Capítulo 44

Atticus was taken aback by their questions but answered truthfully. "About a quarter acre, but we have plenty of room to expand. We've been trying to get contracts from other packs for herbs before dedicating more land."

Jason nodded, sharing a look with Reed who also nodded. It would take time for any pack to adjust their fields to make space for herbs they weren't already growing. Add to that the fact some herbs took two or three years to establish themselves, it could be a very long wait. Just as he was looking to save time by partnering with a medically specialized pack, they could also partner with a pack specializing in rare herbs to save even more time. Jason was far more astute than Reed gave him credit for.

"If you had a million-dollar investment, how long would it take to expand production?" Jason questioned.

Atticus hesitated, not sure if he was serious.

"Make that two," Reed suddenly spoke. "My pack can certainly match that."

Atticus glanced from one Alpha to the other. Never in a million years did he think he'd be this close to either, let alone sitting in the middle of a negotiation. His pack was only four hundred, and compared to Blue Moon or Harvest Moon, that was nothing. Jason could sense the other's uncertainty and knew he would have to give a proper explanation to secure his help.

"My pack recently received a patent for a new medicine, one that heals silver wounds."

Atticus sucked in a breath. Jason wasn't surprised by his reaction and continued to his main point.

"Blue Moon isn't specialized in medicine, which is why I have brought Alpha Reed here for discussion. However, as he pointed out, some of the herbs required are difficult to procure in large quantities." Atticus's eyes lit up as he finally realized why he had been asked to join this discussion. Finally, he said, "You need comfrey and vervain."

Jason nodded.

"With the kind of investment you are proposing, we could easily expand the fields at least three-fold or more."

"And you can guarantee supply and quality?"

"Once the fields are established, yes."

"And how much will it cost to expand even more?" Jason asked.

Atticus hesitated. Spying the drinks on the table, he snagged one and drank deeply to settle his nerves before he made his next proposal, "We can offer a discount... in exchange for a share of profits." Atticus held his breath as he waited for their reaction. Normally he never would have dared, but as Alpha, it was his responsibility to ensure his pack's future.

Jason blinked. Atticus's boldness was surprising and welcome. The proposal was all he needed to know Atticus understood the value of his pack's herbs and the value of the medicine. By sacrificing some immediate profits, he was ensuring future financial gains for his pack. That took foresight, not to mention courage, to speak so openly in front of two high-ranking Alphas. "Interesting," Jason finally said. "We haven't really gotten around to profit shares yet. I was intending for my pack to retain the majority: sixty-forty."

"Funny you should say that," Reed said, "since my pack will be handling manufacturing, distribution, and future development, I was going to propose sixty-forty in our favor."

The Alphas shared a chuckle, and Atticus relaxed. It seemed his proposal didn't offend either of them. What was more, they were taking it seriously. Enjoying a good-natured laugh, they settled in for a serious discussion. In truth, Jason wasn't terribly concerned with his pack's profit share as long as Bridget and Phoebe received fair compensation as the creators. Future generations of werewolves would learn that the most revolutionary medicine in history was invented by a pair of remarkable she-wolves.

For their part, Reed and Atticus not only wanted to ensure their packs were properly compensated but also friendly terms for the future. Close ties to Blue Moon could be hugely beneficial for both packs. Peace River was a small pack, and the added security Blue Moon could provide would help it grow quickly. The same was true for Harvest Moon. Though they had their own warriors, the pack was largely composed of intellectuals and scientists, so Blue Moon could help them improve their security tenfold. Eventually settling on terms, the Alphas drafted a contract and signed the agreement under Ansel's watchful eye. Each would retain a copy for their records. Once the agreement was made, the trio headed to the meeting room, arriving several minutes ahead of the other Alphas.

Jason sat at the head of the table. As the one who called the meeting as well as the host, it was his right. Ansel sat to his right, while Reed and Atticus sat at his left, still in deep discussion about herbs the latter's pack cultivated. As they chatted, the other Alphas slowly began filing in.

"Excuse me."

Atticus paused his conversation to see another Alpha standing over him. If not for Jason's presence, the other Alpha would have certainly extended his aura as he attempted to hold command over the lower-ranked Alpha. "You are in my seat."

Atticus blinked, looking to Reed, "Do we have assigned seats?"

"No. Everyone is free to sit where they please," Reed assured him.

