Page 293 of Cruelly Bitten

“Blessed Ones,” Sota interjected, his voice gravelly. “He used the bloodline ofBlessed Onesto createfood.”

A few vampires glanced at him, their mouths tightening in response.

Because these were ourfathers.

And my brother had experimented on them almost as harshly as he had the lycans. The only difference was the Blessed Ones hadn’t endured the torture for long.

Meanwhile, some of the lycans had lived through it for over a century.

“Regardless of what he did or how he did it, his goals were clear. None of it was for lycan kind,” Jolene said, his tone ringing with a finality that momentarily silenced the room.

At least until his grandson cleared his throat. “I’d argue that includes the establishment of the universities, breeding camps, and the moon chase.”

Several lycans turned to face Edon, some of them arching brows.

“We don’t need humans to procreate,” the young alpha continued. “And the moon chase was a pastime developed for morbid entertainment; it was a way to take out our anger onhumankind for what they’d attempted to do to us. Yet now we know Cane orchestrated all of it. So what’s the point?”

“He’s right,” Jolene murmured. “Our clans have never needed humans for anything. We lived alongside them in peace for millennia. We can do it again. But with a few extra precautions in place.”

“You’re suggesting we give humans back some of their rights?” Sahara asked, the incredulity in her tone telling me exactly how she felt about that prospect.

Jolene’s dark eyes traveled across the stage to where Sahara sat primly on the edge of her seat. “I’m suggesting we consider Khalid’s idea and govern ourselves. Your needs are different from ours.”

“Obviously,” she muttered.

The conversation continued, the focus around current human assets and what should be done with them.

As Jolene and Edon pointed out, the lycans didn’t have as strong a need for mortal lives as the vampires did, thus suggesting the notion of evenly splitting the existing resources was flawed.

“The vampires need blood,” Sahara kept stressing.

“You meanyouneed blood,” Claude retorted. “You’ve been gluttonous, and now you’re lacking in resources. I don’t see how that’s anyone else’s problem other than your own.”

A few vampires agreed. Lycans, too.

But eventually the group came to an agreement that the mortals within the Blood Universities would primarily go to existing vampire regions.

Which led Khalid back to redrawing the boundary lines.

“It makes the most sense for those of us still alive to maintain the land we already own,” Jace said, speaking up for the first time in several minutes. “That applies to both royals and clans.”

Several of the alliance members nodded, agreeing with him.

Which primarily left former vampire regions up for claim.

“If we want to remain even in our distribution, those territories will need to go to another vampire,” Naomi murmured. “It will also allow for a more fluid transition. Otherwise, we’ll have to find new homes for everyone in those regions.”

“It is possible for lycans and vampires to live together,” Rae said, her irritation palpable. “This doesn’t have to be aneither-orconversation.”

“For the intents and purposes of this discussion, and the allocation of power, it does,” Khalid replied. “But once the land is divided and the leadership is confirmed, the royals or alphas in charge can decide how to run their own territory and who to welcome within their boundaries. That’s the beauty of being independent.”

Rae fell silent after that, her focus going to Kylan.

After a beat, he nodded, which seemed to make her shoulders relax a little.

Willow and Ryder appeared to be having a secret conversation as well. But rather than nod, he merely tilted his head to the side, causing Willow to glare at him. However, it seemed to be a playful glare more than an angry one, something her twitching lips gave away.

“Cam?” Khalid prompted after another thirty minutes of debating—a debate that ended in everyone agreeing with the assessment that the vacant seats in the various regions should be claimed by vampires. “You’re the oldest of our kind. Is there a territory you wish to claim?”