Page 9 of Forsaken Fate

“Theo,” Adam said. He never flinched, never moved his steepled fingers from under his chin during my outburst. “You know I’m on your side. I’ve always been on your side. But what you have is more important than anything material. You have your life. Your freedom. You can rebuild somewhere else. Claim your own pack.”

I played with a phantom piece of lint on my sleeve. “I know you’re right. It’s just now that he’s gone, I’m not going to pretend anymore to keep the peace. You know what Diana was and so do I. Adam ... you know she poisoned my father’s mind. “

“At her core, Diana was an insecure woman; it’s sad really,” Adam said. “In the end the only person she was really close to was Grayson and I don’t think he’s going to mourn her for very long either.”

“Oh,” I said, “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. What’s Grayson going to do now that Mommy’s not here to make sure people remember he’s related to her? I’ve heard even her old coven won’t let him in. He’s too weak. Too unstable. I’ve heard he’s never even been powerful enough to connect to the Source on his own.”

Adam laughed. “You’re probably more right than you realize. Diana understood that far too well. So, she had moved some chess pieces for him in a different way. She was building a war chest. The Governor’s seat is up for grabs now. Diana made some sort of deal with Lieutenant Governor Jeffries to get him on board and back Grayson to take over his seat. Jeffries is just supposed to be keeping it warm for Grayson until a sham election can be held.”

I whistled low. “He’ll never withstand a direct challenge. How the hell does he think he can pull that off?”

“Diana was working magic on all fronts. I don’t know the ins and outs of it. But people in power are afraid. If Diana had lived, I think she had a plan to ensure her line of succession. Now? Everything’s up in the air. The other rumor I heard is that Jeffries hasn’t been returning Grayson’s calls since the funeral. My sources tell me some moves are being made to try and install a different Governor. Now that Diana’s not here to wield her power for him, everyone is kind of sitting back and waiting to see if Grayson has the stones to pull off a power play on his own.”

I laughed. “Gauging by some of the looks he got at the funeral, I’m guessing no. He’s got to be shitting his pants right about now.”

“To say the least,” Adam said as he got to his feet. He came around to the front of the desk and patted me on the shoulder. “Come on, Theo, say you’ll come over for Margie’s stew and I won’t bill you for today.”

I stood up and slapped him on the back. “Yes, you will.”

* * *

Things might have turned out differently if I had just stayed for Margie’s venison stew and left town straight after. I got a room at The Wylds Hotel just outside of Albany. It catered to shifters of all kinds but this week, I couldn’t sense anyone stronger than a badger shifter on the first floor. The next morning, I took a phone call that would fuck things up on levels I wouldn’t understand for a good long time after that.

“Hey,” I said after letting it ring twice.

“You still in town?” Grayson said.

“I am.”

“I need you to stick around.”

I held the phone away from my ear and mouthed “fuck you.” Grayson was talking to me like one of his lackeys. I would have said it out loud if I wasn’t curious to hear his plans.

“Lieutenant Governor Jeffries just announced he’s stepping down. He’s going to endorse me to replace my mother. I need your help, Theo.”

“Oh,” I said, “I’m sure you’ll be fine without me.”

“Theo.” Grayson’s voice cracked like he was still going through puberty. “You have to help me. I’m gonna be a good governor but I’m shitty at politics.”

I smacked the side of my head, trying to clear my ear to make sure I heard him right. “Uh, Grayson ... you get that those are the same thing, right?”

“You know what I mean. I’m announcing my candidacy later in the week. I need to line some money people up. I need coven elders and Alphas like you to back me. You know the right people. My mother was supposed to take care of this shit.”

I’ll just bet she was. Since I’d been on my own, the only times I ever heard from Grayson (or Diana before that) was when he wanted something from me. When my dad was alive, I helped them out for him – to keep the peace. But for seven years I felt no such obligation.

“Look,” Grayson continued, “I know my mom was tough on you. I know it was hard for you to accept her after everything that happened with your mom. You’re pure shifter. She was a mage. I know the history. But I’m having a get together tomorrow night for some of the money people and the coven elders. I need you there. I need you to help me figure out what to say to them. I’ve been going through some of her things ... my mom. I found some stuff that I think maybe belonged to Emily ... to your mom. If you come, I’ll let you have them.”

Grayson was lucky he was on the other end of the phone. If he had been standing in front of me, I’m pretty sure I would have grabbed him by the throat. I kept my cool. I realized I had trained myself to do that twenty years ago when my dad first brought them into the fold. Keep my cool, keep my wolf in check to keep the peace. It’s easier for Dad that way. But Dad wasn’t here. However, if Grayson had turned spiteful like Diana, I wouldn’t put it past him to trash whatever items he was talking about just to piss me off. Just this once, I didn’t want to take that chance.

“I’ll come to the house tomorrow night, Grayson,” I said through gritted teeth. “I trust you’ll do the right thing.”

I hung up the phone before he could say another word.

CHAPTER 4

Brynna

I survived the first week of Diana’s death like I had the months when she was alive. I wore what Grayson asked. Came when he called. Told him I believed in him. He kept his temper and I thought maybe it was Diana that set him off. Without her in his ear, he was less agitated.

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