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.

our strongest ally in the Council, isn't convinced that there's a concern to the entire territory. Oh, he believes that there's danger-at my

thinks it's as simple as reinforcing our boundaries in Blackwood and Westwood. As sending a few troops of fighters to

inside of me, inside my wolf,

wrong.

a chance to fight back. We've already witnessed how easily they can invade our lands and fight

territory, bold as brass, are just the beginning. A first strike in a war that can bring us all to our

old bastards? It's like herding cats. Suspicious, prideful, territorial cats, who'd rather

clears his throat, his rumbling baritone cutting

meeting back on

34:52

2/5

aga, and

to my feet, the chair groani across

to me.

stalemate needs

mment

It's calculated. Deliberate. A test of our defenses, of our ability to react. It's the first steps of

of the table-neutral party in Alpha Ezekial Talon

pack and that bastard Blackwood, with his territory

across his face. Even so, it's a testament to his power that no alpha challenge has unseated him in

helped Xavier during my attack on Blackwood. Of

both sides of the story, refusing to take sides in a

is also

waiting to see what benefits his pack the most, instead of acting

he diawls. "A few Unregistereds step out of line and suddenly it's Armageddon? We've dealt with

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

a moment."

fists, biting back the growl building in

and disappear at will. They're striking without warning, and we have no way of fighting back. No matter how strong we are,

that we've been making for