Chapter 27
Half an hour after Feral and Hail left Alliance, Sin was walking past the admin building again, this time with Celia, her hand tucked safely in his.
“Are you sure? I mean, we’ve always lived in my place,” Celia said.
“I know, love. But part of that was because it was yours and you were secure there. It was special to you because it was the first place that was really yours. And all I wanted was to be with you, I didn’t care where.
The rest of it was because it was close to the clinic and you had to be there often.
You’re healthier than I am now and don’t need to be so close anymore.
Let’s look at something new, luxurious. Bigger! I think you’ll love it.”
“I’m not saying no, but I’ve got so many memories wrapped up in our house.”
“If you really don’t want to move after you see it, then I’ll let everybody else know it’s available. But it’s the only one in the building open now that Feral has given it up. I don’t know how long it will be until another opens up.”
“We could always move into the building on the other side of the pool if we really wanted a new place and this one is gone,” Celia said.
“True, but have you seen the apartments there?” Sin asked.
“Yes. I visit Ginny there all the time.”
“Have you seen the apartments in this building?”
“I can’t say that I have.”
“I’m not saying these are nicer than Ginny and Brutal’s building, but…
it’s nicer than Ginny and Brutal’s building,” Sin said.
“Not that there’s anything wrong with Brutal’s building — it’s nice, too.
Everybody lives where they live for a different reason.
Case in point, your attachment to your place for your own personal reasons.
Brutal’s because he likes to look over the pool.
But this place, Celia, it’s like something out of a magazine.
And you know I have to give you the best of everything. ”
“Then why didn’t you insist we move there before?”
“You weren’t ready, my love. And I’m not about to force you to do something you don’t want. But I think you’re ready now. Take a look and we’ll do whatever you want, including stay where we are if that’s truly what your heart wants.”
“Okay, I’ll look,” she said, smiling up at Sin and blushing when he leaned down and kissed her quickly, not even breaking stride as they walked.
As they passed the Admin building, Sin slowed to a stop when he saw Tawny waiting there. He looked down at Celia, then back at Tawny.
“What?” she asked, looking up at him.
“One second,” he said, walking back a few steps to where Tawny stood with a small overnight bag in her hand, a fake smile on her lips despite the worried look on her face. “Tawny? You alright?”
“Mmhmm, fine,” she said, not really looking at him, but past him.
“You going somewhere?” Sin asked.
Tawny finally looked right at Sin. “No, why?”
“You’ve got an overnight bag,” Sin said.
“Oh, uh. I was thinking about going somewhere, but I think I missed my ride.” She looked worriedly toward the front of Alliance, again, then back toward the opposite end of Alliance where she knew Hail and Athena’s team lived. “Or maybe they’re not quite ready yet,” she added.
He quickly put two and two together and realized she’d hoped to go with Feral and Hail, because they were headed to the same place Frenzy was in. But he pretended he didn’t know. “Must be something in the air today. Frenzy and Hail left about half an hour ago. And now you’re looking to go, too.”
Tawny’s fake smile stayed firmly in place, but the disappointment showed in her eyes as she did her best to pretend it had no bearing on her.
“Must be. I’m going to wait a few more minutes and if my friends don’t show up, I think I’ll just chalk it up to a trip not meant to be, throw on a bathing suit and spend the evening by the pool. ”
“A lot less hassle than traveling,” Sin said.
“Without a doubt,” Tawny agreed.
“Well, have fun. Either way,” Sin said.
Tawny nodded, then went back to pretending she was watching for her ride.
She waited until Sin and Celia had disappeared into the apartment building, then she turned and hurried toward the small place she shared with a couple of the girls she was rescued with.
The moment she stepped inside, she went right to her bedroom and sat quietly on her bed.
She’d hesitated too long, and missed her chance to get to Frenzy.
Her chin trembled as she fought the urge to cry.
“No!” she admonished herself. “You will not let it hurt. You survived, and that is enough. If he wanted you, he’d be here. ”
She sat there for only a few more moments before she opened her overnight bag and snatched the few changes of clothes she’d packed out of it, and stuffed them back into her small dresser. She tossed her overnight bag beneath her bed, and plopped down onto her bed again.
