Page 37 of Sacrifice

The air is thick with unspoken thoughts as we exchange glances. I can’t shake the memory of last night, the way Nero’s fingers danced over Aisling’s skin, the sound of her barely-contained moans filling the room. It was a performance meant to tantalize and claim, but there was an undercurrent of something genuine there. Something that made me wonder about the nature of my own feelings towards Nero. Was it purely the alliance that drew me to him, or was there something more? Satisfaction warms my chest at the memory, the pleasure of seeing Aisling so charged, so alive.

I’ve spent a lot of time with Nero over the past months—and he’s invited me to more than a few nights with both men and women—but I never even considered it.

Seeing him with Aisling, though…

“I’m curious,” Oberon muses aloud, his brow furrowing as he leans against the wall, arms crossed. “What kind of message are we trying to send with this dinner? That the Angels and the Eclipse or uniting…or that we’re all going to be subjects of the Palms?”

“Oh, Mr. Vega—I don’t have any designs on your city,” Inari says. “Why would I, when I have the whole of Oasis at my beck and call? No…this is merely a show of strength, since you can have some of my resources for taking out your enemies.”

“Strength,” Luka echoes from beside me, his tone deliberate, thoughtful. “But at what cost? What does this mean for our standing with other packs? With Caius?”

“And are we sure Nero’s on board?” Aisling finally speaks up, her voice steady despite the uncertainty clouding her grey eyes. “I mean, he’s not here right now so we can’t exactly ask…”

“Last night seemed pretty convincing to me,” I reply, offering her a half-smile that I hope conveys more assurance than I feel.

“Just because someone can make you come doesn’t mean they’re loyal,” she counters, and I can’t argue with that.

“Trust has to start somewhere,” I say, meeting her gaze and holding it. “And right now, Nero seems like our best bet.”

“Then we better be damn sure we’re betting on the right horse,” Rook adds.

“Right horse, wrong horse…” Inari interrupts, walking back towards her desk with a dismissive shrug. “In this world, you pick a direction and run like hell. So, are we running with this or not?”

I look around at the faces of my pack, reading the mixture of excitement and apprehension painted across their features. This dinner could change everything—for better or worse.

But isn’t that the thrill of being alive in a world that’s constantly trying to kill you?

Inari leans back against her desk, the afternoon sun casting a halo around her poised figure. “Let me lay it out for you,” she starts, her eyes flicking to each of us in turn. “Aisling’s mating with Nero isn’t just about romance or pleasure. It’s a strategic move that will solidify our alliances, send a message to our enemies, and stabilize our internal dynamics. Aisling and Nero together is a power coupling that could shift the balance in our favor. And we need that now more than ever.”

“Doesn’t make it any less dangerous,” Aisling murmurs, almost to herself, and there’s a glint in her eyes that tells me she gets it, even if the thought makes her uneasy.

“Furthermore,” Inari continues, her voice dropping an octave as if sharing a secret only we are privy to, “it’s not just Aisling and Nero who stand to gain from this. It’s all of us. This union puts Gunnar—puts you,” she points at me, “in a prime position. Vance is losing his grip, and Caius is too preoccupied with his cult and his violence. The city is ready for new alphas to step up.”

“Are you saying…” My voice trails off as I process her words. With Nero by our side, we wouldn’t just be gaining an ally; we’d be positioning ourselves to take over from Vance and Caius.

“Think about it, Gunnar,” Inari urges, her voice low and persuasive. “You and Nero could lead Pacific City into a new era. Together, with Aisling as your axis…and your pack behind you.”

I feel a surge of adrenaline at the thought, mixed with a twinge of something else—anxiety? Excitement? Maybe both. The idea of leading had always been there, in the back of my mind, but hearing Inari say it aloud makes it real, tangible.

“But first, we celebrate the union—Oasis-style,” Inari smiles. “We show the city your strength—not just as fighters, but as leaders. And you get my endorsement for ending this silly back and forth between Vance and Caius.”

“Leaders,” I repeat, letting the word roll off my tongue. It feels right. Powerful. Like destiny.

“Leaders,” Inari echoes, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Now, let’s plan this dinner and show them exactly who they’re dealing with.”

As we start discussing the finer details of the announcement dinner, I can’t shake the image of Nero and Aisling together—a union that signifies so much more than any of us could have imagined. And as for me, standing alongside Nero as equals, as leaders… it’s a future that suddenly seems within reach.

“Let’s show them what we’re made of,” I finally say, my decision made. It’s a risk, but in this game of survival, it’s the boldest move we can make.

And we’re not just playing to survive anymore—we’re playing to win.

Chapter seventeen

Aisling

Gunnar’s hand is firm on my arm, tugging me out of Inari’s office. The others glance at each other, confusion etched in their faces like a shared secret. He tosses them a look that brooks no argument, and they scatter like leaves in the wind—his command as final as death.

“What’s going on?” I ask, brows knitting together. We’re alone now, the dim lights of the corridor throwing shadows that flicker with an unspoken urgency.

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