“Stop,” I said, holding my hands up. “Make it make sense.”
“Her father was the alpha of the Black Creek pack. Never had a son, and he was a big-time hunter. Taught his dear daughter everything she knows. When he died, there was a big issue with who would take over that pack. Eugenia wasn’t born a female alpha, but she still thought she should take over, regardless. The elders didn’t agree. The next best candidate assumed control and demanded she mate with him as a way to unite the pack. That’s how she ended up here. She ran, and Levi found her. Hunting is how she earns her keep,” Linnea said.
I sighed, annoyed that I felt a little pity for Eugenia. I dreaded asking her for her help.
“There’s no other way?” I said.
“Like I said, the meat rations are running low. Even if we decided to serve the entire pack chicken nuggets, I doubt there’s enough. Rainier is scheduled to do a big supply run next week.” she hesitated and shrugged uncertainly. “If he’s back by then anyway.”
Part of me wanted to sayscrew itand simply dial back the plans for the party, but I kept going back to what Levi had said. He wanted to introduce me as his mate. The celebration needed to be big and impressive to get the whole pack in a good mood, so they’d be more likely to accept me in a role like that. I didn’t likethe inherent manipulation that insinuated, but it made sense. I knew enough about psychology to understand how this was going to go.
I sighed. “Can’t I just call for pizza?”
“If we hadanycell phone or internet service, I’d say hell yes, but we’re a bit more rustic than that,” Linnea said.
“Shit,” I said as I stood. “I’ll ask her, but I don’t have the mental energy to deal with that right now. Let’s see how everything else stacks up, then go from there. If we don’t think of something else by tonight, I’ll go talk with her.”
“Do you think she’ll even say yes?” Linnea asked, lowering her voice. We were the only ones in the dining hall, but she obviously didn’t wantanyoneto overhear.
“She’s not my biggest fan,” I admitted.
“Right. I don’t know how she’ll feel about doing you a favor. Not when she’s got her eye on Levi, and everyone has seen how taken he is with you.”
My cheeks flushed, and I had to stifle a smile.
“It would be a favor to the pack, not me,” I said. “If I phrase it that way, it might sway her.”
“I suppose. I guess we’ll see. Come on. Let’s go get the ball rolling on everything else.”
As we went to speak to the musicians, I glanced at the surrounding forest, wondering whether Levi was safe.
32
LEVIATHAN
Rainier hurried to keep up with me as I made my way through the undergrowth. All I could think about was what would happen if this huge force descended on Hidden Grove. In the years I’d been dealing with the Red Maw, there had never been anyrealviolence. A few skirmishes here and there. The worst was when I’d fought one of them nearly ten years ago. I’d crossed into their territory, but that fight had ended quickly when I’d realized I was in the wrong. Nothing had ever been as blatant or terrifying as what they’d tried with June. I couldn’t allow them to push into our territory unquestioned.
“Levi.” Rainier grabbed my arm. “What are you thinking of doing?”
“I told you. I’m gonna go talk to their alpha.”
Rainier looked like I’d told him I was about to throw myself off a cliff. He pointed over his shoulder toward the encampment. “There’s over ahundredguys back there, Levi. There’s no way you can take on that many.”
“They can let me talk to their alpha. If I need to, I’ll kick all those fuckers’ asses until theydolet me talk to him.”
“Oh, you can try, big dog, but I doubt you’ll get far,” a voice drawled behind us.
Rainier and I jerked in surprise, turning to find a broad-shouldered man emerging from the trees, a cocky grin on his face. I snarled at him, flexing my arms as I clenched my fists.
“Who the fuckare you?” Rainier asked, adjusting his stance.
The man looked less concerned than he should have, given the fact he was staring down a pissed-off alpha and beta from a rival pack.
“My name’s Carlton Briggs,” he said, touching a finger to his sweat-stained black baseball cap in a version of a salute. “Beta of Red Maw. And you boys are alongway from home, ain’t ya?”
My jaw muscles ached as I gritted my teeth. My wolf raged and screamed, demanding to be let loose. Both of us remembered the way these assholes had attacked June, and it was making it hard not to fly off the handle. I was seconds from losing it and letting my wolf out when Rainier patted my arm.
“What?” I snarled, never taking my eyes off the man. His shit-eating made me angrier by the second.
