Austin dragged a small wooden chair across the room and spun it around. He took a seat between the two men, folding his arms across the back. “This is exactly why he’s stalling. I thought long and hard about why a man with this much support would wait so damn long to rise up. Maybe that was his mistake in Colorado—he attacked too soon. The packs were strong, prepared, and ready for action. He’s like a lion that injures his prey, following him until he’s mentally given up and too weak to fight. Extra security wears people down, and so does thinking about war. When Maizy was little, she had to see the doctor for annual checkups. She used to worry and get nervous once a date was set. But if the doctor just showed up unexpectedly, it wasn’t a big deal. Judas is creating anxiety and paranoia.”
Prince nodded. “And he is succeeding. The more packs who leave, the less he has to fight. The weaker packs might surrender and cut a deal. I just hope the Council keeps their wits about them.”
Lorenzo set his glass on the windowsill. “What a conundrum you face, Cole. The father of your mate is now your mortal enemy. Quite a revelation. Lexi should learn to be careful what she wishes for; the fates have a wicked sense of humor, and now they’ve sullied her good name.”
“We can’t hunt for them because we don’t know where they are,” Austin said, ignoring Lorenzo’s usual snide remarks. “And I’m not about to leave my land to go on a wild-goose chase. I don’t see any options.”
Prince shifted his blue and brown eyes on Austin. “Agreed. Leaving our territory would be the wrong decision. A man is weaker when pulled out of his element.”
Lorenzo lifted a pack of cigarettes from the windowsill and lit one up. He brushed his long hair behind his shoulder and studied the tip of his cigarette after pulling a drag. “One thing I was taught about capturing prey is that sometimes you have to draw them out. They will always go where they feel safest and have the most control—where you are vulnerable. If you know how to lure a rabbit into the open, you can capture it quicker than if you chased it to Wonderland.”
“And how do we catch them off guard?” Prince asked, tapping his finger to his chin.
All three men grew quiet in thought.
“Spies are useful,” Prince murmured. “I could send out one of my men to act as a rogue looking to join up with them.”
Austin rested his chin on his wrist. “What if they think we’re all leaving? We could get the word out, except we won’t actually go anywhere.”
Lorenzo blew a cloud of smoke toward the window. “Human hunters wear camouflage and sit up in the trees to kill deer.”
Prince laughed richly. “And we’re going to sit up in the trees for weeks, Enzo?”
Lorenzo set his cigarette in the groove of the ashtray. “We’ll build trap doors on the land and cover them with leaves and brush. We can build chairs or platforms in the trees and hide them. This isn’t an impossible task. We’re wolves, and the forest is our home.”
Austin liked where this was going. “We’ll need time to prepare. How are we going to coordinate this so we’re not stuck in the woods for weeks?”
Prince leaned forward and laced his fingers together. “If our men infiltrate their camps, they can relay the message that they’ve heard rumors through their sources that we’ve abandoned the territory. We’ll set a date and keep in contact.”
Austin sat up. “What about the other cities? There’s no way we can pull this thing off for the entire state.”
Prince shook his head. “Every man for himself. We have neither the time nor the power to implement a plan on a larger scale. If we can reduce his men and take control of this city, perhaps then we can lend assistance to the others.”
Hell, it was worth a shot. No one else they’d spoken to earlier was willing to step up with a plan. “How long do you think we’ll need?” Austin looked between the two men. “Three months?”
“We can’t delay putting a plan into motion,” Lorenzo agreed. “Based on his cowardly actions, I think he’ll wait at least that before striking. Patient men are dangerous men. We should set a date in August. In the meantime, those without sufficient weapons will need to stock up. Those without experience will require training. Silent weapons may work best during the initial attack.”
Austin mulled it over. “My second-in-command has connections who can supply weapons. We’ve also got an experienced archer in our pack, and she can train anyone interested.”
Prince stood up, his chair legs scraping across the floor. “I can help craft the bows; this is my area of expertise. If we purchase too many weapons, someone might tip them off.”
Austin stretched his back and rose to his feet. “Three months goes by fast. We need to plan yesterday.”
“Agreed.” Prince smoothed his hand over his hair, flattening a few strands that had come loose from his dark ponytail. He was an ancient, and maybe that’s why Austin respected him more than he did anyone else. “I have experience building hidden traps. But once set, the pack will need to memorize their locations.”
Austin gave a mirthless laugh. “Sometimes I watch the twins playing pack war in their fort. I never thought in their lifetime we’d be building one for the real thing.”
Prince patted his shoulder. “Playing pretend is how young boys prepare for what life has in store for them.” Then he sighed thoughtfully, strolling across the room. “Why must we always be at war with each other?”