dr. Lance and his team are still trying to determine the exact chemical makeup of the residue, but it appears to be completely organic and that is why it wasn't found in the initial tests." I never took my eyes off Forrester because my wolf did not trust him. "And before you say it isn't, General, we have already exposed a volunteer to its aerosolized form. He changed into a Raver and lost control before we subdued him."

Marshland bowed his head, he smelled worried and fearful. "If our chemical weapon sensors can't detect it... What happened to the volunteer? Did... did he... did you?"

"My brother is recovering," I announced.

"James? But he just lost his leg," Marshland was flabbergasted so I tried to reassure him.

"Not James, William. He volunteered and had already learned to control his Raver."

"He's only nineteen!" Forrester accused, "You wolves have no respect for children or their lives."

"He's twenty and again," I interrupted, "He volunteered because he lost his mate on the Revelation Night. He wants to know what the Project Elm Street weapon is more than anyone to make certain it is never used again," I explained. "We are all on the same side, General. No one wants a repeat of the Revelation Night."

"What about those poor souls near that airport? Can they be cured like you were?" Marshland asked.

"Dr. Lance and his team are working on an antidote and treatment program, but it will take time."

"Time?" Forrester shook his head with a disparaging glare at me. "We have nearly two million of both our species who have been homeless since that night. We can't keep refusing to let them back into the Q.Z. because of a handful of monsters. Hell, your brother was almost killed when they attacked him at your home pack. We should just kill them all and be done with it."

I could see the red starting to tint my vision as I tried not to get angry, so I made myself breath out slowly.

Marshland snapped at him, "You know it isn't that simple. They are citizens of this country with rights even if they have been rendered insane by whatever the weapon was. Monarch Vanguard, can we start sending teams into the edge areas to check for contamination?"

With the election coming, the current administration was desperate to provide the public with some form of closure or they risked losing the election and I would be negotiating with a completely new group. This one was mostly favorable toward Nons, except some of their military lead by General Forrester, but after the Revelation Night I could understand his animosity. He'd lost his brother-in-law and nephew.

"I will give you any aid you need," I offered. "My warriors are willing to accompany anyone returning to Colorado."

"Why? So if, they get a whiff of whatever was in the snow that night, they can slaughter my men? I don't think so," General Forrester snapped. "This is the same dog and pony show we got when Paul Bastile was your head of Lycan Intelligence, then we found out he was in contact with Dr. Phillips and was warned the attack was imminent and he did nothing. I'm sorry, Monarch Vanguard, I wouldn't trust your... soldiers not to kill mine." He stood up. "Goodbye, Monarch Vanguard." I watched him stand as Marshland gaped after him, "This meeting isn't over."

"It is for me. I won't volunteer my soldiers for certain death," Forrester snapped and slammed the door behind him.

Rubbing his forehead, Marshland shook his head then glanced at me with the shrewd eye of a predator. "I know you don't trust him. Frankly, I don't either. He's made it more about the politics of fear mongering than getting people home, so what didn't you say?"

"Tell the president that Dr. Lance and his team believe it is an organic substance made from a specific elm tree and our mutual enemies have enough of the trees to fill a tanker truck with it," I revealed as I got up and poured us both a drink. "The medieval Fae call it the Dust of Rage and it was the real cause of the Dark Ages and the war that killed half of Europe. The Black Death and Crusades was all a lie." I handed him the glass and he sipped the whiskey in it while I had vodka.

"Thornton thinks the General is planning on making a run for the White House with the backing of the military and the anti-Non movement. He hasn't found out that you and my grandfather knew each other and served in WW2 together. If he does, he will use it to cast the administration as being in collusion with the werewolves and try to shift the blame for that night on us." Marshland glanced at the door then back to me. "What exactly do you want me to tell the president."

"There was nothing in Dr. Phillips' notes about any organic weapon, or plant derivative, or any bioweapon like the one that cause the Revelation Night. If we can't find those trees and burn them before they harvest enough to set up another attack," I did not finish because we both knew the next time we could lose a lot more people, tens of millions instead of two million.

"Does Dr. Lance and his team think it can be synthesized like opioids are?"

"They don't know," I admitted. "But it scares them."

Marshland drained his glass, coughed slightly then wheezed, "They aren't the only ones."

"Is that why people who are figuring it out are dying or having accidents?"

Jake, I swear, we are not behind those deaths. Someone is working very hard to make it look like the federal government is covering up what really happened on that night," Marshland insisted and I smelled he was telling the truth. "What do you think is really going on here?"

"Someone is trying to cause a war between the humans and nonhumans," I answered honestly. "The attack before Halloween didn't work and I am certain they will try again."

"Why?"

"Because the assassination attempt that maimed my brother and killed the survivors of our pack was carried out by a clan of Dark Fae, like the ones who help the Axis. They've waited three generations to start the war again." The red began to creep back into my vision at the thought of the Blessed Demonus that almost killed me in the attempt to steal Justice. "They were after my son, but he escaped with my mate... And tonight, I am going to have to tell the Rosesea Vampires that these same Fae were probably behind the assassination of their crown princess. If her daughter is still alive and they have her then they abduct my son who is the Monarchy heir, they can force both species to surrender. I believe that if that fails, they will use the Dust of Rage until the humans have no choice but to destroy us."

