Page 41

EMME

I hadn’t been to a council meeting since that first day I was dragged to Golden Claw.

There was a sense of familiarity as I found myself surrounded by the strongest alphas in the city, only this time there were no onlookers—if you discounted the row of chairs that had been left for the witches on one side of the table, and the four chairs on the other for Slade, Kellan, Finley and me.

Only entitled alphas got a seat at the main table, and Hunter was our representative.

With Sorenson missing in action, the only other alphas I knew were Warrick and Sissily, the second who had taken up scowling in my direction, as if my mere presence was ruining her life.

When the witches filed in, I wasn’t surprised to see Jewels, along with four other unfamiliar females.

“Let’s get this started,” an alpha called as he stood at the head of the table.

He wore all white, which contrasted to his dark skin. While he wasn’t as obviously powerful as Hunter or Warrick, there was a restless energy in his brown eyes that told me his wolf held a streak of wild. Those were the ones to watch out for.

“Thank you, Alpha Stenson,” Hunter said, and I found my gaze lingering on my powerful mate in his dark gray suit. “We appreciate the full attention of the council.”

The first time I’d met Hunter had been in this very room, when he’d all but leapt the table and crowded me into the wall. My life had flashed before my eyes that day, and while I remembered the dread, my feelings as I stared today couldn’t be further from that.

My pack had only been in my life for a few short months, which was hard to believe considering how much had changed in that time.

They’d shown me the truth: my mom hadn’t been killed because her pack were alphas.

She’d been killed because her pack were evil fucks controlled by an even eviler fuck.

Her death was part of one big experiment, and the truth of that set me free. Cliché as it was.

There was still so much I didn’t know though. Had Mom been aware of what she was getting herself into from the start? Why did she move us constantly in my earliest years? Who the heck was my father and how was he involved in all of this?

My train of thought was cut off as Hunter stood.

“Now that formalities are out of the way, let’s get to business.

We’re here, once again, to discuss the threat against my pack.

An ongoing threat that the council has seen fit to ignore or dismiss for weeks, which resulted in our mate being stolen from us for the second time.

We’ve been forced to take matters into our own hands, and if there is no action again, the next time we do, blood will spill. ”

Kellan snorted on my left side as he sprawled back, his hands laced over his flat stomach, and his big feet out in front of him swishing left and right. Like he was having the time of his life watching Hunter ream the council a new asshole.

“We’re well aware you’ve taken matters into your own hands, Alpha Hunter,” Alpha Stenson drawled.

“And I don’t know what you mean about blood will spill.

We’ve had dozens of bodies dropped in our city since the omega arrived.

You even took out council members who stood in your way.

I don’t honestly know why you’re not the one on trial here today. ”

That had Slade sitting a little straighter, and if I was on the receiving end of his dark stare right now, I’d have run screaming from the room. Hunter handled it just fine on his own, as he leveled that alpha with his own stare, which lowered eyes around the room.

No one beat Hunter in a dominance battle.

At least no one at that table, and Slade would always back him.

“Her name is Omega Emmeline,” he growled, his voice warning them all that he was at the end of his patience.

Already. “Use her fucking title as her status in Reeves Pack warrants. And yes, I will drop the bodies of anyone who attacks my pack or stands in the way of their safety. No questions asked. If you’re sitting here on this council, you should feel the same way about your pack.

Otherwise, why are you wasting air pretending to be an entitled alpha? ”

“You tell them, Hunt,” Finley murmured from the other side of Kellan, and I leaned forward to see him.

He’d slipped in late after practice, having had extra press commitments, and he’d only just made it in time.

Despite the artic temperatures outside, he was dressed in an old Celtics shirt, a pair of athletic shorts, and sneakers with white socks that barely contained his thick calves.

There was no mistaking him for anything other than an athlete, which was a worry when Kellan mentioned last night that Finley had been off in their last game. I took in the dark circles under his eyes, and hoped he wasn’t sleeping even worse than usual.

As if he felt my gaze, his focus shifted toward me, and I was rewarded with a smile and faint dimples. I almost reached over Kellan to take his hand, but settled for returning the smile, until our attentions reverted to the meeting.

Alphas were yelling, annoyed by Hunter’s reprimand, until Warrick brought their meeting back to order.

“We cannot stand by idly any longer and allow one of our own to be targeted. The Reeves pack have been blown up and had their omega kidnapped twice in as many months. A traitor from our own damn council was involved in the last one, and I’m starting to believe we might have more amongst us.

I don’t like the way you’re all turning a blind eye because this isn’t directly your pack’s issue. ”

Sissily sat straighter, her plump lips red and glossy as she smirked. “Usually, we go to the Reeves pack to destroy our enemies. It’s just weird to have them need our help.”

Hunter’s rumble had gazes dropping once more.

“We don’t need your help, but you’ve all placed sanctions on our actions.

You’ve reprimanded us for hunting our enemies on the council and killing off those who helped Fletcher and the Rogers pack.

We’ve been warned that we’ll be making enemies of the Alpha Council if we continue on our own, which gives me no choice but to involve you all.

” I scowled, having had no idea the council had issued such warnings.

“Not that any of you have a fucking hope of taking us down, but for now we’re choosing to keep the peace, which forces us to push this through diplomatically. ”

A lion shifter from the end of the table, with bushy golden hair and a full gold beard, stood.

“Our pack is angry about everything you and your pack have been through Alpha Hunter,” he started, voice respectful.

