Page 45 of Hidden

Devries made a noise of derision, but he stepped back, taking his ham breath with him. “His job was to save the pack, not a vampire.”

“I could get past the fae. He couldn’t. It was a practical choice.”

“How is sacrificing my son practical?”

Izetta shrugged, refusing to be rattled. “I could ask you the same thing. Are you really going to leave your son to rot in a fae prison, or are you going to help me get him out?”

Devries’s shoulders hunched with tension. “As a father, I say yes. He’s my boy. As an Alpha, I see a fool who can’t remember his pack comes first. And then there’s the wolf, who sees a bloodsucker standing where his flesh and blood should be.”

Errata made a noise low in her throat. The werecougar had been so silent, Izetta had almost forgotten her. She held up a hand to keep the cat from interfering. The Alpha was close to crossing the line, but she’d give him another inch before teaching him a lesson.

“Decide what you want to do,” she told him, voice cool. “I will keep asking anyone I think worthy of the fight.”

He leaned in again, eyes going a wolfish gold. “And you think I’m worthy, do you?”

Izetta could feel the eyes of the wolves following her every movement. She stepped forward, showing them all she wasn’t afraid. “Not everyone can stand up to the fae. That’s why I came to you.”

The werewolf laughed, but it wasn’t pleasant. Neither was his huge hand squeezing her shoulder so hard she felt the bones shift. “Flattery won’t get you far, darling.”

Fast as thought, the knife was in Izetta’s hand. The shiny blade flicked open with a glint of silver. “Don’t ever call me darling,” she said, her voice dropping to a snarl. “You’re not my Alpha dog.”

The air in the room all but crackled. Devries’s gaze fixed on the knife, twin spots of color flaring on his cheekbones. Izetta’s jaw ached with the urge to bite. One of the wolves whimpered.

A car honked outside, startling them all. Errata spun toward the door with a hiss.

“Who’s on watch?” Devries waved toward the door, sending the flunky who had ushered them into the room scurrying to obey. The circle of wolves broke, fading back so he could pass.

The Alpha folded his arms and glared at his guests. If she had to guess, he was both annoyed and relieved at the interruption. Truth be told, so was she.

A moment later, the wolf returned. “Someone’s here to see you, boss.”

Devries answered with a snarl. “Who?”

“It’s vampires. Mr. Malatest.”

“Really?” Errata muttered under her breath. “What’s he doing here?”

A speculative murmur rippled through the room, but Izetta had expected this. She’d rattled Malatest’s cage, and any crime boss worth his salt would keep tabs on her movements. He’d know she’d gone to his chief rival and would get here quick to do some damage control.

She snapped the knife shut with a flick of her wrist. “Now the real conversation begins.”

“What does that mean?” Devries muttered.

Izetta flashed fang. “Either we learn to play together, or the fae get away with literal murder. My guess is that you’re too good an Alpha to let Malatest take all the glory.”

Errata’s eyebrows shot up, but Izetta had said what she needed to say. She’d met a thousand Devries in her time. They were bullies, sometimes cruel ones, and yet they could make excellent partners in a fight. The trick was to set the ground rules before they did.

His chin jerked up defiantly. “Don’t push me.”

“What you do is up to you,” Izetta said, pocketing the knife. “Me, I don’t leave friends behind, so I’m in the fight whether you like it or not.”

She felt the Alpha’s anger like a wash of heat, but Malatest chose that moment to swan through the door, a train of flunkies on his heels. Devries swung to face the newcomers, a low growl rumbling through his barrel-chested frame. His wolves sprang to attention, intercepting the vampires until he waved his pack aside.

“What do you want, Malatest?” he growled.

“I need soldiers. We have a score to settle with the fae.”

The words came out clipped, more an order than a request. It was exactly the wrong tone. The werewolves stirred anew, slouching and resentful.

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