Chapter 23 Zera #2
Even her powers were stronger for it, and she knew that the future of pixies would be forever changed for the better, thanks to her synthetic drug—pixels. She just had to get Ryker on board.
He sat across from them, his stoic face revealing nothing after they finished carving out their plan.
Quinn stood behind where Ryker sat in his high-back armchair, like she was his bodyguard, her face a mask as well.
Zera had no doubt that she could totally be his bodyguard if he, in fact, needed one. He didn’t.
Maverick remained standing as well behind Zera, a pillar of strength if she needed him.
You won’t, he whispered through the bond, and she smiled inwardly. I’ve seen you in a fight, Zera. You don’t need anyone to protect you.
She couldn’t argue with him about that. Despite her small stature, she was a fierce fighter, thanks to her continued training. But still, it was comforting to have Maverick by her side.
She felt Maverick and Ryker posturing, but she kept her focus on her old boss.
“So…” Ryker began. He tilted his buzzed head, which caught the light of the single bulb that hung above the metal desk between them. “You want me to allow Kraven into my territory and invest in this… drug of yours, a supposed synthetic to pixie dust—”
“Pixels,” Zera interjected. “And yes. As you can see, Kraven is prepared to make it worth your while.”
Ryker pressed his mouth into a thin line, a quirk of his lips his only response.
Quinn stepped in, as if she sensed her cousin’s mood, and said, “If a synthetic is a possibility, it could present a better alternative to kicking out the riffraff dealing around here. Perhaps it could help with the violence and overdoses.”
Zera nodded eagerly. “Yes, exactly. With a synthetic, we can control the purity and dosage. It could potentially save lives and decrease the hunting of my kind. Of our kind.”
She said that last bit while eyeing Quinn, who smiled in appreciation. Though Zera didn’t know if Quinn had pixie dust, as a half pixie, she was still a potential target. Being an honorary member of her cousin’s pack could protect her from only so much.
Ryker leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together behind his head. He studied Zera for a moment before speaking again.
“And what do you get out of it? Besides money, that is.” His sharp demon-violet eyes bore into her, searching for any ulterior motives.
Zera met his gaze without wavering. She knew Ryker was a shrewd businessman and wouldn’t make this easy for her, even if she was a past employee. Transparency was everything.
She lifted her chin and stated plainly, “Other than making a world where I and others like me, including my son, don’t have to live in hiding or fear being hunted, I get to uphold my part of a debtor’s promise.”
Ryker arched one of his dark, scarred wolf brows but remained silent. The Haven Moon alpha had a way of getting people to talk, and she was discovering why. He didn’t say anything, waiting for her to continue. Zera took a deep breath, deciding to reveal only what was necessary.
She shrugged. “It’s a long story, but at the time, I did what I had to do to keep my son and myself alive.”
Ryker was quiet for long moments, his piercing gaze on both her and Maverick, looking like the deadly demon wolf he was. It took all of her self-control not to shift in her seat. Somehow, she kept her eyes trained on him. She hadn’t endured so much only to succumb now.
His throat bobbed, and the Haven Wolf alpha tattoo on his neck rippled briefly as he swallowed audibly.
Finally, Ryker leaned forward, his hands resting on the desk in front of him. “I can appreciate the desire to protect one’s own. I, too, have my own to protect,” Ryker began, his tone measured. “Which is why I must know if your wolf knows what you’ll both have to sacrifice if I say yes.”
A flicker of doubt rushed through her. Maverick had said it was possible that Ryker would uphold the pack law this time.
One could bend the rules only so many times as an alpha.
Otherwise, he’d risk losing even more of his pack.
Ryker wouldn’t agree to enter a deal that impacted his whole pack without Maverick and Zera becoming pack members.
Which meant Maverick would have to acknowledge Ryker as the alpha.
Zera understood that, but she hadn’t expected Ryker to come to the decision so quickly.
Maverick’s reassurance rumbled through the bond like a caress on her cheek. There isn’t anything he could take that I’m not ready to give right now.
She swallowed hard. Even if it means giving up alpha?
I never wanted the title anyway, he replied, and the answering rumble in her heart told her he meant it.
“He does.” She’d never sweated so much as she stared down the alpha, not even in one of Maverick’s toughest training sessions.
