Until a Prime put hands on Dorland, they wouldn’t know the full extent of his participation in the fuckery.It was vital they get him in their territory, where they had the upper paw.He likely wouldn’t suspect a trap because never in modern history had any pack attacked a visiting Pack Alpha, especially when they were invited, and doubly especially when it was supposed to be a meeting of Pack Alphas.
It was unheard of, and everyone knew the Targhee Pack played by the rules.
What Dorland wouldn’t know—until it was too late—was that the Targhees would now bemakingthe rules going forward.
Allof them.
Any packs who didn’t want to play by their rules—or at least peacefully co-exist without starting shit with anyone else—would find themselves in a very precarious position.It would likely only take making an example out of one troublemaker to cause mass defections to the Targhees.
“So how are yer people doin’?”he asked.“Heard Peyton’s missin’.Somethin’ about an incident during the search for Faegan Lewis?”
Dewi gritted her teeth and took a breath.“We’re getting along,” she said.
He cackled.“And that cunt’s still in the wind, eh?”
“You mean Faegan?Yes.We’re still searching for him.”
“And Badger’s the actin’ Pack Alpha, huh?How’s that then?How come it’s not you?Ain’t he pretty old fer that?”
“Because I have a lot of responsibilities that I can’t hand off,” she said, which was completely honest.“And it’s only temporary.I’m certain Peyton will return and the situation will be resolved.He may even return before the meeting.”
“What, exactly, is the agenda fer this meetin’?”he asked.“Why can’t we do it over video chat?”
“Because it’s secure, and everyone has asked to hold it in person for logistical reasons.It’s been decades since we’ve had an assembly like this, and everyone feels it’s long overdue, given recent events.We’re entering a new era.I mean, if you prefer not to come, we can tell everyone you’ve?—”
“Nah, I didn’t say that, now, did I?I’m comin’.”
Bingo.Peyton called that one right.
She plowed ahead.“Well then, I’ve also been asked to find out if you have any dietary restrictions, or preferences, all of that.And if there are any particular beverages you’d like us to have on hand.”
He laughed, and the sound sharply jangled at wrong angles against Dewi’s eardrums.“Meat, and lots of it.As long as the booze isn’t crap, I’ll drink just about anythin’.”
Not that she had any intentions to get anything for the fucker, but she had to admit Peyton and Trent—and everyone else—were right that she needed to pretend to be nice to the guy until he was in their paws.In fact, she doodled his ugly face, with daggers stabbing him while she suffered her way through the interaction.
After a few more minutes of verbally jousting with him, where he persistently tried to pry information from her, she finally ended the call and dropped the burner onto the desk with a shudder.She felt like she needed a full-body shower just from talking to the asshole.
She called Peyton back.“Okay, it’s done.He said he’ll email me the flight info.”
“Good.Soon as you know that pass it to Gillian so she can try to figure out who’s coming with him.”
“Right.Do you think he’ll try something?”she asked.
“Oh, absolutely.I’d be shocked if he doesn’t have something planned.Meaning we need to be ready for anything.I haven’t heard any reports of Primes working with him, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.I suspect he’ll try to enlist some of his mafia buddies.”
“But that would be really stupid, knowing that there will be Primes at the meeting, right?”
“Except he’s killed two Primes already, that we know of,” Peyton said.“He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else and invincible.Just like most narcissistic idiots.”
“True.”
“Keep me posted, kiddo.”
“Will do.”
She leaned back in her office chair and closed her eyes.It was good to be home, but with the shadow of the lab raid hanging over her head, it was nearly impossible for her to relax.
Will I ever get to relax again?
