Chapter Sixteen #2
I shook my head. “He doesn’t possess the equipment. I’ll have to take her to the clinic.”
He nodded in acknowledgement, and it was my brother who piped up next. “Has that arrogant prick answered your summons?”
“No.”
I sent an invitation to Johan Veenstra two weeks ago, setting up a meeting on neutral ground to gauge his mood—and bait him into making a mistake.
He hadn’t responded. It was suspicious, a blatant disrespect, but it wasn’t enough to implicate him.
The leaders were under no obligation to meet with me, though they would for the sake of dignity, and ego. It had planted doubt in my mind.
Aaron wasn’t wrong, Johan was arrogant. He would have shown up purely for the satisfaction of rubbing it in my face.
He’d be overjoyed, sitting there, smug in the knowledge I couldn’t touch him or his pack without proof.
If he was behind this, refusing my call made him look guilty, and that was just it.
It was too obvious.
It was an inkling I hadn’t yet voiced. If whoever was responsible could hack into my systems, they could also tamper with my mail.
They could successfully lead us down this path, forcing us to look in the wrong direction.
The rat had been found because he’d fumbled.
He’d been careless. They’d lured in the wrong man to carry out the task—or was he the perfect one?
A dipshit beta who would fuck up, blow their cover at the perfect moment.
This was set up by someone meticulous. Someone who had an agenda and didn’t mind waiting in the shadows to enact it perfectly.
They’d considered every single minute detail.
Would they have been so sloppy in choosing their enforcers?
I didn’t know, but I would find out. I wasn’t yet convinced there was no one else plotting within our ranks, though I’d shelve it. For now.
I would just ensure our pack was primed to switch course and redirect our fire. Should the need arise.
“What I can’t grasp is why they’ve decided to try their luck now?
” Tobias mused, crossing his arms over his chest. “They’re power hungry, and it’s no secret they’d love to be on top, but they’ve kept to their turf for the most part, aware the risk wasn’t worth it.
What’s changed? How can they be so sure going to all this effort will work in their favour? ”
I opened my mouth to respond, but Aaron cut in first. “Because our illustrious leader didn’t have a weakness before.”
I glanced at him, pinning him with a dry look. “Are you saying they think they can win because I have a child?” I scoffed. “That only makes me more dangerous.”
“I’m not talking about Minnie,” he sung, giving me nothing else.
My brow furrowed.
“You’re an Alpha,” he clarified, shrugging.
“You’ll do anything to protect your omega, that’s nature.
Taking Minnie riled you, stoked your hunger for blood, and yeah, you’re more of a threat.
But your mate . . .” He sucked his teeth.
“If you do it right, targeting an Alpha’s mate can make them fall apart. It can bring them to their knees.”
“That won’t happen,” I dismissed. “I can assure you. I’m not so feeble-minded.”
He raised his hands and shrugged. “I’m just saying. Omegas are the most common leverage. It’s why the elite titles have changed hands so often. It’s not a completely outrageous possibility for them to believe it could work in their favour.”
“The Devereux pack holds the same position they did in the very beginning,” I reminded him. “Why would I be the one to break that streak?”
“Fuck, I don’t know,” he laughed. His humour shifted to sarcasm. “They must think he’s a pretty special boy to make Caine Devereux’s head turn.”
I pondered his words.
They were bullshit. We weren’t properly tied; any attempt to use him against me would be futile.
I wouldn’t be in danger of losing my mind if he was taken from me.
My soul wouldn’t potentially shatter into pieces if they killed him.
They didn’t know that, but still. My ancestors had resisted every attempt on their omegas, so even if I had bitten him, why would I be any different?
What made them truly believe I would be the first in line to crumble?
Dylan wasn’t my weakness. He wasn’t anything to me except my mate in name and on paper.
If they took him, I would crucify them for it, but it would be a matter of principle.
The penalty for threatening one of my own.
Just like with Minseo. I wouldn’t beg. I wouldn’t surrender.
I’d fight with everything I had at my fingertips, and they would lose.
I balled my hand into a fist at my side, suddenly agitated.
There was nothing between us they could exploit, but the implication they might attempt it regardless had a fury surging in my gut that I couldn’t temper.
They wouldn’t get close enough to touch him.
I’d double his protection, monitor him more closely, keep him firmly within arm’s reach until the warfare was resolved.
He wasn’t my weakness, but he was mine, and if they planned to use that against me . . . they could fucking try.