“We’re here to help, in whatever way we can.

Hence why we facilitated a meeting with the witches. ”

Hunter looked unimpressed by the ass kissing. “You’re here because you’ve heard the rumors that there’s more going on than a localized danger to my pack. We’re just part of a greater issue… one that’s a threat to all shifter cities.”

Sissily stood as well, looking around, while fluffing up her hair.

“Come on, guys. It feels like a bit of a stretch that Alpha Fletcher, one of the greatest innovators and explorers of our time, is trying to usurp the current pack structure. Firstly, why would he want to, and secondly, where would he get the power to coordinate a task this mammoth across all cities at once. He doesn’t have the power to govern tens to hundreds of thousands of shifters throughout our vast country. ”

Hunter moved out of his seat for the first time, and I wasn’t the only one who hungrily watched him as he prowled down the table.

Sissily and Jewels—who’d so far been quiet—were locked on to the alpha.

At least Sissily had been until he reached her side, grasped the front of her suit, and dragged her closer.

“Now, why does that sound like the sort of statement a traitor would make?”

She spluttered, her eyes growing wider as she looked around for help, but there was none forthcoming. “I’m not a traitor,” she stammered, grasping on to his hands like she had a chance to break his hold. “Just speaking reason. Your father is legendary.”

“A legendary bastard,” Hunter shot back.

“As anyone who’d ever interacted with him would know.

I have no reason to lie, and the evidence of him taking my omega has been provided to the council.

If you wish to hide your head in the sand until you’re nothing more than a beta under his control, with witches up your ass, then feel free.

But the rest of us quite enjoy the structure of our current packs. ”

Jewels popped to her feet, drawing the attention of the council.

She wore all black today, and her light hair stood out nicely against the darker backdrop.

“Maybe it’s time to hear from the magical contingent in the room,” she called, and a tingle of energy crossed my skin, along with the scent of sulfur, which wasn’t as repulsive as usual.

Those tingles continued down into my fingertips, and it reminded me of Texas.

More specifically, that final fight with Talon, when my shifter essence had surged until I was able to shove the dragon with more strength than usual.

Odd considering my wolf had all but been in hiding.

That surge felt a lot like this magic today.

Was it possible that there’d been magic in the bunker I’d unintentionally tapped into?

“You have the floor, Jewels,” Hunter said as he dropped Sissily roughly into her chair.

He flattened a hand down his impeccable suit and returned to his own seat.

The other witches stood beside Jewels, each very different from the next.

The first was a tiny redhead, with curves for days, wearing jeans and white shirt.

Beside her stood a statuesque Black woman in a thousand-dollar power suit.

Next an Asian female wore a loosely fitted, white linen pants suit.

The final brunette had on a simple shift dress, though she bore a scowl that indicated she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Despite their differing appearances, they all had one thing in common: the power oozing off them.

“We’re here today,” Jewels started, “representing five of the ten most powerful covens in America.”

“And the other five?” a councilmember asked from the middle of the table.

Jewels exchanged a brief glance with the Asian witch.

“It appears they have aligned themselves with Fletcher. They want a change in shifter hierarchy. One where witches have more control over shifters as well, and can tap into your money and resources. They want to work side by side with one supreme alpha.”

That set off chaos once more as the entitled alphas were forced to accept the truth of what Hunter had been telling them all along.

“Silence,” Warrick shouted, on his feet, his handsome face creased in frustration. It took a few minutes, but eventually the room fell silent. “This information needs to go out to more than just our council. This is a serious matter for all shifters in our country.”

“We’re open to meeting whatever alpha councils you can bring to your side,” Jewels added. “As you’ll all need our help. Fletcher Davenport has powerful witches working beside him, as you already know, and they’ve clearly been planning this for years. Since the last war.”

“Do you know where they are yet?” Hunter asked impatiently.

Jewels shook her head. “So far nothing we’ve done has been able to track them. They would have known this was coming and planned accordingly. Until they surface or use their magic again, they’re all but undetectable.”

Half the council spun in their chair and directed their gaze to Slade. “Also untraceable online,” he confirmed. “Though I am narrowing the search grid.”

“Bet the traitor dragon knows,” Kellan murmured to me. “Be a lot easier if he talked.”

Talon had already said he wouldn’t share this information, but maybe we’d eventually wear him down.

“This will take a combined effort,” Jewels warned everyone. “We can’t participate without a binding magical agreement, which will require blood from all entitled alphas to ensure no one betrays the other party.”

A few of the alphas jumped to their feet, the scent of their beasts wafting through the sulfur in the air. Slade edged himself closer to me, angling his body in front of mine. Kellan did the same on my other side, as Finley got to his feet to move behind us. Protecting our backs.

My pack surrounded me on the chance this chaos spilled our way, but I wasn’t worried.

Until the redheaded witch looked right at Jewels, and when their eyes met she laughed and nodded. “You’ll never win,” she cried, turning back to the room. “Fletcher and our covens will rule you all.”

Her hands plunged into her pockets to pull out two vials, and she launched them into the air so quickly that there was no chance for anyone to stop her. Jewels dove away from her, throwing up a field of energy, but it was too late.

The vials crashed into the ceiling and an explosion rocked the building. Bright lights blinded us as screams rang out when the foundation cracked. Before I could suck in a breath, the council chambers fractured completely and the ceiling came tumbling down on top of our heads.