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.

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

reinforcing our boundaries in Blackwood and Westwood. As sending a few troops of

me, inside my wolf, screams

wrong.

chance to fight back. We've

the beginning. A first strike in a war that can bring us all to

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

his throat, his rumbling baritone cutting through the murmured side

on track. We've

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state your request aga, and we'll vote once

push to my feet, the chair groani across the floor. All

to me.

stalemate needs to

mment on

test of our defenses, of our ability to react. It's the first steps of war. We are all at risk. Westwood is nothing more than the

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

that bastard Blackwood, with

wrinkles and scars all across his face. Even so, it's

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

hear both sides of the story, refusing to take sides

is

benefits his pack the most,

Westwood," he diawls. "A few Unregistereds step out of line and suddenly it's

202 Lucas: Council (0)

for so long, I'm

a moment."

the growl building in

time," Clayton interjects smoothly. "They're able to move without detection, to appear and disappear at will. They're striking without warning, and we have no way of fighting

been making for