Page 42 of Savage Trap

“Leave that to me,” I tell him. “But even if it doesn’t work, it’s worth coming along and trying, isn’t it?”

He touches his cheek, a blush spreading under his fingers. “More than I can put into words.”

I smile and head over to my seat next to my dad, ignoring the curious eyes as he gets the session underway. But he’s barely finished outlining the day’s agenda when Snider, the Alpha of Connecticut, pipes up. “Shouldn’t we be talking about the Alpha of Atlanta’s offer? It could change the whole focus of this council.”

My dad is already shaking his head. “My answer hasn’t changed. This council isn’t about empire building, or changing the power dynamic on the east coast. All of which I told Rawson last night.”

“But he’s still in town,” the Alpha from Virginia says with a calculating look. She opens her hands wide, gesturing around the table at the other alphas. “Shouldn’t we explore it more, at least to keep things civil with him?”

“I agree,” Snider says with an oily smile in the female alpha’s direction. “We should at least give him a chance to outline his proposal.” He reaches out and lays a possessive hand on David’s arm, and the omega shoots me a haughty little smirk. “We should be thinking about what’s best for our packs, not turning away allies because of pride.”

I grind my teeth, but my dad looks unconcerned. “If Rawson wants to explore a closer alliance with us, then I suggest he reaches out at a later date to have that discussion. But right now, our agenda needs to remain on the topics we prioritized as a group.”

But he’s barely finished before the Pennsylvania Alpha speaks up. “Shouldn’t we put it to a vote?” He licks his lips and looks at his son, who folds his beefy arms and glares at my dad like he doesn’t plan to take no for an answer. “I don’t think I’m the only one who wants to hear what this council could do with Rawson’s connections.”

“A vote sounds reasonable,” the Virginia alpha says and looks at Snider, who gives her another oily smile.

“What can it hurt, Ferrier?” he asks my dad. “Or are you going to pull the High Alpha card and tell us who we can and can’t speak to?”

I open my mouth to tell the slimy asshole to go to hell. It’s obvious that while I was dealing with the toxic twins last night, they were all setting up this ambush. Which makes my blood boil, especially because my dad risked his life to go into the Tower and confront Bisha. If he wanted the High Alpha position, he could have taken it at any time, but instead, he’s poured his time and energy into trying to form this council.

But before I can unload on them, my dad leans forward, his dominance leaking into the room. “If you want to vote, we can vote. And if you want to offer up your omega to Atlanta, that’s your business.” My dad cocks a brow at David, who has the common sense to slink down a little in his seat. “But let me be very clear. My daughter is not a political pawn in anyone’s game.” Every eye in the room turns my way, and my dad rests a hand over mine on the table. “I won’t let anyone use her – or her pack – to advance their own ambitions.”

My heart flips – does a complete somersault in my chest – at the way he stares at me with the perfect mix of protectiveness and pride.

“I’d prefer we vote on the agenda items,” the Alpha of Maine says in a weary voice, although he squares his shoulders. “But if you want to talk about getting into bed with Rawson, here’s my view. You’re wasting your breath and probably making a colossal mistake.” He looks at his grandson. “James spoke with a contact from the South, and he had a thing or two to say about the Rawson pack. I’m not one to besmirch a man’s reputation, but if you’re talking about trading away our omegas – which is one of the damn reasons we need this council at all - then you need to hear this.”

James looks at my dad, and when he gives a nod of permission, leans forward to take in everyone with an unwavering stare. He’s not quite as dominant as his grandad, but he’s not far off, and I watch the other alphas sit up, ready to listen. “According to my source, the Atlanta pack is involved in a blood feud with the Iron Aces. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re the mercenary outfit led by Cooper Stone, who currently controls the Texan packs. I’m getting more details, but early intel says Brock and Bryce were involved in trafficking omegas into Mexico, and Cooper Stone’s niece got caught up in it. She was traded to a feral pack and died before he could get her out.” The blond alpha looks down the table at me. “I think Rawson is looking for a way to get his sons out of the firing line, and mating a pack of your standing would give them some protection.”

