Untamed Force (Force of Nature Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

ago. Harvey didn’t have anything thanks to him. He moved to
the desk again and tried to think if there was one person in the pack he could
bring in.
    Over the years the pack numbers had
dwindled. He had started out with over a thousand and now he thought he had
less than half that, though he wasn’t all that sure. He knew that word had
gotten around that it wasn’t going to be long for this pack, so Rich had made
laws to increase the number of members. He’d decreed that every female would have
a litter a year without fail of he’d kill her and find one that would. It
mattered little to him if they had mates or not. If they didn’t have a cub then
he’d simply kill them. So far, the numbers seem to be increasing, but not at a
rate that he’d hoped for. When his phone rang, he nearly didn’t pick it up.
    “Rich Sterling, this is Councilman Nigel
Briggs. I’ve heard you’ve had some problems in your pack.”
    Rich wanted to snarl at the man to mind
his own business.
    “I’ve called to see if the rumors are true.”
    “Well, since I don’t have a clue what
you’re referring to, I’m not sure how I should answer that.” He wondered if
that bitch Georgia had contacted them and was sure of it when he spoke next.
    “Well, let me see…I have a report that
you have invoked the rule of death to your enforcer. I’m not sure we’ve used
that rule in…well, centuries. What sort of harm has befallen you from the
neglect of your man?”
    Rich closed his eyes and counted to ten.
If he told the old bastard what had really happened, he’d be brought before the
courts. He doubted very much he’d live long if he told them that his pant leg
had gotten muddied when they’d been walking to his car. It really hadn’t been
the man’s fault. It had been completely Rich’s, but someone had snickered and
his enforcer had been the closest.
    “My enforcer…oh you mean Reynolds. Well,
it seems that he coveted my female. He has his own wife, you see, and when he
started making advances to my bitch, I had to put him down.” Rich rolled his
eyes. Like he had a bitch at all. “I can’t have that sort of thing going on,
especially when it involves a man who is supposed to enforce the rules, not use
them for his own personal gain.”
    “I see. Entirely different story than
the one I got. I can see where that would…I had no idea you’d taken a mate. Congratulations.
Best thing in the world for an alpha to take a mate and breed more of his own.
Your numbers have been going down of late and, well, we feel that we may have
to come and see what is going on.”
    Over his dead body, he thought. “Nothing
the matter. Just the economy. You know how hard it is for a pack to keep
together now days. Younger breeds wanting to strike out on their own and all.”
    “Yes, but you see, your numbers aren’t
coming up at all. Not even your births have been reported in the black for some
time now.” Rich heard him rattling around papers as he continued. “There hasn’t
been a recordable birth in your pack for a number of years. Oh, there has been
a few, ten, over the past five years, but your infant death rate is nearly
double that. What could be the problem?”
    “I’ll have to see who isn’t giving you
the correct numbers and get back to you on that. I’m sure it’s been a great
deal more than that.” Or it would be soon enough. “I know that there are a
number of bitches ready to whelp, but as of…let me get back to you soon.” He
leaned back in his chair. “I don’t suppose you know where Reynolds’s mate and
family have gone, do you? I can’t tell you how concerned I am about them and
her children. She must be terrified out of her mind right now.”
    “No doubt, no doubt. But I only have a
missive from another pack leader. I don’t recall his name right now, but when
you call me with those corrected numbers tomorrow, I’ll see if I can locate it.”
    Rich wasn’t happy with the way the call
ended, but the stupid