13. Chapter 13 #2
“Really?” Lily asked. “Now is not the time f—” she started, but Cyrus cut her off.
“Gabe is our Alpha. If he doesn’t lead, they’ll see weakness in it, now shut up, and let him lead,” he hissed. He knew he would get an earful about that, but he didn’t care. They had limited time. Lily huffed, looking half irritated and half embarrassed.
Gabe nodded and started for the porch to the house. Cyrus followed beside Lily. It must have been a strange sight: Tall and even taller man and a short woman who they’d never seen before coming to knock on their door.
Cyrus watched as Gabe knocked, and far too quickly later, the door was swinging open.
He expected a question of who they were; instead, they were greeted.
“Well, wondered when you’d get here.” From behind the man who had opened the door. A female voice.
Cyrus clenched his jaw.
“Judas let them in,” she said.
The man stepped to the side, and there in view was a woman, a few inches taller than Lily, with peachy white skin, sandy blonde hair, and gray-blue eyes to match the cold, unrelenting sea.
Gabe seemed to hesitate for a moment but finally took a step inside. Cyrus placed his hand on Lily’s back as they both stepped in and made a quick note of his surroundings. Where the doors were front and back, and each room they were led into.
“You know who we are?” Gabe asked.
“Gabe, Alpha. Cyrus, Second in Command, Lily…second in commands little sister best friend, thing,” the woman replied as they were led down a hallway. Cyrus was cringing each moment that passed that Gabe didn’t ask where they were led.
“Who are you?” Gabe asked. “And where are you leading us?”
The woman chuckled. “I’m Jasmine, Alpha of Lotuslacker, and I’m just taking you somewhere we can all talk. Don’t worry.” She smiled a sickeningly sweet smile at Gabe.
Cyrus fought back a tiny growl and shoved his hand into his pockets. From the corner of his vision, he noticed that several were following behind them as well. He didn’t like it. He felt boxed in.
Jasmine hadn’t been lying, however, she brought them to a den of sorts, several couches, a crackling fire, and a TV that was at the time off.
“I don’t know how you knew we’d be here, but you must know why we are here then,” Gabe said.
Cyrus chewed on the inside of his cheek.
“Why don’t you tell me?” Jasmine asked, crossing her legs.
One of the men who had been following them sat down beside Jasmine.
“This is Oliver, my second in command.” She motioned.
Gabe took a breath. “We know you’ve been attacking people in our districts,” he said bluntly.
Cyrus was surprised. He didn’t expect Gabe to come out about it so confidently. It was what was needed. It didn’t matter if they got upset about being accused. There was no going back.
“Oh yeah?” Jasmine asked.
Cyrus looked to the side, and he saw several more people standing in the room. Two faces he recognized from the pictures of those who had gone missing several weeks prior. They had no way to know for sure if they’d been hurt and killed as the others had, but…now they knew.
“What are they doing here?” Cyrus asked out of turn.
Jasmine looked away from Gabe and at him.
“Something to say?” she asked.
Cyrus growled slightly and took a slow breath.
“Those two are from our pack; they went missing around the same time as the attacks started,” Cyrus explained and motioned Gabe over to look. “Kullen and Tabria.”
Kullen and Tabria looked nervous.
“Are you holding them hostage?” Gabe asked.
Jasmine all but laughed.
“They chose to come here,” she insisted. “To be a part of our pack and not yours.”
Cyrus shot a glaring glance at the two of them.
“They’re not the only ones,” Jasmine said and folded her hands on her lap.
There was a moment of silence.
“Everyone who is missing?” Gabe asked.
“Not missing, found. They made the smart choice to fall in line. You will, too, eventually.” She smiled.
Cyrus felt beyond uneasy.
He wanted power as Alpha, but not to make people fall to their knees in his presence, to protect them and do what was best for the pack. Sure he was stubborn and wanted things done his way, what he wanted, but… Something about Jasmine was way beyond that.
“It’s unfortunate Liam died,” Jasmine said. “Leaving you with this one, but I suppose that means I won’t have to share with him.”
Cyrus’s eyes widened.
“Excuse me?” he dared utter.
Jasmine laughed.
