“Everything,” I muttered.
Charlie covered Casey’s ears and gently told her not to listen. Charlie and Flint already knew, but I explained the shock collar situation to everyone else gathered there. Their expressions turned to horror and fury.
“What the hell?” Beth cried. “I cannot believe they treated you that way!”
“Seriously,” Tyson agreed, shaking his head. “That’s just not right.”
“First sending Hector after Charlie, and now this collar thing with Mason? Scarlet Ridge needs to be stopped,” David growled deeply.
“Who’s Hector?” I asked.
Charlie looked at me with a grim expression. “He’s basically Gunner’s second-in-command. Although I don’t know if that’s still the case, since he wasn’t able to return with me in his possession like Gunner told him to…”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. To be honest, with the crazy way Gunner’s been acting after you left, I wouldn’t be surprised if he killed him.”
A heavy silence fell over the group for a moment before Flint spoke up.
“We can’t worry about our enemies right now,” Flint said. “Right now we have to focus on keeping our own families and pack safe.” He looked at Jericho. “You feel it, don’t you? That protective streak driving you?”
Jericho nodded. “Yeah. Ever since I took Mason as my mate, keeping him safe is all I can think about.”
A warm feeling flooded my chest. He really did care about me.
“What can we do besides keeping the borders safe?” Tyson asked.
“For now, I don’t think there’s anything else wecando,” Ken muttered. “And right now, Scarlet Ridge has shown no sign of attacking. Not since we chased Hector off. I think we should focus on ourselves, not our enemies.”
“What are we supposed to do?” David growled, turning to him. “Wait for them to attack us again?”
“What do you suggest?” Ken growled back, narrowing his eyes. “Going in there and getting ourselves killed because we don’t know what we’re up against?”
“Guys, cool it,” Jericho snapped. When Ken and David stopped glaring at each other, he continued. “I think Ken’s right. We should protect our borders fiercely, but we can’t just go in there and start fighting them off.”
“What about the alpha army?” Tyson asked, looking back and forth between Charlie and I. “Wasn’t there something about that a few months ago?”
“Yes, it’s still going on,” I told him. “My first pup - the one I don’t know the father of - was planned to be in the alpha army, if it did turn out to be an alpha. There are tons of other pregnant omegas right now whose pups are destined to be in the army, too.”
A few people shook their heads. Others growled in anger.
“He can’t make an army until the pups are at least adults,” Ken mused. “So hypothetically, he won’t be able to finish his army and launch an attack for at least 18 years.”
David and I let out a humorless chuckle at the same time.
“He doesn’t have to worry about that,” I muttered. “Do you really think Gunner has any qualms about sending pups into battle?”
Charlie and Beth gasped. Tyson murmured sadly, and Ken and Flint just shook their heads in anger. Jericho had his hand on my shoulder and it gripped me hard. I was suddenly glad he was here, touching me like a lifeline, otherwise I don’t know if I could’ve gotten through this conversation.
“You know what?” Jericho said. “We can have this talk another time. Right now, we’re supposed to be celebrating.”
Charlie smiled and nodded. “You’re right, Jericho. Sorry for delving into this topic.”
He uncovered Casey’s ears and she let out a dramatic sigh. “What wasthatall about?”
“Nothing, honey,” Flint growled softly to her. “We’re going to start the party now.”
“Yay! Is it Mr. Mason’s party?” she asked.
I blushed. “Yes.”
