Page 72 of Alpha Awakened
“We received a message from Carlos Cortez.”
“He contacted us?” she asked in surprise.
The aide nodded. “Yes, ma’am. He sent a tape.”
Hazard looked at his squadmates in surprise.
“Let’s go,” Ortiz said.
Now they understood why the aide had been in such a hurry. If there was a message from Cortez, they wanted to see it immediately. They ran to HQ, only slowing down once they were inside so they didn’t mow down the people in the halls.
In the briefing room, Lieutenant Colonel Gibbs sat at the table, holding a VCR remote control in his hand. He skipped greeting them to get straight to the point.
“When I heard you were on your way back I waited for you. I knew you’d want to see whatever is on this tape.”
“Damn right,” Hazard said.
They all sat down and Gibbs hit play.
“Where did this come from?” Ortiz asked.
“The tape arrived an hour ago with urgent directions to be delivered straight to me.”
The video started with shaky gray lines on a black screen. It smoothed out and the black faded away. A gray brick wall appeared on screen. A second later, a tall, well-built young man walked into frame. He was dressed in a brown and yellow striped pullover. His dark hair was neatly combed, parted in the center and feathered back on each side.
It was Carlos Cortez. He smiled and clasped his hands together in front of him.
“Hello. I heard you were looking for me.”
Hazard clenched his jaw to keep from growling. He already didn’t like Cortez and his smug expression. A quick glance around the table showed everyone else felt the same way. The tape played on, the Cortez in the recorded video smiling and uncaring of their animosity.
“You won’t find me. Not until I want you to. But I will tell you why you should care who I am.”
The smile dropped from his face, his expression switching to one of cold intensity.
“For too long, the shifters in this country have ignored those who need them the most. The shadow packs of the Southwest, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic. We were all abandoned. We are so forgotten that no one even speaks our names any more. Young wolves don’t evenknowour names. But I will speak them. Sun Ridge, Grim Tides, Sacred Coast.
He paused, as if to let the weight of those names sink in.
“The current council is a fraud,” he continued. “They are not a true council because they don’t representallshifters. And that one, single councilor who claims to represent the shadow packs doesn’t count. What has she done for the shadow packs? Nothing but leave us to rot.”
Cortez took a step toward the camera.
“I will unite the shadow packs into one new pack majora. I will give us a new home and a new name. And I will open our newly claimed territory to all wolves from all over the country who want to join us. Those who are dissatisfied in their current packs. Those who want to return to shifter traditions. Those who shun mixing with the humans. All will be welcome in the Bright Heart pack. We will find our strength and claim our home.”
The cold intensity eased from his expression and he smiled once more.
“That’s all you need to know. Goodbye Squad 448. I’ll see you whenIwant to see you.”
The video ended.
“Is he crazy?” Jax asked in disbelief.
“More than likely,” Ortiz answered. “But I can see people flocking to his cause.”
Hazard sneered. “Yeah, a bunch of knot head alphas who want omegas as their submissive play things.” As an omega, that traditionalist bullshit was a sore spot for him.
Ortiz nodded in agreement. “True. But there are also people who legitimately feel abandoned in the shadow lands.”