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.

convinced that there's a concern to the entire territory. Oh, he

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

me, inside

wrong.

war coming for all of us, and anyone who isn't ready will be slaughtered without a chance to fight back. We've already witnessed how easily they can invade our lands and fight when we're vulnerable,

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

convincing the rest of these stubborn old bastards? It's like herding cats. Suspicious, prideful, territorial cats, who'd rather bury their heads in the sand than

his throat, his rumbling baritone cutting through the murmured side

on track. We've argued

34:52

2/5

request aga,

chair groani across the floor. All eyes

to me.

needs

ener mment

no 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 at risk. Westwood is nothing

table-neutral party in Alpha Ezekial Talon of Whispering Pines. He was

that bastard Blackwood,

with wrinkles and scars all across his face. Even so,

despite having helped Xavier during my attack on Blackwood. Of course, then we had only asked him to turn a blind eye. Here, we're

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

is

his pack the most, instead of acting in the best

Unregistereds step out of line and suddenly it's

202 Lucas: Council (0)

sanctuaries for so long, I'm surprised they haven't all turned into

a moment."

clench my fists, biting back the

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

we've been making for two goddamn