Page 4 of Spirit Walker Pack (Kingdom of Wolves #5)
FLINT
After the call with Falan, I immediately contacted the Shifter Council and to my surprise they knew nothing of Arric’s intentions to create an alliance with the Northern Sector packs.
Once I’d given them the bare facts, I took my leave of Lyle and rode my old but trusty motorcycle at some unhealthy speeds back to the council chambers.
Not surprisingly, on my return I found the entire council waiting for me. After assuring Roman and Cinder, Lyle’s parents, that he was fine we got down to the serious business of Arric’s attempt to bolster his forces.
“Fellow council members, the call from Falan was unexpected to say the least, but the timing couldn’t have been better with my presence at the Spirit Walker pack.” I’m immediately interrupted by Porter Riverrun.
“How certain can we be of this Alpha Falan’s motives? Wasn’t it his pack that caused us trouble over Luna Hope of the Blackshadow pack?” Porter is quite toxic with his tone, which surprises me. He is normally a good listener and doesn’t get riled easily.
“I fail to see what he would benefit by telling such a lie, if it was indeed untrue? What would his…”
“Perhaps he is in fact in league with Arric and wants to sow false information or dissent among our ranks?” Again, there is more than a sharp tone in Porter’s voice. Before I can answer, Lykos speaks up.
“Porter! If you have something to say, spit it out, for goodness’ sake. Either that or let Flint speak. We’ll be here until the next full moon if you carry on this way.” Lykos has stood and has his hands on the table, leaning on his knuckles. I can see Troy, his wolf, flashing in his eyes, too.
“The Wolfsong pack tried to take Luna Hope against her will. How do we know this isn’t another ploy so they can get their claws on her again? I don’t trust them,” Porter is almost shouting this now, and it is so out of character.
“If I may be the voice of reason for just a moment here,” Cinder Walker speaks quietly, but with an air of authority that has everyone looking at her.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but it wasn’t the pack that wanted Hope at the time, it was her father, the then Alpha, Soren.
Wasn’t it Falan, her half-brother, of whom we now speak, that killed his own father to protect her and then tracked and killed the Wolfsong pack beta who was equally as bad as their father?
That does not sound like the shifter that you are trying to portray, Porter.
As Lykos said, if you have something you wish to share with this council, spit it out or hold your piece and let us move on.
” Cinder’s tone tells me she will brook no further nonsense and by the look on Porter’s face, he has got the memo.
Sitting quietly, he gives no answer and we carry on with our meeting, gratefully uninterrupted. Cinder, I have to say, looking a little smug.
“The idea of forming an alliance seems to me to be completely out of character for Arric. Something that Falan said, perhaps flippantly, but it has struck a chord with me. He mentioned how transparent Arric was and that unless he had a general amongst his warriors, wouldn’t be successful.
” I look around the room and only Lykos meets my gaze.
“Flint. You think perhaps someone else is pulling puppet Arric’s strings from the wings! That would put a whole new spin on everything. Excuse me for a few moments, I have a call to make.” Lykos quickly leaves the room and we all wonder what has struck a chord with him.
“While Lykos makes his call, let’s adjourn for a quick lunch. I’ll bring something back with us so he can eat, too.” This whole mess seems to be a bigger web of intrigue every time we think we have a handle on things.
Lykos joins us in the dining hall and looks a little deflated from his earlier burst of energy.
“I spoke with both Aurora and Gerry at Blood Pearl Pack. Obviously they have had more dealings with Arric than anyone. They didn’t see anyone around Arric that might fit our theory.”
Having eaten the food that I plated for him, we head back to the chambers. Porter has been remarkably calmer since Cinder put him in his place, and I can’t help but wonder what that was all about. I’m sure it will come out in the wash.
An hour later and we aren’t any further than when we started, other than being clear that Arric intends to rule every sector he can get his hands on. I think that Falan may have touched on something without realizing it.
****
Sitting in my personal office, I watch the time slowly tick away on my wall clock.
I’ve arranged a conference call with all the Alphas and sitting here waiting is killing me.
Bronze, from the Eclipse pack, is furthest from the potential battlefield as we expect it to be.
I think he should be our reserve troops, or at least a backup option.
I’m not sure how he will react to that suggestion, though.
