Page 102 of Stealthy as a Wolf

I glanced between Martin and Simba, and my stomach dropped with dread. “What did you two do?”

“The drug abuse is getting out of hand, and people are dying. The best way to put a stop to it and possibly catch the people responsible was to call a Summit and force the issue.” Simba sounded all reasonable and shit, but I could detect an undertone in his voice that nagged at me.

Then it felt like I’d been slapped in the face when I realized what he meant, and I was so pissed that I was shaking with rage. “You’re using Matty as bait. You knew they would come for him. They would need to clean house and tie up loose ends. You fucking painted a target on his back!”

Simba wasn’t even fazed by my accusation, lifting his hands in the air like he was all innocent. “We didn’t know about Matty until things were already set into motion. They kept him too well hidden. They couldn’t afford to let us find him or they would lose their lucrative product.”

The answer only mollified me a little.

Then he went and ruined it with his next words.

“After some digging, we learned they were keeping Matty alive so he could tweak the drug. They were hoping he would be able to prevent it from killing people when they became too aggressive, or prevent them from just lying down to die when they became too docile. He could’ve been free at any time, but he refused to work with them, knowing that the drug was too dangerous to be let loose without strict regulations.

“Despite their best efforts, the snakes couldn’t figure out a way to correct the issue without him. They thought they could force his hand with threats and beatings. When that didn’t work, they sent him to prison—the one place where they could keep track of him while keeping him out of everyone else’s hands.” Simba gave Matty an admiring glance. “When you still refused to bend, I knew we had a chance to change the future. A chance to make things right. So I had someone slip you the name of the twins. The three of you quickly realized that the Summit was your only chance for survival.”

“The twins knew?” My heart bottomed out at the betrayal, and I purposely didn’t look at them, afraid I’d be tempted to rip out their throats.

“Of course not,” Simba scoffed. “To them, it was just a rescue mission. I was supposed to be notified the minute they arrived at the Summit, but they seem to have landed in trouble first. As I had hoped, when something went wrong, they used our connection to get in touch with me. Everything worked out in the end.”

“Worked out?” My voice rose an octave in outrage. “You set this whole debacle in motion by calling a Summit. You put every single one of my mates in danger with your ridiculous scheme.” I thumped my fist on the table, wishing it was his thick skull. “Youknewthe snakes would try to get rid of them. You could’ve stopped everything by just granting Matty a simple pardon. Why leave him to rot in prison? Why go through this farce and put them all at risk?”

My blood was whooshing in my ears so loudly that I barely heard Simba try to justify his decision.

“It’s all about perspective. I couldn’t be seen pardoning a known drug dealer while in the middle of a drug epidemic.” Genuine sympathy sparked in Simba’s eyes. “But what if I told you there was a way out, a simple solution to everything?”

I crossed my arms and glared at him, almost afraid to hope. “I won’t allow you to use Matty as your scapegoat.”

Simba raised a brow at my defiance, but a small smile danced across his face. “What if I have a way to save your mates?”

“How?” I narrowed my eyes, unsure I could trust the man after everything he’d done.

“We need Mathew’s help to refine the drug and legalize it. We want to use it as he originally intended. With his help, we can stop people from turning feral.” Simba turned serious, pushing a file toward me. “We’re offering to fund his research and make him a very rich man. Matty has a very bright future ahead of him. It’s the least we can do after everything he’s sacrificed.”

I was struck silent, completely flummoxed at the abrupt change of events. I wasn’t aware of strangling Matty’s hand until he squeezed back. Simba took advantage of my lapse and turned toward Burke and Boone to continue his spiel. “We will need strict security to keep Matthew safe and the drugs secure. You two know what’s really at stake. I trust you two more than anyone else.”

The twins stood up straighter under the president’s praise but refrained from speaking.

The President of the United States then turned toward me and Grady, and I couldn’t stop myself from stiffening. “The company will also need oversight, someone to set the rules and regulations. Someone strong enough to enforce them. Two alphas like you. What do you say?”

“That’s it?” I glared at him skeptically. It couldn’t be that simple. “No more being hunted by either side of the law? What about his prison sentence?”

“It all goes away if you sign the papers.” Simba nodded toward the innocent-looking folder in front of me, then held out a pen. “Most of the snakes responsible have already been taken into custody. The rest Martin will handle. Matthew’s prison sentence will be vacated and his record expunged.”

I touched the edge of the folder, then looked at each one of my guys, my heart so full of hope and love that I feared it would burst. In a matter of days, we’d gone from being hunted as criminals to being offered a future so beautiful that it was beyond my wildest imagination.

All I had to do was be brave enough to take it.

I looked at the guys and saw pure love shining back. Whatever I decided, they would stand with me. For the first time in my life, my future was bright and full of possibilities, and I had every intention of living it to the fullest with my mates at my side.

I grinned at Simba, grabbed the pen he offered, and signed. “Deal.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

MAGGIE

As we exited the building, I felt like I was walking on air. I couldn’t stop touching my men, not sure I trusted our good fortune. It just seemed too good to be true. I leaned over and pinched Boone…or gave it my best attempt.

Damned if he didn’t have an ounce of fat on him.

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