Fury spirals through me at the suggestion, and I’m pretty sure my eyes are glowing. “If they’re trafficking omegas, my pack is the last place they want to hide. In fact, I’ll save the Iron Aces the gas money and ship the twins down to Texas myself. Minus a few body parts.”

James grins at me, but my dad squeezes my hand, which is close to popping claws at this point. “Let’s park that plan for now, and wait to see what else we can discover about this blood feud. James, could you liaise with someone from each of our packs, so we’re all kept in the loop?”

He nods and we go around the table, giving him the names of our liaison points. Dad offers up Link, and informs the table in a cool voice that he’ll be dealing with Rawson directly. No one argues, and when we get back to the agenda, it’s a subdued group who works through the items. There’s minimal debate now, and we’re close to breaking for the day when Alpha Leon holds up a hand, his face grim.

“A call has just come through to my private number and they’re requesting a moment of our time.” He looks at my dad. “It’s coming from one of the European Liaisons, and he already has Alpha Loup dialed in. Do you want to take it?”

My dad looks pissed, but he nods and Parker jumps up to sort the AV system. A few moments later, the Wolf of Washington and another man appear on the screen at the end of the room. “Leon. Ferrier,” Loup says, then nods at the other alphas around the table. “Apologies for the interruption, but Alpha Rossi has an update I think you need to be across.”

Rossi is an older man in a light gray suit, but he clearly has the kind of commanding presence that holds its own next to Loup. This is the first European Liaison I’ve seen in the flesh, and when his cold black eyes move over me, I’m glad he’s not physically in the room. “We’ve had a development in Rome,” he says in a thick Italian accent. “Please observe your screen while you are connected to Alpha Vadini.”

My dad stiffens at my side, but the screen is already splitting in two, and another man appears. He could be a carbon copy of the European Liaison – older, powerful, with dead dark eyes. I’m fully aware that Arben ticks those boxes to some degree, but for all his fearsome reputation, he doesn’t make my skin crawl like these men do.

“Alonzo Malito, the Head Alpha of the Italian territories, passed last night,” he says in a cold, toneless voice. “As his sottocapo, I have assumed control of the pack. His daughter, Gloriana, has agreed to be my mate and will hold the position of Compagna di Luna in the Italian territories.”

I can’t help stealing a glance at my dad. He knows as much as I do about Glo, and there’s no way she’d willingly give up Darius and their mates. Does that mean this new High Alpha has taken over her pack, or has he got rid of the other alphas so he can control his old boss’s daughter? I’m guessing the latter, and he quickly confirms it. “I have a written confession from Darius Raptis regarding the massacre in New York. He was personally responsible for the death of Roan Bisha, your High Alpha. However, since it was in defense of my future mate, I will oversee his punishment. We will also be sending Alpha Rossi as our liaison to New York.” He gestures to the guy sitting next to Loup. “He will hold the territory in our name until a new High Alpha has been installed.”

My dad must be reeling from this speech just as much as I am, but he shows no sign of it. “We appreciate you informing us of the changes in the Italian territories, Alpha Vadini, but Alpha Rossi’s assistance is unnecessary. We’re in the process of establishing a council that will replace the High Alpha position, and all its responsibilities on the east coast.”

The man blinks, and then glances off to the side. He nods his head at whoever is talking to him off screen, then gives my dad a dismissive look. “We will be in touch.”

That’s all he says before the whole screen goes blank, his words hanging heavily in the air until Snider says with a smug smile, “Looks like we might need to rethink our agenda. Anyone disagree?”

Kelly

I’m worried about Link. He dragged me to breakfast after falling into the spare bed with me, twitchy and restless, and smelling of blood and steel. It wasn’t the metallic scent of a fired gun, but his heart was racing, and there were bruises and scrapes all over his body. He definitely got into a fight, but when I asked him about it, his brow crinkled and his eyes glazed over and he mumbled something about falling over a trash bag in an alleyway.

And then he dreamed. Link is a quiet sleeper. Doesn’t matter how bad things were with his dad, or the nightmares we lived through in the Tower, he always sleeps like the dead. But he tossed and turned all night, meaning we woke up clinging to each other with deep shadows under our eyes.

---