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 believes that there's

simple as reinforcing our boundaries in Blackwood and Westwood. As sending

inside my wolf, screams

wrong.

a war coming for all of us, and anyone who isn't ready will be slaughtered without a chance to fight back. We've already

leeches crossing into Westwood territory, bold as brass, are just the beginning. A first strike in a war

cats, who'd rather bury their heads in the sand

baritone cutting through the murmured

on

34:52

2/5

state your request aga, and we'll vote once

feet, the chair groani across the floor. All

to me.

stalemate needs

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 at risk. Westwood is nothing more than the first step to whatever

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

pack and that bastard Blackwood,

fully gray in his hair with wrinkles and scars all across his face. Even so, it's a testament to his power that no alpha challenge has unseated him in

showing his true colors of late, despite having helped Xavier during my attack on Blackwood. Of

sides of the story, refusing

is

what benefits his pack the most,

out of line and suddenly it's Armageddon? We've dealt with

202 Lucas: Council (0)

holed up in their little sanctuaries for so long, I'm surprised they haven't

a moment."

the

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

we've been making for two goddamn days,