Page 64 of Escalating Alpha

Fuck all the ducks.

She said something to me, but my ears were ringing by then and I was almost out of energy. I needed to figure out what to do to make her choke on me if she was going to take me down.

I didn’t have a fucking chance though, and it wasn’t long until I couldn’t move and several of my bones were broken… And I was genuinely scared.

“You are a fighter,” she chuckled as she stared down at me, using her thumb to wipe the corner of her mouth. She did a double take when she saw it was blood. “I think it’s been a fewhundred years since someone has actually managed to get that good of a hit on me and never one so young and infected.”

“Don’t hurt them,” I begged.

Several things flashed in her eyes at once. “I’m not here to break you or do damage, Seraphine. I’m the help you asked for.” She frowned and looked me over. “I took things too far. Feed from me and it will heal you faster.” She knelt down and let me take energy from her.

I took a lot which surprised her.

“My niece brags about how you are smarter than some of us and take such good care of yourself—having therapy and pushing all of us to… I forget the term she used.”

Relief filled me. “Demi? You’re Eva’s sister?”

“Yes, child. Why are you so beaten?”

“She hasn’t slept and too much has happened,” Dain defended as he rushed over. He had a drink for me. “How could you do this now?”

She shrugged as she stood. “I needed it to be authentic. I would not help another spoiled princess, and much can be hidden by the humans, media, or even America.”

“It’s fine,” I cut in when too many looked ready to jump on her. “I’m just confused how you’re here, and now I need food.” I looked at the guy from IA. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but can we get some supes in your department? I’ve asked before. I think the answer is the council needs to tell you what packs I’m authorized to invade or deal with before I do.”

“But someone could get it from him because he’s human and you won’t put them at risk,” Demi finished for me. “Well done, Seraphine. Yes, you are a protector as my sister and niece said.”

“We are planning to hire some,” Galvin responded, glancing between us before looking at Antony. “For now, I ask you share this list with Deputy Director Monroe. Not all the dirty everything, but a quick sentence of your worry or why AlphaSera might need to intercede. The problem is—the PR side is that you haven’t tried to interject into the situation first.”

Understanding lit up Antony’s eyes and he gave me an apologetic look before focusing on the guy from IA… The head of it if I remembered correctly?

I really wasn’t sure when my brain now felt like scrambled eggs.

“Without the negative connotation, the different groups can be a lot like gangs and—” he started to say.

“Yeah, that sounds really bad,” I grumbled. “Police departments. All the packs and groups are like police departments and the council is like us, the feds. They all clam up and close ranks when the council sends a representative. It takes another Alpha to handle it most times with our laws. It sucks, but so does most of life.”

“She’s not wrong,” someone mumbled, clearly defending me with whatever everyone around us was feeling.

“And she’s right,” Antony said. “We did send a representative to this pack. Six months ago.” He sighed. “No one would report anything just as you cannot get traction either. Everything was pristine. Even if our representative knew it was suspicious, it wasn’t enough to start a fight we would look the villains of.”

“I will ask you give me something formal in writing for these packs and the ones Alpha Thomas already took over,” the guy from IA said. “That is the piece I feel was missing. We only have it for Chicago. I think. I will double check.”

“I will make sure it’s done. I’m glad we’ve figured this out because I doubt it will be the last time,” he said easily… Too easily.

“Hey, maybe I could have like a baker’s dozen of packs before the new year,” I drawled, my sarcasm dripping all over like my blood had been. “Feed me.”

Luckily, one of the ancients had already gone for food when several of our stomachs made noise while IA had been interviewing me. So it was hot, fresh, and greasy.

People were polite and made introductions, and I saw it start to register with Demi that she had to play the part. She turned on the charm but also made it clear she would be interjecting into the situation on my behalf.

“Joshua has spoken nothing but praise for you to our family in Greece,” she told Antony. “He said your integrity and focused dedication is admirable when the council needs to…” She frowned. “Something about grass. Touch it I believe, but I forget what that means exactly.”

“It means they need to get out more often and not like run on pack lands but leave their small confines of the council compound,” I clarified for her. “I don’t disagree, but I see the same in DC, and—I get the same about my corner of the world in Chicago.”

“You are too fair,” she sighed. “But that makes you a good leader. I see why you have been a good influence on Melicent even if you killed Bernard.” She said it so easily, but most of us froze. She either didn’t notice the reactions we had or didn’t care because she went right on.

“I apologize, but how do we address you?” Galvin asked. “I know your sister is Matriarch Dorcus since she was the previous Alpha and…”

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