I think we’re going to be okay.
I finally got some sleep,but it was in bits and pieces. Nightmares plagued me every time I closed my eyes. The nightmares are a mix of my own memories and different outcomes. Like what would have happened if I didn’t get to Lily in time? The other vision that haunts me is seeing my father’s dead body over and over again.
It’s the price I had to pay for this life, and I just have to fuckin’ deal with it.
Some sleep is better than none, and everyone is in a place where we can finally hold church.
My hands are flat on the worn table, and it holds a different meaning for me now as I look down at it. I want to burn it andstart new. This wood feels like it’s steeped with lies and betrayal; it’s not the way I want to start this club.
Mickey, Maverick, and Doc walk in, and I tell each of them to grab a corner of the table.
“Uh, why?” Maverick asks, taking a corner anyway.
With us all being large Alphas, we’re able to lift it, carrying it through the double doors and out toward the fire pit.
“We’re goin’ to cut it up and burn it,” I respond, turning away from them and walking back to the empty meeting space. The room seems so much larger without the table there, and I take a seat.
The three Alphas follow suit, all of them giving each other looks like I’m fuckin’ crazy. The rest of the club files in, and I hate it when Ink hobbles in on crutches, Blaze has his arm in a sling, and Cash has a huge wad of gauze taped to his head.
There are sixteen of us now. A few months ago, twenty-six of us sat around this table and room. Even though I’m filled with anger, I’m also filled with a sense of loss. There never should have been that many lives taken, and it’s all because of my father’s selfishness.
“Where’s the fuckin’ table?” Axel asks.
“We’re burnin’ it. We’re startin’ new. No more unilateral bullshit, no more secrets. This is supposed to be a fuckin’ brotherhood,” I proclaim, standing up and looking at the men around me, hoping to fuck I can trust each and every one of them.
“This club was diseased. My father was the infection, and I handled it by takin’ him out. I know it’s a heavy responsibility, and I can understand if you don’t want the son of a traitor at your helm, but I promise to do right by you and bring this club back to its former glory if I’m voted in as your next Prez.”
Heath stands up. He’s one of the guys who’s been around for a few years, and I wondered where he stood. He was with us atthe warehouse, one of the men who didn’t seem to know what was going on, but he nods his head.
“All in favor of Tate being the new president,” he calls out, and I’m shocked when every hand in that motherfucking room goes up.
It thaws a piece of my cold dead heart, knowing that they want me here and they don’t hate me.
“We’re gonna set this club up right. No one sole pack runs this shit. We might have our own packs outside of the club, but I consider us all a giant pack of our own.”
There’s an overwhelming sense of agreement as we figure out everyone’s new place in the club. Certain guys are interested in titles while others just want to stay plain ol’ members. It doesn’t take us long to figure out the standing, and I’m grateful for it.
Heath is taking the notes for the meeting, and he stands up to read off the list.
“President, Tate. VP, Doc. Myself as Secretary. Cash as Treasurer. Sergeant in Arms is Mickey. Road Captain is Maverick, and Tank is our Enforcer. Is this agreeable to the club?” he asks.
A rumble of pride runs through my chest. Sure, my father took most club business to a vote, but to vote against him was to vote against your own wellbeing. This feels like a real fuckin’ club.
We go around in a circle, everyone nodding their heads, and our club is finally unified.
“First order of business is the Omegas,” I state.
“And the sweet butts,” Doc says.
“Right, both of them. If there’s anyone here who can’t keep their fuckin’ hands to themselves, we can handle that now. If one of them wants to join your bed, fine, but there will be no tolerance for disrespect.”
“Here, here,” ricochets throughout the room.
“The Omegas will stay at the main house. I’ll be buildin’ a home for Cash’s pack if they want one. The old homes are up for grabs and will go based on pack priority. Single guys stay in the clubhouse. All in favor?”
Every hand is raised, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“We need to talk about our plans against the Wraiths,” Mickey chimes in. I nod, giving him the floor as the new Sergeant of Arms. “There is no truce after what they did, only annihilation. As much as I want to take them all out one by one, we need to rebuild first. We have more to lose now when it comes to our compound. Too many members are currently injured, but we need a plan in place, just in case.”
