Tangled

Unshift 202

Unshift 202

202 Lucas: Council (1)

Alphas arguing with alphas is nothing but a waste of time.

The dregs of cold coffee stick in my throat as I set my mug down with a thud. Fuck. I'm exhausted. My eyelids feel like sandpaper against my eyes, and I rub at them with the futile hope of easing the discomfort.

Forty-eight hours.

Two damn days since I've seen the inside of my eyelids for more

then a blink

I haven't had a chance to even speak a single word with Ava. Not

even a text

It's impossible to keep her a secret forever, but without knowing how far I can trust these other alphas-bringing her into this mess

is a risk I refuse to take.

The last thing I need is for the Council to push back and demand that Ana be returned to Alpha Blackwood in order to prevent any more vampire attacks.

Jericho's worries have set root in my belly, growing an entire forest of doubt and concern. He's right. Ara's not enough of a reason to Breach the peace we've upheld for so long Far longer than any of our lifetimes

There's something else there. Something I was too blind to see. And we need to act. *

Now. Before any other tragedies come to be.

The stink of unrest taints the air, setting my teeth on edge.

I glance across the conference table, meeting Clayton's steely gaze. He's been the ally in my corner, standing steadfast beside me in my

concerns.

isn't convinced that there's a concern to the entire territory. Oh, he believes that there's danger-at

simple as reinforcing our boundaries in Blackwood and Westwood. As

of me, inside my wolf,

wrong.

who isn't ready will be slaughtered without a chance to fight back.

brass, are just the beginning. A first strike in a

It's like herding cats. Suspicious, prideful, territorial cats, who'd rather bury their heads in the sand

clears his throat, his rumbling baritone cutting through the murmured side

get this meeting back on track. We've

34:52

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your request aga, and we'll

chair groani across the floor. All

to me.

stalemate needs to

ener mment on

isolated incident. It's calculated. Deliberate. A test of our defenses, of our ability to react. It's the first steps of war. We are all

end of the table-neutral party in Alpha Ezekial Talon of Whispering Pines. He was friend to

that bastard Blackwood,

across his face. Even so, it's a testament to his

helped Xavier during my attack on Blackwood. Of

moral. Waiting to hear both sides of the story,

is

the most, instead of acting in the best

Westwood," he diawls. "A few Unregistereds step out of line and

202 Lucas: Council (0)

been holed up in their little sanctuaries for so long, I'm surprised they haven't all turned into dust. With our numbers

a moment."

back the growl building in my chest. Shortsighted

appear and disappear at will. They're striking without warning, and we have no way

we've been making for two goddamn