“Yeah, I can see that being a problem. It was just a thought.”
I collapsed on my right side, pillow beneath me, wondering why men were so thirsty for war. All this over land. Shifters could easily own land and businesses without humans noticing. The higher authority planted Vampires in key local and government positions, monitoring their systems and using their gifts to erase suspicion. This wasn’t just to benefit Shifters, but all Breeds. Hackers monitored computer databases, and Vampires used their gifts to influence leaders and scrub memories.
Austin pinched my knee and leaned back, giving me a hot look.
“Are you going to tell Axel about the trespasser?”
He held a chocolate candy between his fingers and studied it. “I gave him a quick call, but he’s getting reports of similar skirmishes. There’s not much they can do about the local rogues—not unless they break one of the laws set by the higher authority. The Council mostly keeps order among the packs and other organized groups of Shifters. If a rogue attacks a Packmaster or pisses on his patio, the Council can’t do much. Most rogues are harmless, but there are always jackasses in the bunch.”
Austin continued staring at my foot, watching me stretch and wiggle my toes. He finally sat up and began giving me a foot massage.
Bliss.
Nothing was sexier than lying in bed, half-dressed, spent from an afternoon of amazing sex, and having my shirtless mate rub my body with his warm hands.
“Do you think this is really the pack war everyone’s been talking about?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe they’re just testing our weaknesses, but I have a feeling this isn’t a drill. If they targeted Colorado, then they’re going after the strong Shifter states first. That means we’ll be at the top of the list.”
“Why don’t they just come down and buy land if they want it so bad?”
Austin set the tray on the floor and lay down next to me, stroking his hand up and down my thigh. “They can only sell so much land to rogues, and sometimes none at all. Nobody wants to buy from humans if it means paying taxes and not having any privacy. Shifters who band together and form packs or dens are entitled to more land. The Council sees them as a stable, trustworthy group. They’re not discriminating; they’re trying to maintain balance. It wouldn’t be fair to give one man five hundred acres when a neighboring pack of twenty only owns ten and needs more room. They could probably get something in the extremely rural areas, but living close to a major city is attractive. Food, nightlife, shopping…”
“What’s so bad about living up north? I’m sure there’s enough land up there. And besides, some Shifters would rather live in a condo or house than out in the woods.”
“Mostly it’s the wolves, Ladybug. Territory holds value, and this really goes back a long way. After we gained our freedom, some chose to live up north where it was safer, while others risked everything to venture out. Few were selling land to Shifters at that time, and eventually we formed Councils to help negotiate with that. They bought up land to keep on reserve. It’s jealousy, pure and simple. They want to have their cake and eat it too. These are modern-day barbarians—men who refuse to live by the law and have nothing to contribute to society. Why should we hand them what we’ve worked hard for?” He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes drowsy.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” I whispered sleepily.
I rested my head on my right arm, eyes closed, and enjoyed the tranquility. Austin cupped my jaw with his rough hand, stroking his thumb across my cheekbone.
“I don’t say it enough, Lexi, but I love you.”
I smiled, snuggling closer to him. “Tell me again how you first fell in love with me.”
“You’ve heard the story.”
“Yeah, but I want to hear it again.”
Chapter 5
I’d never experienced a heat spell so short in duration. Either Austin was a phenomenal lover, or something was wrong with me.
Still, I couldn’t complain. Despite the anomaly, Austin still behaved as a lover on a mission to satiate his woman. Luckily, there wasn’t as much to break in the cabin. Austin and I had a tendency to lose control when we made love, and we’d torn down many a curtain. Plus he’d packed his fringed leather gloves. They were a souvenir from his teens, and even though I made fun of their tackiness, I secretly loved Austin in those gloves. He knew it and I knew it, but neither of us admitted it.
Three days later, I shouldn’t have been able to walk. My heat spell hadn’t returned, but we were acting like newlyweds on our honeymoon. Axel finally called to confirm it was safe to leave the state if we wanted to.