“Oh, you don’t know?” she asked. “That’s unfortunate.”
“Why don’t you have a seat?” she asked.
Cyrus stayed where he was standing and put a hand out to keep Lily from moving any further than she already had.
His gaze shifted over to Gabe, who looked at him.
He hoped the silent glance between them would be enough warning to let Gabe know sitting wasn’t an option. They needed to stay on their toes.
“No, thank you,” Gabe replied after stepping back one step closer to Cyrus.
Oliver scoffed from his seat.
Cyrus glared at him and held his tongue.
“You do what Cyrus wants?” he asked. “Doesn’t sound like you’re a very good Alpha.”
Cyrus watched Gabe’s jaw tighten. “Are you not following Jasmine’s orders?” he asked.
Oliver leaned back and folded his arms.
“I follow an Alpha who deserves to be,” he replied.
Cyrus nearly snorted. “God, do I sound like that?” he asked, unable to help himself. He shook his head.
“Permission to speak in your stead, Alpha,” Cyrus said slowly, trying to make it clear that he wanted to speak but not outright put himself in front of Gabe and give off an impression that they didn’t want to give.
Gabe looked at him from the side.
“Yes.”
Cyrus took a breath and stepped closer but never in front of Gabe.
“Why have you been attacking and taking people from our districts?” he asked, “We’ve had a peace agreement for twenty-five years.”
Jasmine sighed. “Twenty-five, boring years,” she replied. “It’s time for a change. We are initiating it.”
Cyrus’s jaw clenched.
“What change exactly?” he asked.
“Your pack holds claims over three districts. We want them,” Jasmine explained.
Cyrus nodded. He could figure as much. “Why now?”
Oliver spoke again.
“Why not now?” he asked. “A new leader has taken place in both our packs, the difference being yours…isn’t exactly up to par.” He glanced at Gabe.
Cyrus watched Gabe’s ears turn pink and his shoulders tense. He couldn’t help but tense himself.
“I don’t think breaking a peace treaty that’s been benefiting both our districts for twenty-five years and keeping people safe is the mark of a good Alpha,” Cyrus replied.
He saw Jasmine’s eyes darken. Cyrus stepped a little bit closer, and suddenly a few around the room were coming in his direction.
Gabe stepped even closer still, and before Cyrus could react, one of the men had Gabe with his arm around his neck and the other holding his arms. Cyrus growled, his hands balling into fists, and started closer.
Jasmine put her hand up. “Calm,” she said and then smiled at Cyrus and Gabe.
“One move, and you’re not going to have much of an Alpha left,” she cooed.
Cyrus swallowed hard, his pulse racing. He tried to remain still. Calm. Not for Jasmine’s benefit but Gabe’s. So he did nothing, and he watched the nervous look on Gabe’s face as he looked back at him but didn’t fight the men holding him.
“May I speak?” Lily asked.
Gabe huffed from where he was.
Lily stepped up closer, much to Cyrus’s preference.
“If you insist on trying to take over our districts, at least let us do this fairly,” she suggested.
Oliver scoffed from beside Jasmine, and Jasmine was cocking an eyebrow.
“What exactly is fair in a takeover, honey?” she asked.
Lily took a slow breath. “Let us prepare, let everyone know what’s going on, allow them to decide what side they want to be on if any side, and we’ll decide who gets to be Alpha of all districts, without attacking unsuspecting people in the woods,” she said.
Jasmine eyed them for a moment.
“Fine,” she said slowly. “I’ll give you time to develop a plan, but—” She snapped her fingers.
Suddenly Gabe was grunting in pain. Cyrus watched as one of them procured a small knife and cut into the top of Gabe’s shoulder a shallow but several inches long cut.
A low protective growl came from Cyrus’s chest.
“You only have till the next full moon, to hopefully realize what the best option is, hand yourself over…or you’ll find yourselves six feet under,” Jasmine said and then waved her hand.
They let go of Gabe, who came stumbling in Cyrus’s direction.
Cyrus glared at Jasmine and Oliver before tugging Lily back closer to him by the back of her jeans.
“Deal,” Gabe huffed at them as his hand pushed down over the cut on his shoulder.