Page 53 of The Alpha's Fated Bond

“People have already seen Alex kissing Sophia,” Nathan points out.

“Maybe they think it’s some weird poly—” Jared begins to suggest, and I stop him right there.

“Cool it. I’m glad all of you are having a good time at my expense, but I think we have more important matters to think about.” I try not to shudder at the thought of Lily and me in that sense. The brat is annoying, but Sophia is fond of her, so I have to put up with her. She’s also a good teacher for Sophia, which is another reason I can’t kick her out. “With respect to Julia, we have to move fast. Have people stationed at all the free zones.”

Free zones are the territories between each pack that are used for travel. No one owns those stretches of land, and they exist solely to lessen friction between packs as travel occurs within the Alliances. What I’m proposing right now is against the sacred laws of each Alliance. No one is allowed to send soldiers into these areas, not for any purpose. They are safe zones.

But ever since Karina rose to power, there hasn’t been much left in the North of the laws of the Alliances. She has bent them every way she can to suit her purposes.

Patrick straightens up. “Which faction should we call?”

I can feel his excitement.

Right now, the men staring at me in this small room have their wolves in their eyes. I can smell their anticipation and bloodlust.

For so many years, we have lived like shells of ourselves, subdued, hiding our strengths even as we built them up. For me to recall the factions of soldiers I have concealed in different cities all around the North Alliance means that I will be mobilizing a major force. And it will not go unnoticed.

“Not yet,” I growl. “Not till our pack is completely secure. We still have a long way to go.”

Setting up businesses in human-controlled cities was not simply to protect them from Karina’s influence. It was also to hide the true purpose of those businesses: to train our soldiers. To keep them hidden. When the time comes, I will call on them. And they will come.

At least, that was always the plan. But I never knew what it meant to have a mate.

I’ve always sought to protect my pack. I’ve been willing to suffer through anything to keep them safe. But my protective nature is different when it comes to Sophia. For her, I’m willing to cast aside my revenge. I don’t want to put her in the position of having to face Karina.

I already know Sophia shrinks at the idea of bloodshed. It begs the question how she survived being a cage fighter for all those years. While she fights fiercely, I can see the reluctance in her eyes when it comes to taking a life. Unlike normal shifters, she doesn’t enjoy violence. And I know that if I put her in the middle of this war, she will fight by my side—but it may break her. Because war always means death.

I know Patrick has caught on to my wavering intentions, but my friend hasn’t said anything to me about them. I can see the eagerness radiating from him.

As my eyes go around the room, I realize that all my men have been waiting for this day.

They’ve all suffered losses, not just me. They’ve lost their families, their loved ones, to cruel, horrifying deaths. Our pack was used as an example for every other pack in the North Alliance: go against Karina, and this is what will happen to you.

“Now is not the time,” I force myself to say.

The disappointment is stark in Patrick’s eyes. Nathan, on the other hand, seems to be more relaxed now that the magic linking his sister to Karina’s people has been dissolved.

It took Sophia two days to unlink the child, and the last time she sat down with Lexie, she didn’t lose all her strength. I don’t know what the future holds, but my new plans revolve around getting my people to safety. Once Karina figures out a link has been broken, she’s going to know she’s losing her most powerful leverage against me.

She’s not going to sit still upon learning that.

“Mobilize units Aqua and Ruby,” I decide, looking at Patrick. Jared has had a fine time coming up with the names for our factions of soldiers. Aqua refers to the soldiers we have at the harbor where we’re running our import and export business, and Ruby means the soldiers in the jewelry shop franchise that’s been taking off in human-run cities. “Tell them to move under cover of darkness. They only have two days to surround this town. Julia cannot get past them.”

I look over at the youngest member of my trusted circle. “Nathan, once everybody is asleep, late in the night, I want you to remove the jammer temporarily so that Patrick can send out the signals.”

Nathan shakes his head, looking awkward. “I won’t be able to do that for a few days. We’ve actually lost telecommunications in this area for real. There was a lightning storm near the towers, and they got hit. My guys are doing repairs. From what I’ve heard, they still need at least a week.”

I look at the ceiling. We don’t have a week.

“Don’t worry.” Jared drops his arm around Saul’s neck. “We’ll keep watch for Julia. In the meantime, don’t worry. There’s no way she’s going to be able to make it all the way to our village that quickly.”

“I think we’re not accounting for the situation in which she contacts Karina before coming here.” Nathan meets my gaze, his own tense. “I mean, we’re all assuming she won’t, but what if she does? Karina would learn that you’re no longer in Oakrest. And if she can’t get in touch with her people, there’s nothing stopping her from coming here.”

Nathan makes a good point.

“That just means we have to move faster.”

I get to my feet as I say that, but Nathan isn’t done. “And what happens once we save the pups? What’s your plan? You used to talk about it before, but you don’t anymore. When we are we going after Karina?”

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