It was technically true. Alpha meetings were considered informal gatherings to trade information and work cooperatively. Aside from the host, who always sat at the head of the table, there were no assigned seats. Every Alpha was meant to be equal, theoretically. In actual practice, there had been an unspoken tradition of higher-ranked Alphas sitting near the head of the table and lower-ranked Alphas sitting at the other end, sometimes standing if there were not enough chairs. If not for their earlier discussion, Atticus would never have even considered sitting anywhere near Reed or Jason.

The other Alpha looked to Jason for support, but the latter merely said, "Sit in any of the open chairs. I know we're all eager to get back to our Lunas, so let's make this as brief as possible."

Stifling a growl, the Alpha snagged another chair. Since he had taken so much time accosting Atticus, it was further down the table than he was used to, as others were already taken. Some of the lower-ranked Alphas were emboldened by Atticus standing up to others and took seats closer than usual.

Once they were all seated, Jason stood, "Now, I know we've all been experiencing an increase in rogue attacks. Is there anything anyone would like to add or suggest solutions?"

"I don't know what it's like further south," an Alpha from Manitoba said, "but in the north the attacks are much more vicious, especially during the fall and winter when food is scarce."

"How is your pack situated?" Jason asked. "Casualties?"

"We're only three hundred. We've lost five since last fall."

Jason nodded. Smaller packs always suffered more when it came to rogue attacks as they lacked the members to sufficiently repel them. Aloud he said, "I've already agreed to send a team to Peace River at Atticus's request. If you like, I can organize another to send to you."

The Alpha hesitated, then said, "We would appreciate any aid you're willing to spare."

"Of course," Jason readily agreed. "I'll send a team back with you. They can help assess the threat as well as improve security. When winter comes, I'll send warriors based on their assessment to help manage attacks."

The other Alphas murmured amongst themselves. Blue Moon's strength was well-known. It was not an exaggeration to say one Blue Moon warrior was worth ten from another pack. But even more surprising was Jason's willingness to send out his warriors to help secure other packs, especially as he hadn't suggested compensation. Most Alphas would only concern themselves with their own pack security, and if they did entertain the idea of assisting, some form of financial compensation would be required, but Jason seemed wholly unconcerned.

"I know subduing rogue attacks can be more difficult for smaller packs," Jason continued. "That is why sharing information and cooperating is so important. As some of you may know, my pack has been doing a detailed study of rogues and their movements. We have determined that rogues tend to set up a territory usually near the borders of a pack. We are still determining why, but that means paying attention to rogue sightings and monitoring their numbers is a good indicator of the danger level they present to a pack. I encourage everyone to meet with their neighbors regularly, organize patrols of their shared borders, and share information with each other. If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll happily organize a team to help assess your pack's security, determine threat levels, train your warriors, and of course, help repel attacks."

He looked around the room, gauging each Alpha's reaction. Jason noted those who looked agitated or worried and reminded himself to speak with them later. If they didn't want to speak in front of the group, perhaps they would be more comfortable one-on-one.

"And now... I would like to make an important announcement," Jason said. "I'm sure several of you have noticed Elder Ansel. My pack recently applied for a patent on a new medicine and was approved. The medicine is specially formulated to treat and heal wounds inflicted by silver."

An audible gasp went through the collected Alphas. They seemed to be in a state of shock and disbelief and looked to the Elder, who simply nodded. It was all true.

"Since my pack doesn't specialize in medicine, we will be partnering with Alpha Reed and Harvest Moon, as well as Alpha Atticus of Peace River, who will be providing the herbs and facilities to manufacture and distribute the medicine," Jason continued. "Harvest Moon, I assume, will be running their own trials and making test batches to ensure quality. I encourage anyone interested to get with Alpha Reed to discuss price as well as time frame for orders."

Reed nodded in agreement with everything Jason said. As the medicine was new to them, his pack would have to experiment with making large batches and ensure quality. Once they figured that out, they would be able to determine price as well as take orders from packs.

The room suddenly erupted with questions. Everyone wanted to know how effective the medicine was, how it had been discovered, and when they could conceivably make orders. After millennia, all were eager to overcome one of their greatest weaknesses. Jason allowed Elder Ansel to answer most of the questions, as the Council was the one in charge of the initial trials.

While he remained silent, Jason's mind was filled with thoughts. He knew the others were curious, but a lot of the medicine would remain secret to protect the patent as well as his contracts with the other Alphas. However, there was one piece of information he would make absolutely clear: and that was its creators.