Keir
“Whatdoyouwant,Rossi?” asks Dante, his voice low and tense.
Rossi spares the large, angry shifter a quick glance, then turns his attention to Remy. “We’re in the middle of a hotel lobby. Call off your guard dog before someone gets hurt.”
Remy touches Dante’s arm. Dante’s hands curl into fists, his tendons straining with the force of the action, but he bows his head, submitting to Remy’s authority. Remy strokes the bigger man’s arm briefly before addressing Rossi.
“Just tell me what you want, Rossi,” says Remy, sounding more annoyed than angry. “I need to speak with my brother, and I don’t have the time or the inclination to play your stupid power games.”
“Power games?” Rossi places his hand on his chest as if affronted. “I’m insulted that you would think so little of me.” He wipes his expression and narrows his eyes. “You’re a smart kid. I think you know what I want.”
“Well, you’re not getting him,” says Remy.
“I think our friend is capable of speaking for himself.” Rossi’s gaze goes over Remy’s shoulder and lands on me. “Aren’t you, Keir?”
I really don’t like this guy and I should probably keep my mouth shut, but I’ve had about enough crap for today. I just want to get this confrontation over with. Rossi’s an asshole, but he’s not stupid. He’s not going to attack us in public.
“Yeah,” I say.
Rossi breaks into a wide smile as if I did a particularly amusing trick. “Good. Now, why don’t we—Ah, Cameron, I see you and your brother found your sister’s wayward mate. I’m so glad my directions helped.”
Rossisent them to the club? Why?
The shifter who drove the SUV that brought us here, Cameron, I assume, strides up to Rossi, completely ignoring the tension between our two groups. “My family is in your debt, Alpha Rossi. We never would have located Julien without your help.”
“Was it as I said?” asks Rossi.
Cameron glances at me, his face twisting with disdain. “Exactly. The grimy upstart is angling for a place in Alpha Matisse’s pack.”
Grimy?That’s the best insult the guy can come up with?
Rossi tsks and shakes his head. “It’s awful the tricks some of these lone wolves will try to pull. This one even has Matisse convinced he’s anomega.”
That son of a bitch.I take a step forward, intending to prove exactly what I am, but Remy stops me, wrapping his hand around my wrist.
“Not here,” he says in a low voice.
Oh yeah. For a second there, I completely forgot we’re in the middle of a hotel lobby.
Cameron looks me up and down. “Seems the reject is a little irritated you’ve revealed his scheme.”
Rossi flashes a sharp toothed grin. “Don’t you worry. I know how to take care of these kinds of things in my territory.”
Remy studies the two of them, his brow furrowed. He’s trying to figure out what Rossi is aiming to accomplish with this. Hell, I am too.
What does Rossi gain by trying to raise doubts about me being an omega? His claims are easily disproved. So he’s banking on… what exactly? Remy accused Rossi of playing power games, which this clearly is. But to what end? What does Rossi have to gain?
Meredith walks over to join us. Rossi takes her hand in his, then presses his lips to the back of her fingers. “Meredith, you get more lovely every time I see you.”
“Thank you, Alpha.” She tilts her head, baring her neck. “I look forward to working with you to improve the relations between my future pack and yours.”
That explains why Rossi might want the mating alliance to go through. Is that his only angle here? Whatever financial benefits Rossi might get if Julien mates with Meredith are likely not worth that much. This is definitely some sort of political maneuver, but without knowing more about the players, I have no way to decipher it.
Remy’s fingers tighten on my wrist. Reassurance?
“I do as well,” says Rossi. His gaze darts to me. “Now that the matter has been settled, I’ll take the problem of this lone wolf off your hands.”
“Of course,” says Meredith. “I’m sure Julien will understand once I explain the situation to him.”
