“And Kaci? How will she takethis?”
Titus sighed. “Okay, you’re looking at this all wrong. What you’ll be doing—it’s for Kaci too. You two justmet.”
“We met four monthsago.”
“Fourwholemonths?” He rolled his eyes. “Well then obviously it’s truelove.”
“Don’t be an asshole. How long did you know Robyn before you were willing to go to war over her?War, Titus. You were willing to risk other people’slives.”
“That wasn’t just for Robyn. That was for sovereignty over our own territory. To protect my men. To keep the council frominvading.”
“To keep them from taking Robyn back,” I spat athim.
“It’s not the same, Justus. You two are kids! It’s young love. It’sfirstlove. You can’t know that’s real until you’ve lived a little more. Gained a little experience. She’s hardly out of high school. You’re probably her firstboyfriend.”
“She’s eighteen, not eighteenthcentury. I’m not her first boyfriend. And you’re full of shit. This is just as real as you and Robyn, and you—” My mouth snapped shut, and my newly feline teeth didn’t fit well into my humanmouth.
He knew. Hekneweverything he was saying was utter crap, and but he was saying it anyway because he was…scared.
That’s what I was seeing in his eyes. Fear. Forme.
I wasn’t going to talk him out of what he’d decided. Not with it coming from a place of fear. But that didn’t mean I had to do what he wanted meto.
“Does Brianknow?”
Titus frowned. “Who’sBrian?”
“Brian Taylor. Faythe’s enforcer, and Ed’s son. Does he know his dad and uncle are trying to sell out Faythe and Marc’s closest ally?” I sank onto the couch again as the connection finally hit me. “This isn’t just about power. This is also revenge. Titus, they’re unseating Rick Wade, because his daughter picked Jace over Ed Taylor’s son! Abby Wade and Brian Taylor were supposed to get married. Someday Brian would have inherited Rick Wade’s territory. That would have put two Taylors on thecouncil.”
“Three.” Titus groaned. “Robert Taylor’s been waiting for Paul Blackwell to step down for decades. Jace told me that any other Alpha would have retired more than twenty years ago, but Blackwell’s been putting it off so long that he has greatgrandchildren.”
“Then this is actually a play they’ve been trying to make for at least fouryears.”
Titus frowned. “How’d you come up withfour?”
“That’s how long Abby and Brian were engaged.” I leaned back on the couch, one hand over my forehead as another connection fell into place. “Ohshit.”
IwishI didn’t know what I know about Kaci, becausesomeone’sgotta make a mom out ofher.
The memory of Brian Taylor’s words sent chills marching across my skin. “They want to pair her with Brian. He said something the other day, and I didn’t really process it, but thathasto be what they’re planning.” I leaned back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling as I followed the logical breadcrumb trail to its end. “When Abby ran off with Jace, Rick Wade lost his heir, and soon he’ll have lost his leadership of the council. Eventually the council will have to place a fertile tabby in his territory, and Kaci’s the only one without a home of her own. If they can pair Brian with her before that happens, he’ll get control of Wade’s territoryandhis seat on the council.Right?”
Titus frowned. “From what I understand of the council’s origins and procedures, thatdoesseem to be a possibility. Every Alpha gets a seat on the council, and traditionally, an Alpha must be married to a tabby and must father her children. Faythe and Marc’s partnership being the obviousexception.”
I nodded. That was my understanding too. “So when Rick Wade retires, if the council gives his territory to Brian and Kaci…” I let my brother draw the obvious conclusion forhimself.
“The Taylors will have takeneverythingfrom the man they blame for letting Abby break her engagement toBrian.”
“And they’ll have used us to do it,” I told him. “They’re playing us like chesspieces.”
Titus exhaled, and he seemed to still be processing. Then he looked me in the eye. “When did you get sosmart?”
That seemed to be a seriousquestion.
“It runs in the family.” I huffed. “Though I wasn’t so sure, for a minutethere.”
“Are you calling mestupid?”
I shrugged. “You were saying some pretty stupid shit. If they’re willing to waitthatlong, to putthatmany pieces into play, and to threaten to execute me to get you to go along…you have no way of knowing they’ll stick to their word, Titus. You could do what they want, and they couldstillhunt me down and bring newcharges.”
