Page 181 of Wolf Roulette

“No,” Sascha snapped, now edging us both back to the wall.

I caught Basilia’s eye under his arm. She grinned from behind Kyros.

The vampire stepped around her mate. “If you’d both prefer to suffer, then at least control yourselves so we can begin.”

Following her lead, I escaped Sascha’s body cage. “Maybe you’d both like to step out for a few minutes to compose yourselves?”

Pascal, Stanley, and Wade were slammed against the farthest wall. I listened to their thundering pulses, taking the seat opposite Basilia.

Wade was the first to join us at the table. Pascal was next—Stanley close on her tail.

Copies of the second draft contract sat in a neat pile. I took one off the top. “Has King Julius had time to go over our revision of the contract?”

She nodded. “He has and gave his permission to Kyros and me to work on a final contract.”

Sascha walked to stand behind me.

“Move,” he said to Wade.

Wade quickly made space between us, and Sascha slotted in his chair.

Thank you for coming,I thought at him.

He glared.It wasn’t for you.

Ouch.Regardless, thank you.

It had to kill him to be so protective right now when he wanted to rage at me instead.

Sascha cut off our line of communication. He rested a, now crumpled, copy of the revised contract on the table. I’d sent it to him in the hopes he’d still come today.

“My pack has reviewed the second draft contract. Though better, it still leaves many areas open to a concerning degree.” Sascha turned the page. “Clause 2b, for instance. It’s heavily weighted in the clan’s favour.”

I turned the first page, hope twinging low in my stomach.

He was here and actively participating.

It could mean everything.

Or nothing at all.

“Well and good, werewolf, but we offer the tribe and pack far more than they offer us in return,” Kyros fired back.

“There is apossibilitywe may require your services. In fifty years. Or one thousand. Conversely, there’s acertaintythat Ni Tiaki and pack will put themselves in regular danger for your clan. For fifty years. For a thousand. Always. Our contribution will be tangible and trackable.Wewill offer the only advances in knowledge on the other supernatural races.” Sascha leaned back, resting an arm over the back of my chair. “All your clan needs to do is sit there and look pretty. Shouldn’t be a problem for you.”

He did pretty well until the parting jab.

A growl filled Kyros’s chest, shaking the table.

Basilia faced him, and I watched their expressions alter.

Oh my god.They could mind-speak too?

I inhaled Sascha’s surprise.

“There’s merit in what you say,” Basilia said. “How about instead of wasting hours deciding who has the most to offer, we just agree that we bring equal value to an alliance?”

Sascha glanced at me.

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