"That makes sense," Cade agrees. "We'd all react the same way if someone was trying to find out our business."
They all nod, Lex pointing his finger at a particular section. "Then here, Orson started bringing up talks about expansion. As you can imagine, Ford didn't take too kindly to that. He started making threats toward Orson."
"Wait," I interject, confused. "If Orson was the one who started it, then why did the Celestial Pack vanish and not him?"
Lex sighs. "Because Orson seemingly backed down. Though he made a comment about sending his pack to source out females."
I scoff in disgust. "Using that as bait is horrible, especially since it was actually happening."
Maverick pauses. "Wait—is that why packs started sending out hunters? Orson was baiting them. He had no intention of doing it, but by making the threat—"
"The other packs sent their own hunters first, to try to beat him," Alpha Daxton finishes. "And it caused their demise."
Cade taps his pen against his knee in thought. "Orson could have been the one who started the entire hunter situation. He was playing the long game."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
He glances over at me, face all serious. "Thom was planning to forcefully take land. The White Pack vanished due to their actions. Orson then sat back, allowed the information to spread and incited fear about a war repeat. He then baited other packs, threatening to send hunters."
"So, when they'd send hunters, it would continue to trigger the cosmic imbalance," Maverick adds. "Then, once they were gone, Orson could just swoop in and claim the land. He was setting them up by telling them exactly what to do, knowing it would wipe them out and he'd get the land lawfully."
"Lawfully is a stretch," I remark. "This is dodgy."
"But not enough to trigger their own disappearance. He made sure the other packs did it themselves."
Shaking my head, I sigh. "That's horrible."
"He's smart," Alpha Daxton says dryly. "He manipulated other alphas with ease. They are just as much to blame by acting irrationally."
The rest of the conversation is suddenly cut short by Maverick's cell ringing. He goes to answer it but I stop him.
"Wait, do you trust me?"
Maverick frowns. "What kind of bullshit question is that?"
Without giving a reply, I quickly snatch his cell and dart out of the room, their loud voices booming with questions as I close the door for privacy.
Sneaking into an empty office down the hallway, I quickly hit the accept button on the cell before it stops ringing.
"Alpha Kingston? My name is Nyx. I'd like to talk to you if you have a minute."
"I can't believe you got him to agree to come to Shadow Creek," Maverick says amused.
We're standing by the town edge with the other alphas and betas, waiting for Kingston to arrive. The boundary monitor just sent word that they had crossed into our territory.
"I'm really likeable," I quip back, smirking.
“Sure,” Maverick replies teasingly. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“Well she wonyouover,” Cade says from our right.
Maverick glares at him. “She’s definitely more likeable than you.”
A few minutes later, we spot the group of wolves heading our way. I’m waiting patiently, standing straight with perfect posture when there’s a gasp from the other side of Maverick.
The wolves exit the treeline, the tall, gigantic ginger wolf mirroring a harsh expression that is expected from the notorious Alpha Kingston.
“What is it?” I whisper quietly to Maverick, sneaking a glance at Darius as his mouth hangs agape.