Ryker’s gaze sharpened as he studied her. “And what exactly are you offering me in exchange for risking my pack’s safety? The safety of this town we’re sworn to protect?”
Zera took a steadying breath. This was the crux of the deal. “Kraven authorized me to secure whatever terms are necessary.” She held Ryker’s stare. “Name your price.”
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Zera could sense Maverick’s sudden unease, but he remained still and silent, allowing her to negotiate.
Ryker leaned back in his chair. “Sixty percent—of all synthetic sales in Havenwood territory.” His mouth curved into a lupine grin. “Plus I want a direct line to Kraven for… added security.”
Zera’s heart jolted. A sixty percent cut would mean Kraven wouldn’t make a penny in this territory because she and Maverick were getting forty percent.
But Kraven hadn’t said anything about wanting to make money from the territory, and something told her he didn’t want a foothold in this town for profit.
Without a second thought, she lifted her chin. “Done. You have a deal.”
Ryker’s grin widened as he stood, extending his hand. “Then welcome to the Haven Moon Pack.” His violet demon eyes shifted to gold as they rose to Maverick’s eyes. He now stood by her side. “To both of you.”
As she grasped the alpha’s hand to seal the pact, Zera couldn’t deny the thrill that coursed through her. They had taken a massive step, but she was ready to embrace this new path, wherever it might lead.
Maverick’s pride washed over her through their mate bond. Not only would her debt to Kraven be paid, but she would be making the realm a safer place. Something she was excited about, even if it meant delving into the criminal underworld. She knew that whatever happened, they would be safe.
“It’s an honor to be part of your pack,” Maverick said when he shook Ryker’s hand and bowed his head to the alpha.
He meant it too. He had grown up as heir to a pack full of blood thirst and prejudice, so joining a pack that accepted others with open arms seemed an honorable choice.
The alpha nodded, his eyes flickering with respect before he rounded the desk to the exit. “We’ll be in touch to get you your”—he made a gesture with a slender hand over his toned shoulder—“marks and pack ceremony. Quinn will take care of it.”
Taking the hint, Maverick and Zera left.
“Oh,” Ryker said, stopping them before they made it past the pool tables lining the foot of the stairs. “I don’t suppose, Zera, you’ll still be interested in moonlighting as a bartender?”
She smirked. “Not a chance.”
“Yeah, boss, you’re just going to have to hire a better replacement,” Quinn said with a grin, folding her arms across her chest.
Even if she was half pixie, the werewolf in her was obvious, since she stood even taller than the alpha, who grumbled something about how tedious it was to find good help these days.
Zera chuckled and glanced up at Maverick. His eyes held a gleam of mischief as he leaned in closer to her, his lips hovering near the ear.
“I can think of a better way to celebrate,” he murmured, his warm breath sending a shiver through their bond.
Her breath hitched, and she leaned in to whisper, “Lead the way.”
She tossed a quick goodbye to Quinn, who waved them off with a knowing smile, and headed up to the tavern.
They emerged into the dimly lit bar above, and the smells of stale beer and polished wood filled Zera’s senses. The room was now deserted, with no sign of Ryker’s men, as if he’d called on them to settle pack business. The tables were neatly lined up, and chairs were turned over on their surfaces.
Zera glanced around one last time, taking in the familiar surroundings.
This place had been like a second home to her for years.
She’d tended bar, joked with the regulars, and found solace in the rhythmic motions of mixing drinks.
A nostalgic pang tugged at her heart, but it was quickly overshadowed by the thrill of their recent victory.
She would finally have more time for Cole, among other things, and it was all she’d ever wanted.
But perhaps she would pour one more for old times’ sake.
“Look at this place,” she said with a grin, giving Maverick’s hand a squeeze. “Empty as can be. Perfect for a celebration drink.”
Maverick’s lips curled into that roguish smirk that accentuated his sharp cheekbones she found so irresistible. “You read my mind.”
He guided her to the bar, his hand drifting to the small of her back. The mere touch of his fingertips on the bit of skin exposed between her cropped sweater and high-waisted jeans sent shivers down her spine.
She rounded the bar while he grabbed a barstool, and their eyes never once wavered from each other’s.
“What’ll it be, faeboy?” she asked with a wink. “The usual?”
He slid into the seat with an effortless grace. Even simple actions looked devastatingly suave when he performed them.
“Surprise me.” His eyes danced with devilish amusement.