Page 37

37

Amelia

Staring at Kaylee, I no longer see the scared little girl I watched grow up before my eyes. Instead, I see a strong and powerful woman who has grown into the role the Goddess gave her the day she revealed my nephew as her mate. I don’t know when the change in her started. I don’t know when she went from being a strong beta willing to work beside me, where I can keep her safe, to the strong alpha female who now stands against me.

[Love, we need to let them go,] David links me, his words drawing my attention to him. Since we’d become mates, he’d never opposed my decisions. We’d always been a team standing side by side.

[But I don’t want to lose them. They’re our children, too.] He sighs, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek. With his touch, I can block out the power radiating off Kaylee and Lucas and handle the pressure those two have put on me. They are both strong wolves—have always been—but together, Kaylee and Lucas are an unstoppable force.

[We won’t lose them, Amelia. If anything, we will be helping them step into a role they were always meant for.]

I close my eyes reluctantly at his statement. David is right, as usual. He is my voice of reason, and right now, I am being unreasonable—thinking only with my heart. I knew Kaylee and Lucas were growing restless here. They may not have noticed it, but I did. They weren’t meant to be betas stuck under someone else’s leadership. They were meant to rule.

“Fine,” I finally croak, wiping away the tears that flow freely. “We will do things your way— under one condition,” I add, turning to look at Lucas and Kaylee.

The power they radiate is retracted back into their bodies, and the tension in the room is released. Everyone takes a deep breath, Maya looking visibly shaken. It must have been hard for my packmates to feel such power in this tiny boardroom.

“What is your condition?” Kaylee asks, relief clear as day in her eyes as she leans against Lucas. Exerting herself so much must have taken its toll on her.

“We have to call in our own allies, including Council Representative Amos,” I say. Kaylee goes to say something, but I hold my finger up, causing her to pause while I take a moment to think about what I need to say next.

“Ramos is planning to attack us in two months. This means we need to act and act fast. Whatever you do must be planned and executed in six weeks. Do you think you can do that?”

Kaylee pauses for a moment, turning to look at Lucas. Their eyes glaze over, and for a moment, I see what Lidia saw. Two strong wolves who can change the world we live in, who can take down the tyranny of Ramos Rider and Nathaniel Cross.

“Four weeks to plan and two weeks to make our way to Oak Fur and ready our attack,” my nephew says, shocking me.

“What?” I ask.

“Kaylee and I agree that we need to plan a counterattack and call our allies, but we trust only one pack to join us. We’ll use four weeks to plan and the last two to prepare for the attack on Ramos and Marilyn,” Lucas explains with a smirk.

“We need Devon as well. We need to know if any wolves left in Oak Fur want change, and he’s the best person to ask,” Kaylee chimes in, supporting her mate.

Yes, Lidia was right when she said that Lucas and Kaylee would be a force to reckon with all those years ago. Joan and Easton would be proud of the woman their daughter has become.

“Fine. We’ll prepare everything with only one allied pack then. So, who do you have in mind?” I agree, watching as Lucas’ smile turns into a wide grin.

“Alpha Titus of Growling Heart,” Lucas answers.

I find myself smiling at this. Titus would be a perfect ally in taking down Ramos. He despises my brother as much as everyone else does. Since his ascension after taking down Jordan and changing Shadow Moon to Growling Heart, the pack has flourished under his and Daisy’s rule. If we tell him of our situation, he will join us. If Lucas, his god-brother, asks him for his aid in taking down Ramos and reclaiming Oak Fur, he will do it without hesitation.

“You and Kaylee will need to be the ones to call him then. If you plan to be alphas, then you need to start acting like it,” David states, and I find myself nodding along. My mate is right—we can’t hold on to these pups anymore. They are to be parents soon and must learn to stand independently. We can support and cheer them on, but attacking Oak Fur and reclaiming that pack is their decision. We can’t plan everything for them.

“That’s fine. We can take a break for lunch and reconvene in an hour. By then, Lucas and I should have Titus’ answer,” Kaylee agrees, smiling.

She looks so much like her mother now, like the strong, independent she-wolf her parents wished her to be. She would have never become this she-wolf had she not been rejected months ago.

“Then let’s convene in an hour. Hopefully, we can have Titus on a conference call,” I agree instantly, turning to my Head Warriors, Marco and Maya. “In the meantime, I want you two to grab Ash and Devon and bring them up to speed. I want them to join us for the next phase,” I order them. They acknowledge their orders, and everyone leaves the boardroom.

“Did we make the right decision?” I find myself wondering as I fall back into the soft leather chair.

“We did,” David confirms from beside me. I look at my mate, feeling happy that he is standing beside me instead of against me again.

“Kaylee and Lucas can do this. We’ll be rid of Ramos and Marilyn in no time and won’t have to fear for our lives anymore,” my mate continues, taking my hand in his and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it.

“It’s not Ramos and Marilyn I’m worried about,” I say grimly. “It’s what Nathaniel Cross will do when they kill his daughter and unborn grand-pup.”