Chapter 17 #2
“Get out,” I told him. “You don’t have to leave the territory—I’ll let that be Austin’s call—but you do need to leave my sight.
I’ll have someone tailing you and your people twenty-four seven.
I’ll know who you speak with, and I’ll know what happens after that.
If there is any suspicious activity that might have originated from your camp, I will show up at your door personally, is that clear?
And I can get a lot more colorful in my fighting than Austin.
I will not tolerate your putting this territory—anyone in it—in danger. ”
He leaned a bit closer. If he took a step toward me, I would blast him straight to hell.
He must’ve seen it in my eyes.
“You’ve created an enemy,” he rasped, only in control of his beast out of fear or cowardice or both. “You’ll regret this.”
“You’d already decided we were an enemy.
You treated this territory accordingly. You talk trash about my mate to anyone who will listen.
You actively try to pit people against us.
You could’ve just said, ‘No thank you, I don’t want to join,’ but instead you had to try to weaken the one faction that is working on unity.
And because of that, you are a danger to shifters as a whole.
You’re a danger to your knucklehead friends and the people who look to you for protection or guidance.
You should be ashamed. If we have to show up and play hero for your people, we will, and I will delight in stripping you of your title. You’ll regret meeting me.”
Take that step, I begged him. Give me a reason.
The breath gusted from his parted lips. I was sure I heard bitch ride it, but he was already moving toward the door. His friends glared at me, but not for too long. They flicked their gazes at Austin, but they ignored Aljoe and Sue entirely.
Those remaining issued a collective sigh. Kingsley and Sue shuddered, and two of Aljoe’s sisters pushed back onto their heels.
Austin looked at me steadily. There were too many emotions rolling through to know what he was thinking.
“I would like to speak to you privately,” I told him with as even a voice as I could muster. I was so mad right now that it was hard to contain. At him for excluding me. For not trusting me. “But first, how many infractions did I commit?”
“Infractions?” Sue asked, walking closer now.
“Shifter rules. How many rules did I just break? Gargoyles would be running to file grievances against me.”
Kingsley’s lips curved. He was always more expressive with me. “We don’t file grievances. We challenge or we attack.”
“He wanted to do both,” Austin said in a rough voice.
“I really hoped he would.” I took a deep breath.
“How’d you know about his people and what they were wearing?” Aljoe asked, pushing away from the wall to walk closer.
“Niamh and Patty—”
“I made it up,” Niamh interrupted.
I turned to her with raised eyebrows and an open mouth. “You did what?”
She shrugged. “I figured it was the case. It doesn’t take a genius, like. That shifter wouldn’t survive a day with mages.”
“Yeah, the whole story was very far-fetched,” Nessa said, nodding. “Do shifters not…like…have any critical thinking skills, or…”
“We usually take things at face value,” Kingsley told her. “Most of us have honor. I’ve heard Armendale has done some…gray-area maneuvering in the past, but no one ever offered any proof.”
“They might not have had it,” Nessa replied. “We don’t. Not technically. I mean…I’m sure we could if we got a crime lab in here and looked around. Or even pulled phone records and actually did talk to eyewitnesses—”
“What for?” Niamh asked. “Sure, he just basically admitted it. It wasn’t hard. She barely tapped on him, and he cracked like a walnut.”
“Did Tristan know?” I asked. “Also…” I pointed at Calvin, still sitting there, listening to every word.
“Nah. Er…I don’t know, honestly. If he did, he didn’t pass any remarks.” I was pretty sure that meant he didn’t care. “He told ya, didn’t he? Look, I was right. Don’t mind that alpha, there. He’s better off knowing to keep his people clear of Armendale unless he wants to lose any more.”
Nessa held up a hand for a high five.
Niamh eyed it. “Whaderya at?”
Nessa put her hand back down.
I sent a peal of magic for an all-clear. Cyra and Hollace were still circling, trying to rain down havoc on anyone who dared step into the street. I could feel Cyra’s glee.
I turned to Austin. “A word?”
He eyed me warily. “Of course. My office?” Once inside, he motioned at the interior. “Soundproof?”
I nearly did soundproof us so that I could yell.
Could scream. I was so frustrated he’d kept me in the dark—that he’d essentially attempted to orchestrate this entire convocation without me, making decisions with my crew without my knowledge.
That wasn’t what co-leadership was. It made me look unfit as a leader, staying at home, sleeping in while the territory was in crisis.
Someone had died and I hadn’t known because he didn’t trust me to do my job.
But yelling would only put my anger front and center and detract from the actual message.
So, I took a deep breath and explained all that as calmly as I could.
I explained what Tristan had said and how audacious it had been for him to say it in the first place.
How I’d had to wrangle the convocation because he’d focused solely on the shifters.
And how open he’d left the territory and everyone in it, relying on us for safety that we weren’t providing.
“Imagine having to tell an alpha that nearly half a day had gone by in my territory and I’d just heard his family member had died.
Imagine that, Austin,” I said. “Imagine being the only one who didn’t know all this was going on.
How could I possibly call myself a leader? We’re a team. You need to act like it.”
He sagged. His shoulders slumped and remorse came through the bonds. “It would’ve been nicer if you’d yelled. The ‘I’m disappointed in you’ approach is always the worst.”
I huffed out a laugh. “I didn’t realize I was reaching for that approach but…yeah, it fits.”