Page 158 of Wolf Roulette

Was it? “That’s what the tribe did for themselves.”

“Because it’s our land.”

“We don’t own the land, Stanley. We’re merely its guardians. Or have you forgotten?”

His face changed colour.

“We don’t need to agree to a trust, but we will need to brainstorm other proposals if not.Ifwe make this decision to protect our steward’s futures via an alliance.”

Pascal frowned. “I’ve just never understood why the pack don’t leave. There have to be other territories around.”

Time to draw back the curtain for them too. “There are a few things everyone in this room should know. I was specifically asked not to reveal these to the tribe, but I’m breaking my promise because this information will change our tribe’s general outlook on the pack. Since Luthers came here, their population has halved. That’s because this valley is surrounded by other supernatural races, and the pack can’t leave without a fight. The inability to leave means most of them can’t find their one mate. Without their mate, Luthers can’t have children and their life expectancy is finite.”

“What happens if they lose Grids?” Roderick whispered.

“Exactly. They’d need to fight their way out. Many would die. Maybe all of them. The Luthers have never abandoned this valley because they can’t.”

I scented the dawning comprehension in the meeting room. They were as surprised by the news as I’d been.

I hoped I’d made the right choice by telling them. It was news the entire tribe should know, but I had to come clean with Sascha before that.

“Is that why you pushed the airport?” Trixie eventually asked.

“The airport benefits stewards, the pack, and the valley. However, I won’t deny that the pack’s situation weighs heavy on my mind. There are children in the pack, and I won’t be responsible for sending them and over seven hundred and fifty pack members to their slaughter. In fact, if that ever becomes the decision of the tribe, I’ll no longer be a part of this community.”

Nathan glanced up. “Some may feel you’re working for both sides.”

“I took an oath that I would give my last breath to see this tribe succeed, and I won’t forget that oath. My actions on the tribe’s behalf prove my loyalty.” I held his gaze. “Thepacktook me in when this tribe threw me out. I care for many of them now. That, as well as knowledge of these foreign threats, has changed my definition of what success looks like for all. I believe compromise is the only safe way forward for tribe and pack.”

He nodded and—to my surprise—almost smelled accepting.

I held up the thick contract before me. “We have a lot to discuss in coming days. A land proposal. An alliance. A different ending for our stewards. As a starting point, here’s the draft contract from King Julius. It needs a lot of work, and I’ll need your help to do it. On Monday, I meet with him for further talks. Pascal, Wade, and Stanley, I’d like you to sit in on that meeting. Sascha Greyson will join us also.”

The three of them nodded.

“If any of this goes ahead, it will be a lot for the tribe to take in, Andie.”

Roderick’s point was valid.

Wade took the Vissimo contract and thumbed through it. “I guess what Ro is asking ishowdo we explain this to the stewards?”

Good question. Not everyone in this room was on board with me. The next couple of days would show whether they came around or not. One thing was certain—I couldn’t unload everything on the stewards at once. Yet time was a massive issue. “Both sides love this land and want to protect it. Neither side wants to face uncertainty in the future once the game ends. We know each other far better than we know demons or witches. Those are the points to hammer home. As for timing… we need to figure that out.”

Pascal took the contract from Wade. “This could take months to finalise.”

“I’ve seen what the pack and tribe can achieve separately. Imagine what we could do together?”

She regarded me with a peculiar expression.

“Yes?” I arched a brow.

“Just thinking that I was right. You are the leader that we needed.”

“I’m glad you think so.” I straightened. “I need your honest opinions and reactions over the next few days.Allof them—every negative thing you can think of. If this works, it’s because we did our part to troubleshoot, so don’t hold back.”

“We surely have some time to think this over?” Stanley said uneasily.

“On Sunday, I plan to turn over a grid with penalty points. Next Wednesday, I plan to win Victratum. We have six days to figure out a truce between pack and tribe, an alliance with the Bluff City vampires, and the tribe must be brought up to speed in that time also.”

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