Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Trey lifted a brow. “You’re saying we should all band together?”
“Yes. I don’t just mean wolf packs allying with each other. I’m talking all the local packs, prides, flocks, clans, herds, and whatever else there might be. We need to be ready. In order to be ready, we need to have a plan in place.”
“And I’m guessing you have a plan.”
“Like I said, hanging back to defend our territories will be our downfall. But we can’t leave our vulnerable members. No, they’d die. What we need is somewhere for them to go. A sanctuary, if you will. Your territory would be the perfect place for the young and those unable to fight. They’d be inside a freaking mountain. I don’t know how spacious it is, but I have the funds and resources to make that dwelling bigger and better if it’s necessary. They could all hole up there, and you can do what you do best, Trey. Protect. Defend.”
Trey’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s what I do best?”
“You’re not an Alpha who looks for trouble or goes around challenging people. You protect your pack, defend your territory, aid your allies, and retaliate where necessary. You’re a hell of a fighter, but you don’t fight for fighting’s sake. Not many would take lone shifters into their pack, but you do. Just like you helped defend a shelter for lone shifters. Recently your pack even helped a human who was being targeted by her own kind purely for speaking up for one of ours. These are the actions of someone I can respect. The actions of someone who is a protector at his core.”
“And where will you be when me and my pack are protecting the vulnerable?”
Morelli shrugged. “Someone has to lead the fight.”
For a long moment Trey said nothing. “I underestimated you, Morelli. You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. You know just what to say. Just how to twist something to appeal to someone. But here’s the thing: you underestimated me too. You thought you could meet with me, appeal to my protective streak, and get what you want—which isn’t an alliance. Not really. You’re not collecting alliances. You’re building an army.” Trey pushed to his feet and stepped over the bench seat. “My pack won’t be a squad within your army.”
Eyes hardening, Morelli said, “The war will come. Your territory is the ideal place for the vulnerable to hide.”
“And if other shifters knew I’d provide sanctuary for their members, they’d be much more inclined to listen to you, wouldn’t they?” Trey snorted. “If you want people to join you, you need to get your shit together and act like an Alpha. No one will trust you to lead them in an army when you can’t even lead your own damn pack. The fact that you’ve elected that twisted fucker to be your Beta speaks volumes about what kind of person you are.”
Flushing, Drake tried launching himself at Trey. Before anyone had the chance to move, Trick struck, slamming his fist into Drake’s jaw and delivering a body shot to the ribs that made the dumb asshole keel over and drop to his knees, winded.
Morelli laughed, clapping his hands as if he were watching a show. “Good reflexes, hero. It’s not often people take Drake off guard.” He sighed at his Beta, like the guy was an unruly kid in a classroom. “I’m trying to have a conversation here, Drake. Simmer down, will you?” Shaking his head, he turned back to Trey. “Take some time to think about my proposal. Talk it over with your mate. You’ll see that I’m right. When you do, give me a call.”
As the Mortelle wolves walked away, Trey called out, “One last thing. If you try planting any more GPS trackers on my property, I’ll rip your fucking throat out.”
Morelli’s face split into a grin. “I love how you say that with no emotion whatsoever. Me? I’m an emotional guy. Which is why I’m quite hurt that you’d suspect me of planting trackers.” Face lined with mock pain, he turned and strode away.
Heading back to the SUV with his pack mates, Trick said with utter certainty, “It was definitely Morelli who planted the trackers.”
“Yep,” agreed Dante.
“You know what worries me more than anything he said?” asked Dominic. “He wants this war. You can see it in his eyes. I think if he gets enough people behind him, he might actually start it himself.”
Trey nodded. “And he could just as easily turn that army on his own kind as he could on humans.”
“He wants our territory,” said Trick. “It’s not just about using it as a sanctuary, though I think he’d like to do that. No, he wants it.” Trick looked at Trey. “He just doesn’t want to fight you for it.”
“I agree,” said Dante. “He knows he won’t win a fight against you, Trey, and he knows that he’ll earn himself plenty of enemies even if he did miraculously win. For that reason, it’s a losing situation for him. He’s smart enough to know that.”