Luna Queen's Fury

24 Nice Try

Chris

"How long do we have," I ask, looking at the papers spread over the table in front of me.

The conference room is barely occupied with only Still Waters' rank wolves, senior Guardians, and my closest allies, Kane, Eric and even Ryker.

"There's no telling for sure," Garrick admits, absentmindedly rubbing his chin. "But it's a safe bet to say sooner rather than later."

Cyrus paces uneasily in the back of my mind, itching to get at this unseen threat. Hunters have plagued our kind long before I was born but they rarely if ever bother a pack of wolves, let alone the largest pack and the seat of power for the supernatural world.

It can only mean one thing, they've got something up their sleeve and they're sending a message.

"Me and Sadie looked every inch of their camp over. Ye missed nothing, there wasn't anything to find," Dex adds. "There was no rush, no nothing, so whatever they came for it's a safe bet they got it and left."

"Fuck," I growl, running my hands through my hair and tugging at its roots.

Never have I felt this helpless. My life is balancing on a blade's edge between Jess and everything I've ever wanted and losing it all.

"What about the fucker in the dungeon?" Ryker asks. "He's got to know something!"

"Believe me, we've asked, and none too nice," Derek drawls. "His intel dried up shortly after he was captured. He doesn't know when or how, just that it's coming."

"Then why the fuck is he still breathing?!" Kane slams his fist down on the table to drive the point home.

"Because it's Jess' call, and she hasn't given the go ahead yet," Mack replies, unfazed by the brooding Alpha.

"I'm less concerned about the hunter we've got and more focused on stopping the others before they come." I rub my temples trying to alleviate the budding pressure within. "You should go."

Kane's jaw drops at my suggestion before something flares in his eyes. "Fuck that!" he snaps. "Like I'm gonna leave you here on your own."

"He's hardly alone," Nex drawls. "Still Waters was our equal before the war, even with your gain, we're still larger-"

"And surrounded by the fucking problem!" Kane snaps, standing hunched over the table.

"Wait a minute!" Ryker counters, standing to square off with the Alpha. While they're comparable in height, Kane easily has thirty pounds of muscle on him, leaving the guard the underdog.

"No, you wait a minute pup, look at the fucking track record! When was Jess first attacked by a dark witch and hunters? Under your watch in a town full of palace guards," Kane accuses, standing nose to nose with Ryker.

"Enough Kane," I growl.

"Then there were the demon kids," Kane presses on, not backing down.

"Darklings," Derek calls out, biting back his grin.

"Right, those fuckers!" Kane shudders like the mere memory is the thing of nightmares.

"Kane-"

"No Chris, this is bull shit! You almost lost her when the guards turned their back on her, leaving your PREGNANT mate to defend your Beta female-"

Jace snarls, his eyes flashing blue as Phoenix surfaces.

"And now hunters are having sleepovers?!" Kane scoffs. "What the fuck do all those incidents have in common? Palace fucking guards!"