Marshland got up and poured himself another glass. "It'll be fuking world war three with the vampires controlling the Arabian oil and African mines, and the wolves in St. Petersburg and Moscow... Jake, I want in on the meeting tonight with the Covenant Vampires."

"Let's go have dinner," I said as I glanced at the door then I reached up like I was rubbing my ear but tapped it and flicked my thumb at the door.

Marshland raised and eyebrow, responded calmly, "I could eat. Haven't been to the Riverboat Steakhouse since my last visit with James after the election. How about we get carry out? I have an excellent Macallan twenty-five on Airforce Two."

"Perfect." I knew I would be under surveillance there but at this moment, it was the lesser of two evils.

Petra sat at her desk as I came out with Vice President Marshland. His secret service detail immediately surrounded him. "Petra, we're going to have dinner."

"Do I need to call for an escort, Monarch Jake?" She began typing, "Or make a reservation?"

"No, but thank you. The Vice President and I will be back at 8PM to meet with the Rosesea King and his advisors."

"They could just meet us on the plane. We can get the clearance for them to land at the base. It would be safer," Marshland offered.

"Do you need me to come with you?" Petra asked as she stood.

"Take the night off and go home early or stop at the mansion and visit my brother. I am sure he misses you," I insisted, thinking that if she was busy there, I wouldn't be looking over my shoulder.

For a moment, her eyes narrowed then she smiled beautifully. "Thank you, Monarch Jake. Enjoy your evening."

Watching the two men she was supposed to be spying on leave to go to someplace she did not have access was frustrating and enraging, and she wondered again if Jake suspected the truth. She straightened her desk the tidied his office. She accessed the hidden camera from her phone and watched the meeting. It was exactly what she expected and she rolled her eyes when Jake reached up to scratch his ear like the dog she thought he was. The only things which were said which might be of use was that the Monarch had known the V.P.'s grandfather and the Head of National Security did not want to send his soldiers back to the Q.Z. with Monarchy warriors because of the risk of a repeat of the Revelation Night. She wanted to snarl but she kept her composure perfectly passive until she left.

VvvvvV

One week later...

"We will be aiding the human government in ensuring the safety of the Quarantine Zone so both our kind can return home." I finished reading a carefully prepared statement. I looked around the room, the reporters had been given numbered paddles because I did not know their names as my brother did. I saw one and glanced at the list on the podium. "I'll take questions now. Mr. Jensen?"

"Monarch Vanguard, since the Revelation Night, how has the Werewolf Monarchy sought to stop it from happening again?"

I answered honestly about the work of Dr. Lance, Dr. Greyson, and Mrs. Quinn Phillips in the Q.Z. and how it was their work based on the information Dr. Phillips stole from the Human Purity Movement that allowed so much information to be revealed.

A reporter whose name I didn't have a chance to look up shouted, "What about those who figured it out too? Too many have died under questionable circumstances. Did the governments silence them?"

Resisting the urge to sigh, I stated, "I have been in close contact with the government. Neither of us would harm any citizen. We believed the HPM terrorists are responsible for a rash of deaths to try to make it look like we are colluding and to sow distrust between not only our species but between the people and the governments sworn to protect them."

"I have a question about Dr. Phillips!" A young woman waved her placard, so I glanced at the list.

"Alright, Miss Walsh, I don't know if I can answer but.."

"Will you answer why you have hidden from the world that Dr. Phillips' wife of fifteen years is your mate and that you forcibly marked and mate her against werewolf law while under the influence of the chemical weapon?" The young woman demanded loudly. There was a momentary silence then everyone was shouting questions.

"Did you kill Dr. Phillips in his home?"

"Where is Mrs. Phillips?"

"Is Dr. Phillips's widow the new queen of the werewolves?"

I shook as I held up my hand, my wolf was going crazy in my head with the need to protect our mate.

"Mrs. Phillips killed the wolf who attacked and killed her husband. She is safe at this time with her surviving child in an..."

"Your son, isn't that correct? You raped her after killing her children and she had your son at Monarch Mountain where the survivors of your pack were holding her hostage, isn't that what happened?" Miss Jensen sneered hatefully, and I realized I had see the same look on Aliza Abbott's face in the few recordings Dr. Troy Phillips had secretly made of their discussions with Dr. Coylier and Dr. Strawford.

I needed to leave before I lost control and raged. The world was tinting red as I snarled, "Miss Jensen, you have been given misinformation... This press conference is over." Turning into my Raver in front of the press would be the worst thing that could happen. I turned stomped out of the room. Going straight to the basement, I managed to strip out of my suit and lock the door before I lost control. Two hours later, I shifted back and had a shower. James was waiting in the Monarchy office with our Betas.

I glared at them both as I demanded, "How the hell did they find out about Shalom and my son?"