Page 5 of Arranged Wolf's Nanny
John had sat, allowing the buffoon Carter to exchange unpleasantries with the bear shifters, his voice rising enough to rattle the chandeliers. Teeth were baring. Scents were spiking.
Felix nodded.
Now.
A spark of excitement ran up Rick’s spine.
The thrill of preparing for war.
“Tell me,” he said, his voice only loud enough to capture the room’s attention, no louder. He paused as every head turned to him, voices fading away, anticipation building for his attack. He let them stew in it for a moment before continuing, “Do you really fear the humans so much that you think they would ever want to remain our commanding officers in a joint military body?”
A few shifters turned to each other with confused whispers. Even more remained silent, waiting with bated breath.
Rick always set up a perfect trap, waiting for his opponent to wander blindly inside before he struck the killing blow.
Carter scoffed, a great, inelegant motion that rocked his meaty shoulders like some ungainly dinghy caught in a storm.
Rick’s smile grew wider. Let him feign incredulity. It did nothing to disguise the fear in his eyes.
“Come on, Rick. What sort of argument is that? They’rehumans. Of course, they’d wanna be in charge. Or maybe you’re just not used to interacting with humans who aren’t on your payroll!”
There were a few nervous chuckles that quickly faded away, leaving a heavy, uncomfortable silence in its wake. Rick didn’t reply, his breaths slow and even, his eyes unblinking as he took in Carter’s twitching form.
The male coughed, clearing his throat. “They’re cocky, right? That’s the way I see it. I’m sure you’d agree. Ever since they built their bombs during the conflicts. I mean, surely you agree, Rick?”
Rick tilted his head. It was incredible. All he had to do was remain quiet, and weaker males wilted before him.
“Enough of this,” Raph snarled, slamming his hands into the table, his chair clattering against the tiles as he jumped to his feet. “If you’ve got something to say, Reinhardt, then fucking well get on with it!”
He felt Felix tense beside him, scented the sharp spike of anger from his alpha. But Felix wouldn’t intervene.
He didn’t need to.
“Did it work?” Rick asked, crossing one long leg over the other, adjusting his cufflink absentmindedly.
“Did what work?” Raph snapped as Carter sank back into his chair with a thunderous expression.
He might as well have been a pouting child, for all Rick cared.
He raised a sardonic eyebrow. “The human attempt to eradicate us during the conflicts?”
Raph’s jaw worked. “No, it didn’t, but you can’t try and tell me that—”
“And why didn’t it work?” Rick interrupted, addressing the room.
When nobody answered, he rolled his eyes and stood, buttoning his jacket. “It didn’t work, because we are not the mindless brutes that the humans mistook us for. Theyunderestimatedus. Their anti-shifter weaponry lasted only as long as it tookourscientists to develop counter-measures. As it stood, a single shifter could reliably wipe out up to fifty humans. More, if they were an alpha.”
There were a few murmured agreements.
“And as for the present day,” Rick continued, “while Accord regulations prevent shifters from reaching the highest position of government, I’d ask you to kindly name me the shifter that answers to any human bar the president himself.”
Raph shuffled, his scowl turning murderously dark. “Careful, Rick, you’re in danger of sounding like a supporter of the human administration.”
“He does throw a wonderful cocktail party,” Rick said, earning a few chuckles. “I’m going to one next week. I’ll be sure to give him your regards. Or perhaps, I’ll not waste my timeand instead talk to the only humans that really matter in this conversation—the Generals. The ones practicallybeggingus to throw our weight behind them against the increasing Eastern threat.”
“Just because some flashy general asks us to get involved,” Raph snarled, “doesn’t mean we have to roll over and show our bellies.”
“So you’d foster bad will with the very same human army that Carter reckons is a real threat to us?”
