“But once they have what they want, why would theybother?”
“Because they know what my own brother doesn’t seem to have figured out yet. Executing me is theonlyway they’ll be able to keep me fromKaci.”
Nineteen
NINETEEN
Kaci
“So,this whole thing was Ed Taylor’s attempt to take the council chair position from Rick Wade?” I could hardly wrap my mind around the web of back channel manipulations. The kidnapping. The deal the Taylors had tried to make with Titus. “Just because Abby wouldn’t marryBrian?”
“I’m sure that isn’t Ed’s only grudge,” Faythe said from her perch on the front edge of her desk. “I knew he was upset about the loss of the potential for grandchildren, but I have to admit I never expected him to make a power grab. That doesn’t sound much likeEd.”
Marc shrugged from the couch across the rug from Justus and me. “I suspect his resentment has been brewing for a while, and his son’s broken engagement was the final straw. And we all know how miserable Robert Taylor has been under Blackwell’s thumb fordecades. The Taylors probably believe they’re simply claiming what should have been theirs allalong.”
“I’m so sorry they dragged you into this.” Justus’s hand tightened around mine, and the leather upholstery creaked as he leaned closer to me on the couch. “And I’m even sorrier that I gave them thatopportunity.”
“Oh, please. I did that to myself. But the Taylors are responsible for their ownactions.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Robyn twisted out of Titus’s embrace to glare at him. “We drove all this way, and you didn’t say athing!”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to talk to Justus first.” Titus glanced from one of us to the next while he spoke. “I owe the rest of you an apology as well. I had no right to agree to anything without consulting everyone affected by my decision. Rick Wade has been nothing but kind and fair to me and to my men, and the last thing I want to do is cast myself as his adversary. But all I could think about when Ed Taylor called was saving Justus’slife.”
“I suspect Rick would understand that,” Faythe said. “Not that we need to tell him. Because he would also bevery, very angry. So let’s just count this as an impulsive lesson learned. We are all better off counting on one another than taking drastic measures alone.” She aimed a pointed look around the room, from Justus and me on one couch to Titus, Robyn, and Marc on the one across from us. “And wehaveto be able to count on oneanother.”
“Of course.” Titus looked both embarrassed by and ashamed of what he’d done. Which wasalmostenough to make me forgive him for trying to separate me from hisbrother.
Almost.
Marc snorted, aiming an amused look at Faythe. “This coming from the valedictorian of the ‘I can do it all on my own’ school ofleadership.”
“Theformervaledictorian,” she corrected with a smile. “I’ve learned a lot on thejob.”
“Are we sure Brian was in on this?” Iasked.
Marc nodded. “We’re pretty sure he at least knew about it. And if he did, that’s grounds for dismissal—as our enforcer, his loyalty should lie with the South-Central Pride, not his birth-Pride.”
“So, you’re going to fire Brian?” I felt guilty for how happy that thought made me, after what he’d said about me to Justus. But only alittleguilty.
“Not yet.” Marc stood and headed for the liquor cart on the end of the room opposite the desk. “If we fire him, his dad will know we’re on tohim.”
“So then, what’s our move? What are we waitingfor?”
Titus joined Marc at the cart and poured himself an inch of whiskey. “Ed Taylor’s planning to call an emergency meeting to vote on mypetition.”
“That call went out an hour ago,” Marc confirmed. Then he took a big sip from hisglass.
Titus nodded. “This morning he informed me that as soon as I’m an official member, they’re going to call for a new vote on the council chair position, and that if I don’t support Ed Taylor over Rick Wade, he and his brother will vote to execute Justus. But that if I support them, they’ll make all his charges go away…” He leveled an apologetic glance at Kaci. “As long as Justus stays out of the country until Kaci remarries and has achild.”
“Bastards…” I hissed beneath mybreath.
“Language,” Faythe snapped. “It’s not new information that the council wants women to have children and strays to getlost.”
“But I thought things were changing! I thought you and Marc were trying to drag the other Alphas into the twenty-firstcentury!”
“They have, and we are,” Faythe insisted. “But change takestime.”
Marc drained his glass. “And sometimes a little spilledblood.”
