“You underestimated Tieran’s growl,” Alpha Kin replies.
“I’ll clean it up,” Alpha Bryson promises. “I should have killed the bitch the moment I realized she wouldn’t be of proper use with the Santeetlah Pack. But I thought I could use her to cause a little chaos.”
“Something that would have worked if Tieran didn’t want her for himself,” Alpha Kin says flatly. “Or if you had given me a heads up to intervene. She could have been brought back to our den and properly silenced.”
“I don’t report to you,” Alpha Bryson reminds him sternly. “If you think that’s how this is going to go, then we’re going to have a problem.”
“Just fucking fix it. She’s a distraction that’s going to get us caught,” he snaps, causing Tieran to arch a brow.
“I said I’d clean it up,” Alpha Bryson bites back. “I’ll take care of Volt, too. Consider it a gift.”
“Do that and I’ll forgive this bullshit,” Alpha Kin replies, his tone as cold as ice. “Fuck it up more, and you’re a dead man.”
Alpha Bryson snorts. “Don’t threaten me. The only reason you were upgraded to this position is because of your—”
The call goes dead after that, making Tieran’s jaw tick.
“Alpha Kin hung up on him,” Alpha Pan explains.
“Any guesses on what the rest of his sentence would have been?” Tieran asks.
“I have several,” Volt drawls.
“Helpful guesses,” Tieran clarifies.
“He could have meant clan leader,” I offer. “Or perhaps a family member, like his father.”
“Alpha Nick.” Tieran scratches the light dusting of hair along his jaw, his eyes narrowing. “I’ll pass it along to my father, see what he thinks. Until then, we clearly have a problem, just as you said.”
“We do,” I agree.
“Or an opportunity,” Volt says. “He’s about to send his enforcer team after us. If he’s smart, that’ll include seven, eight, maybe nine wolves? So how many will he leave behind to protect himself?”
Tieran studies him for a moment. “Last I checked, he only had about eight qualified enforcers. Most of his wolves are too weak.”
“Probably because they don’t know how to properly mate,” Alpha Pan adds, making me snort.
He’s not wrong.
“He uses three for his personal guard,” Clove says quietly. “And a team of twelve for the pack grounds.”
“Those twelve are lower level wolves that enforce boundaries around the women, making sure none of them run,” Tieran informs her, his voice soft as he speaks to Clove. “His enforcer unit is who he takes to ceremonies.”
She frowns. “I… I’ve only attended one and I was on my knees for most of it.”
My teeth clench at the thought of her being degraded in that way before the packs. Knowing Bryson, she was probably naked, too. “That fucker needs to die.”
“No shit,” Volt drawls. “That’s what I’m getting at. We attack him when he thinks he’s attacking us.”
Tieran shakes his head. “He’ll pull the enforcers back the moment he realizes we’re not there.”
“They won’t get back in time to stop us,” Volt points out. “Richmond is at least a three hour drive to Nantahala Territory, and that’s if you’re breaking all the speed laws in one of my toys.”
“You could send a decoy,” Alpha Pan suggests, his tone contemplative. “You could send me.” He and Volt exchange a look, the two of them sizing each other up.
They’re a similar size and stature. Alpha Pan has the right color hair.
“I’ll wear one of your long-sleeved shirts,” he adds, noting Volt’s tats. “It’s winter. No one will think anything of it.”
“I could go with him,” Alpha Lance speaks up from the doorway. He’s blond like Tieran, which is likely why he offered. A bit shorter, though, and a lot less intimidating in status. “Give me some of your clothes to mask my scent. They’ll think I’m you.”
“What about Clove?” Tieran asks, glancing at her. “I assume that’s who he meant by Aspen?”
“Aspen Clover Donough,” I murmur, my arm still around her waist. “A beautiful name for a beautiful wolf.”
“I prefer Clove,” she admits softly.
“I know,” I whisper, kissing her on the temple.
“What was the original plan?” Alpha Lance asks. “Are you joining Volt on the assignment or watching from nearby?”
“Watching from nearby,” Tieran confirms. “Which Bryson would expect. She’s a new Omega, he’ll know that we intend to keep her close.”
“So give me some of her clothes as well, or a piece of the nest, and I can lure the Nantahala Wolves to me by scent. It’ll help us split their team, too,” Alpha Lance says.
The mention of the nest has me frowning because Clove hasn’t made a new nest yet. Not even with our clothes.
It’s something that’s been nagging at me all week.
She should be nesting.
Her wolf chose us.
So why isn’t she building herself a proper den?
Because she doesn’t feel fully at peace with us? She hasn’t completely accepted us? Or is it because we haven’t claimed her?
Something has left her uneasy.
It’s something I hope to fix after we handle this mess.
“It’ll also give us probable cause to retaliate,” Tieran adds to Alpha Lance’s points. “We’ll capture the attack on surveillance, use it as proof that he attempted to take out my clan, and return the favor in kind.”
“By killing the Alpha of Nantahala Pack,” Volt translates, grinning. “I like it.”
“It’s a fair retaliation,” I agree. “He’s attempting to take out the future hierarchy of the Black Mountain Pack for the second time in a decade. We punish him accordingly, then send all the evidence to the Elders to back up our decision. They won’t be able to hold us accountable.”
“And they’ll have to release us from Carnage Island,” Volt adds.
“It’s a brilliant end game,” I say. “Assuming you’re ready to take the mantle.”