CHAPTER 17 #2
“Yes, if you can,” Tom snapped. “You’ve proven that by what you have planned. Do you know what humans will do to us if they learn about our existence? No shifter will ever live free again.”
“That’s fear talking, Tom,” Raif said. “We’re stronger than humans.”
“But they have the numbers. And they have a military with weapons that will far exceed our own. We can fight hand to hand, but we can’t fight against an army.”
“We hope to avoid any fighting,” Gauge said.
“I admit it will be difficult in the beginning. Humans tend to react negatively to what they don’t understand.
But that’s why we Laizahlian want to help you.
Human technology cannot stand up against our might.
You also have another ally, if you’ll only stop to listen to her. ”
“And who might that be?” Pops asked, narrowing his eyes.
“The Umi queen,” Raif said. “I’ve tried to tell you about her, but you guys refuse to listen.”
“It’s nonsense, boy,” Pops said, snorting. “This is what I mean about you letting them fill your head full of shit. How can you possibly hope to lead this pack in the right direction if you can’t tell the difference between reality and fairytales?”
“Now you understand what I’m facing with these assholes,” Raif said, ignoring the elders when they snarled. “They won’t believe anything until it comes up and bites them in the ass.”
“Which it very well could do,” Teo said, smirking.
“Your pack isn’t much different from what we face at home.
They tend to lose touch with what is happening in the outside world, the packs tending to keep to themselves.
They are lucky on Laizahlia that the council is strong enough to protect our world.
The packs don’t have to worry about getting attacked by alien forces.
That doesn’t stop internal bickering, which is what you are facing here.
” He turned to Raif, his smirk disappearing.
“I’m afraid you are going to have to take a firmer hand with your elders, Alpha.
Sometimes it is the only way, especially when they refuse to see reason.
Haven can help you. It is, after all, for their own good. ”
“You little shit,” Tom growled, his claws lengthening as he leapt toward Teo.
Teo didn’t move as Gauge lifted his hand, catching the elder in an invisible net and holding him in midair. When the rest of the elders started to move forward to help him, Gauge locked them in place, even refusing to let them speak.
“I had hoped you would begin to see reason,” Gauge said, “but I’m afraid my tracker is right.
Your alpha will need to exert control over you.
What happens over the next few months is too important for us to allow you to interfere.
If Raif prefers it, I can have all of you transported to our world.
You can sit in one of our asylums until this matter with Djinn has been dealt with. ”
You bastard! You wouldn’t dare! Raif’s grandfather thought, his eyes turning toward his grandson.
“I’m afraid I would,” Gauge said. “This is too important.”
Is that freak reading my mind? Pops tried hard to strengthen his mental shields, but they were like paper against Gauge’s power.
“This is but a fraction of what I am capable of, Elder,” Gauge said.
“I have no desire to harm you or anyone else here. Neither does my council. But make no mistake, Djinn are capable of this and so much more. You need our help. All shifters are going to have to put their prejudices behind them and work together with us. When the Umi queen comes to speak with your pack, you will treat her with respect. You will listen to what she has to say. Only she has any hope of defeating the Djinn for good. Do you understand me?”
What does this fucker expect me to do, bow down and worship the bitch? Ain’t gonna happen!
Frustrated with him, Gauge focused on Raif, who had grown pale when he froze the elders in place. “They will not see reason. Can you control them?”
“I can. I haven’t wanted to take their free will, but I guess I’ve got no choice. You can let them go, but you might need to erect a shield around you and your tracker for a minute.”
Gauge nodded, releasing the elders as he formed a shield around him and Teo. He glanced behind him to make sure the rest of Raif’s pack would remain out of harm’s way when the alpha released his power. He noticed Lena standing on the porch with Haven, her face pale.
“Are you okay?” he sent quickly.
“I’m fine,” she sent back.
“Kneel!” Raif growled, releasing a trickle of energy toward the elders.
“Don’t do this, boy,” his grandfather said through gritted teeth. “We don’t deserve this.”
“You’ve given me no choice, Pops. I’m disbanding the elders for the time being. Until this deal with the Djinn is over, you and the others will do as I say. If you don’t, there will be a reckoning. NOW KNEEL!!”
Gauge felt the alpha’s power hit his shield, impressed by the strength in one so young. The elders all dropped, leaning over, their heads touching the ground.
“I want all of you to go home when I release you,” Raif said.
“Don’t come back unless you plan to cooperate with me, which means you will cooperate with the Umi queen when she comes here to speak with us, and the Laizahlian council, which means anyone they send to speak for them.
If you do return with the intention of causing me or the rest of the pack problems, I will take Gauge up on his offer to transport you to his world.
You can all rot in one of their prisons for all I care. ”
Raif pulled back his power, and the elders all rolled to the ground, panting heavily.
“Go home, Pops. I don’t want to see your face right now.
You’ve embarrassed me enough in front of our guests.
” Raif motioned for Gauge and Teo to follow him, not bothering to see if the elders obeyed him.
“Sorry about that, but I did warn you they were assholes.”
“They’ll come around, Raif,” Teo said softly. “They won’t have a choice if they want to survive the storm that is headed our way.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Haven walked out to meet them, looping her arm through Raif’s. “About time you put those bastards in their place,” she murmured, grinning. “They’ve been testing you ever since I got here.”
“I know. I should have done it a long time ago.”
Gauge left Teo with the alpha and his mate, walking up the steps to Lena. “Are you well? You look pale.”
“I’m fine, Gauge. I’ve seen my father do something similar when our males got out of line. Usually it’s the younger ones testing their limits who cause problems, not elders like these.”
“Yes, they’ve gotten away with too much for too long. I suspect Raif and Haven will tighten their hold, at least until this business with Djinn is over.”
“I heard you mention a shifter queen. Is she my queen too?”
“I suspect she is. You’ll get to meet her soon. All shifters will.”
“Have you?”
“Met her? No, I haven’t had the pleasure.
But it’s her that we’ve come to check on.
Come,” Gauge said, holding out his arm. “I should go speak with Aeson now. He is a serpent, like you. Perhaps you’d enjoy visiting him and his mate when I’m finished questioning him.
I suspect the serpents here and on Raiden have a lot in common. ”
“I would like that,” she murmured.
Gauge frowned when she didn’t take his arm but didn’t press her about it.
It should please him that she was showing some independence instead of feeling irritated.
He sensed his time was growing short. He needed to find a safe place for Lena to live, perhaps with the serpents here.
He would mention it to Aeson if the opportunity presented itself.