“We need to take out the Shifter Council members who aren’t on our side and gain control of their packs.” Silence. “Are you all confident that you can keep control of your own packs if we do this?” They couldn’t risk any mini rebellions once this started.
Cox answered first. “I have a few who might be dissatisfied with the direction I’m taking them, but nothing we can’t handle. I don’t lead my pack to hate humans.”
The other alphas said much the same, and Isaac breathed a small sigh of relief.
“There’s only ten of us here though,” Davidson said. “That leaves another twenty-two packs for us to gain control of.”
“I know,” Isaac said, knowing this was the part that would take some convincing. “You are the ten alphas that we’re certain are CEG. There are a substantial amount of CEG members in the other packs and shifters who lean to our way of thinking, so it’s not as bad as it looks on the surface.” He looked around at the alphas sat before him. “Michael is meeting with the human resistance leaders as we speak. We won’t be doing this alone.”
Cox frowned. “Not that I want to diminish what they do, because I know some of them and they’re incredibly brave. But sending them up against a whole pack?” He shook his head. “Isn’t that a suicide mission?”
“It won’t be a whole pack, though, especially if we can persuade others within the packs to switch sides. And they won’t be on their own.”
“We can’t fight if we’re constantly having to protect humans. It’ll be a bloodbath,” Alpha Stewart offered, and Isaac was inclined to agree with him.
“We’re hoping that they’ll be going in there armed,” he said, then glanced up at the clock on the wall. Ten twenty already.
Cox let out a low whistle. “I know the ones who man the evacuation runs are armed, but weapons are extremely difficult to get a hold of.”
“I know.” Isaac turned his attention to his beta. “Callum, contact Logan, see if he has anything to report yet.”
With a nod, Callum moved to the back of the classroom and pulled out his phone.
“Assuming they can get their hands on enough weapons to defend themselves, the plan is to split our resources and attack each of the twenty-two packs simultaneously. The element of surprise is our greatest weapon, and we can’t afford any of them to be forewarned.”
Callum, seemingly done with his phone call, walked back to his seat. Isaac had caught some of the conversation, but not everything.
“Anything?” he asked when Callum sat down.
Callum grinned. “Apparently the humans have amassed quite the arsenal over the last five years. Michael says they can take care of themselves and then some.”
Thank fuck.
“So...” Isaac ran a hand through his hair. “I’d like to go through the remaining packs and their alphas and see what we know. Who do we think might be on our side? Who is definitely with Simon? Which packs are the most dangerous?”
Cox sat back in his seat. “Before we start, do you have a date in mind for this? Because once we start making preparations, people are going to notice.”
Isaac met his gaze. “As soon as possible. Two, three days max. We need to move as quickly as we can on this.”
Silence again as they all stared at him, but no one objected.
Isaac took that as a sign to carry on. “Right. He grabbed a pen and turned to the whiteboard behind him and wrote down all the remaining twenty-two London alphas. “Let’s get started.”
* * *
Carnglaze Caverns wasn’t exactlylike Michael had pictured, but then again, he hadn’t really known what to expect. The village was quiet as they drove through it, but he noticed Cole fidgeting in the passenger seat beside him.
“You okay?”
Cole sighed and turned to look out of the window. “It seems a lifetime ago since I was last here.”
Of course.
“A lot has changed since then.” Michael cringed at stating the fucking obvious. “It’s bound to dredge up memories I’m sure you’d rather forget.” He wondered if Cole was having second thoughts about accepting Michael as his alpha.
Cole turned in his seat to face him, and as if reading his mind, he flashed him a small smile. “I don’t regret anything I said yesterday. I’ve changed in more ways than becoming a shifter. That’s not what’s making me unsettled.”
Michael let out an unsteady breath, unprepared at the relief he felt upon hearing Cole’s words. “What is it then?”