I can’t see him, or Taria for that matter, sitting idly by, just in case they’re needed.
Gerry and Aurora are currently bearing the brunt of Arric’s attention, though they seem to be more than holding their own with the support of the council warriors and the other packs' aid.
Gerry appears to be going through a second puppyhood, almost. He keeps sneaking away from the packhouse and joining with his former comrades of the council warriors.
Gabe has been sending warriors to either Blood Pearl or Spirit Walker packs as necessary, along with any supplies that may help.
Connell of Blackshadow has visited both packs when his warriors have been deployed there and took part in some of the skirmishes, until his Luna, Hope, found out and put a stop to him taking unnecessary risks.
As soon as the phone rings for the first time, I open the conference call and it only takes a few moments before everyone is present. Introductions are brief and casual, but once the information from Falan is announced there is a sudden burst of loud conversation.
Without exception, all present are concerned about Arric’s attempts to form an alliance with Falan and other Northern Sector packs.
The news that Falan has informed us of this promptly and of the reactions of the other northern packs has a calming effect, and Hope expresses her delight that her half-brother would be so honorable as to want to support us.
Lyle poses the request that Falan be allowed to attend any future meetings, which is supported wholeheartedly.
Ideas are thrown out from all packs with how we should deal with this threat, but it’s only when Hope asks a question that we all stop and take a moment.
“Has the Shifter Council approached the Southern Sector Council with any of this information yet? If Arric has broached the possibility of an alliance with my brother and packs local to him, wouldn’t it be sensible that he hedged his bets by doing the same in the south?
That would give him an even stronger position if he were to attack on two fronts and divide our forces, surely?
” Hope’s statement has us all go quiet and wonder how none of us battle-hardened males haven’t seen that option.
“Hope, that is genius and for our sakes, let’s hope Arric or his general hasn’t thought of it before you. I’ll contact them immediately and find out.”
Before I can make a move, Connell adds to his Luna’s theory.
“Hold fast there, Flint. If my Luna is correct and he has indeed spoken with any of the Southern packs, we’d be tipping our hand if we asked their council outright.
Isn’t there a more subtle way to find out rather than the bull in a china shop method? ”
“Give me the good old days when war was war, and we fought fang and claw spilling blood and guts instead of all this damn cloak and dagger, sneaking around behind each other's backs. You're correct in your thoughts, Connell. I’ll look into what we have in place for covert information gathering. There’s bound to be something already set up for such a scenario.” I’ll speak to Roul, our head council warrior.
I’m sure he will know, or if not, how to get that information quietly.
With no further positives to discuss, we call an end to the conference call and all but Gabe and Tati close their calls. Only one thing I can think of would have them hold back. Lavender.
Tati’s tone has me immediately wary. “Flint. I hate to admit defeat, but I’ve tried everything I can think of to deflect Lavender away from her infatuation with Lyle.
I don’t even like to use that term because I don’t think it’s infatuation as such.
I believe she is so in love with him she can’t see anything but them being together.
“My biggest fear is what will happen if, or when, Lyle meets his true mate. It could seriously unhinge her to see him happily mated with someone else. That could manifest itself in either Lavender hurting herself or Lyle’s mate.
I hope I’m wrong, but it’s something that I just cannot see ending any other way.
I spoke to Jade, and she was thinking the same.
In fact, has been for some time. She told me what she said to you about being the one to end Lavender's suffering and that may have to be the way to go in the end.” Tati sounds more despondent than I have ever heard from her, and she has been through a lot for me to think that.
“Thank you for trying, Tati. I’ll see what happens while she is with Bronze and Taria.
That is the next stop on their goodwill tour, so they may have a mate in their pack that could be all our salvation.
” I try to sound optimistic and positive, but that’s not how I am feeling, to be honest. The call ends and I’m left to my own thoughts.
I haven’t prayed to the Goddess for as long as I can remember, but that is rapidly becoming my last resort.
I’ll speak with Roul and see if that can improve my now somber mood.
Finding him at the training area was no surprise or feat of investigation.
It’s his usual haunt, these days. It only takes a brief conversation to discover we have someone in the south that we may be able to call upon for this type of thing, and Roul thinks if he can get us any information, he’ll have a response in a couple of days.
He'd never admit it, but I know he misses his partner in crime that was Gerry.