"Kelly has a reputation," Thane says flatly, "but I didn't realize…"
"He kept it hidden," I mutter. "He's very good at that."
"We need to do something about this," Whiskey says, pacing now. The rage pouring off him is strong enough to scent. "Kelly needs to be taught a lesson. We could?—"
"No," I cut him off sharply. "You're not doing anything."
Whiskey stares at me. "But?—"
"If you go after Wade, you'll just make things worse," I say firmly. "He has money, connections, a whole PR team ready to paint me as unstable and delusional. He'd destroy you."
"We can handle ourselves," Whiskey grits out.
"Maybe you can," I counter, "but would you be helping me, or just satisfying your own need to avenge your scent match? Because those are two very different things."
That stops them. The four alphas exchange glances.
“I need you all to understand how important it is that you don't take my choices away from me, even with the best intentions,” I continue, my voice softening. “If you want to help me, respect me.”
Plague studies me for a long moment. “Whatareyour wishes, Ivy? Regarding this situation with Valek, specifically.”
It's a fair question. I've told them what I don't want, but not what Idowant.
"I need to stay hidden," I say, thinking through the problem. "At least until we know if Valek and Wade are on friendly terms. If he's seen Wade recently, if they talk..." I shake my head. "I can't risk it."
"You could stay in the loft," Thane suggests. "It's secure, and Valek doesn't know how to access it." He glances at Wraith. "And I'm sure my brother doesn't mind."
Wraith shakes his head.
"We could seal the door that leads up there," Plague says. "Bolt it shut, spackle and paint over it from our side. Make it look like it was never there."
"What about the room situation?" Whiskey asks, running his hands through his tousled brown hair. "The only spare room is the one Wraith would use if he wasn't up in the loft. If Valek is getting that room, won't he wonder where Wraith sleeps?"
Wraith signs something. I miss most of it, but I catch the general gist of it. That he could pretend he sleeps in the woods camping, and something about him being feral anyway.
Thane nods with some reluctance. "I think he'd believe that." He looks warily at me. "Are you okay with that? Staying in the loft with Wraith? The window locks from the inside, so you could keep us all out if you want to." He pauses, then adds, "Not that we'd try to go up there anyway. Not uninvited."
Wraith gives the other three alphas a pointed look that suggests they won't be getting up there at all.
Whiskey grins sheepishly. "Yeah, uh… sorry about that," he says to me. In spite of his grin, he seems sincere. He does strike me as someone who'd be prone to laughing when he's nervous.
"It's fine," I say. "Don't do it again."
His grin falters. "Got it."
Even if Wraith doesn't mind, I don't think I'd want them in the loft. Not yet. I need to get to know these alphas on my own terms, on my own time. Getting to know them in an enclosed space doesn't sound like a good idea, even though the same instincts that were right about Wraith are telling me the other three Ghosts are safe, too.
Although Whiskey seems like a wild card.
"What if we just get rid of Valek?" Whiskey suggests suddenly, confirming that. "A little 'accident' on the ice, career-ending injury..."
"Nobody is killing anyone," I say firmly.
"I didn't saykill," Whiskey protests, though his expression suggests that's exactly what he was thinking. "Just... permanently remove the problem."
"No," I say again. "No violence, no 'accidents,' noanything. That's the deal. Either you respect my boundaries, or this—" I gesture between all of us, "—doesn't work. You might be my scent matches, but I'm not afraid to do whatever I need to do to protect myself."
Whiskey deflates slightly and looks like he's about to say something else instead of putting his foot in his mouth, but Thane cuts in.