Then she remembered the email she’d scheduled to be sent to Law and Sin respectively at 7:00 A. M. the next morning. “Oh, shit!” she cursed, as she got up and ran out of the house.
With her heart broken and a deep sense of loss settling in her gut, she ran the whole way to the Admin building and her office inside, to gain access to the mainframe computer and delete the evidence of her attempt to leave Alliance.
The last thing she wanted was anyone knowing she’d tried, and failed, to go after Frenzy.
The humiliation was enough for just her to know, she certainly didn’t need anyone else to be aware.
~~~
Jack sat at the large formal dining room table he preferred to hold official Pride meetings around, and looked at the Pride members around him. Rance, Niko, Vance, Frenzy, Three, Dane, Jett, and Noah. “Y’all ready?” he asked.
“Titus coming?” Niko asked.
“No, he sent me,” Dane said.
“Draven?” Niko asked.
“He’s with Brinnley, Findley and Gwen’s boys,” Three said.
“Let’s do it,” Rance said.
Jack dialed the general number for the Council, put his phone on speaker then put it on the table in front of himself.
“North American Panthera Council of Justice, how may I be of service?” a female voice answered.
“This is Jack Laighin. Please let any of the Council members know that I’m on the line and have an urgent matter to discuss with them.”
“Please hold, sir.”
A few moments later, she was back. “Alpha Laighin? There is no one available at this exact moment, but I’d be happy to take your number and pass it to the first Council member that gets a free minute.”
“Miss… I’m not leaving my number. Because they all know it, just as I’m sure you do.
Someone will get on the phone with me, now, and discuss the slaughter of the Gamieyon Pride, or I will take what I know to every damn Pride in the continental United States, and Canada.
And as I’m sure has been rumored, we’ve recently formed an alliance with the Variant.
In fact, on second thought, it might be preferable that they didn’t take this call.
I’ll just let the Variant know they can go ahead and move in, and I’ll send my males to round up any shifters who’d like to fight beside them.
Based on the lack of support that we all agree to have received from the Council, I’m sure there will be a lot of pissed off males knocking on your door, with me leading the crowd. ”
There was shuffling and the sound of the phone being dropped on the other end, and then a familiar voice came on the line.
“Jack! Wimbley here! How are you, son?”
“That’s Alpha Laighin. Only my friends call me Jack, of which you are not one. And I’m certainly not your son.”
“It’s a term of endearment. I meant no disrespect. You know me better than that,” he said with a chuckle.
“As a matter of fact, I do, but let’s not go there yet. I’m more concerned with the reason I’m calling.”
“Alright. What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to know why there has been no formal communication from the Council regarding the slaughter of the Gamieyon Pride.”
“Whoa, now. Slaughter is a powerful word. I’m not so sure I’d call a personal battle between the Gamieyon Pride and the Falwell Pride a slaughter.”
Jack looked up just as he was about to answer and saw Bonnie helping Gwen down the stairs.
Rance got up and went to help her get to the table more quickly, then gave her his seat and pushed her up closer to the table.
Jack looked her in the eye, wanting to know if she wanted to be a part of the call, but she gestured that he should continue. “Considering that there are slightly more than forty survivors of a very large Pride, I’d call it a slaughter.”
“I’m afraid you’ve been given incorrect information, Ja…
Alpha Laighin. The Gamieyon Pride is alive and well.
Did they suffer some casualties, yes. But so did the Falwell Pride.
I hate these petty blow ups and power grabs between our Prides as much as you do, but when you get two powerful Prides vying for the same territory, in certain circumstances it’s unavoidable. ”
“The Gamieyon Pride WAS in Missouri. The Falwell Pride is in Oregon. The Gamieyon Pride never encroached on the Falwell Pride. However, I know the Falwell Pride recently tried to take land in Idaho. Twice. And when faced with a force standing against them the second time, they skittered away. There was no power grab from the Gamieyon Pride. They never ventured out of their own territory. Furthermore, witnesses put the Falwell Pride on Gamieyon land as the aggressors.”
“Again, Alpha Laighin, I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed. And if they’re all gone as you claim, how could there be witnesses? And have you considered that it might not have been legal under our laws for you to be on Gamieyon land with a third party.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at Gwen as he spoke to Wimbley. “I said more than forty survivors, and for your information, they sought sanctuary here. They are the witnesses.”