"Why are we even here?" Mercy asked with a growl.
Felix looked at Cato. "It's his fault. He told Vallen he should give more of an effort."
Cato hid a blush.
Vallen chose to let his pack believe that Cato was the reason they were here. There was a slim possibility that he would have granted his friend his request.
Very slim.
He was here because his father ordered him to attend.
Just when he thought he'd gained some freedom, the old bastard dragged him back in. God, he couldn't wait until his eighteenth birthday.
He'd be at his strongest. He'd be free of the old bastard once and for all.
And if his father didn't tell him where Cato's mate was, Vallen would finally get around to killing his ass.
He still might.
His father wanted a spy. Someone to make sure no one here was against him. To find out how strong they are.
What Vallen couldn't understand is why his father cared? He'd never live here. Hell, even when he visits, he'd never step foot in town. To do so would mean he would be just as trapped as his son.
If Vallen even thought that could happen, he'd kill something.
"I won't be long. I can only stomach so much." He promised.
Felix gave him a look of distaste. "You handle more than I could."
"How about you handle me while we're waiting for him?"
Cato rolled his eyes when Vallen caught his glance. His friend swore Mercy couldn't want it as much as she was getting it. It wasn't possible.
Cato was bored with her, or so he said.
Vallen didn't know how anyone could be bored with someone who was a completely wild temptress who was always up for anything. There was no inconvenient time or place. Plus, the girl never minded when he found some other prettier wolf to pass the time with. She couldn't care less as long as she always got his hundred percent when he was with her.
He hid a smirk as he entered the town hall meeting.
"What should we do? She doesn't look well."
"Sebastian, anything?"
"She's distressed, but that's all I can pick up."
"Then wake her up!"
"It doesn't work like that, Benjamin. She's not here. We couldn't wake her if we wanted to. Her body is a shell right now."
Vallen looked around the warlock in front of him and saw the witch laid out on the table they usually all sat around.
The same witch who'd been under the table a few days ago.
She wasn't much to look at, yet every man here was staring down at her in concern.
The woman was knitting and looking at Vallen. She nudged the man closest to her and damn if that man didn't wince at seeing him. He nudged the warlock next to him. The one who usually did all the talking.
He winced too and tried to cover it. "We try to be on time to meetings, Mr. Bloodstone."
They all turned to look at him except for one. The tall dead looking one in the expensive suit took a step to the left so that Vallen could no longer see the girl on the table.
Vallen raised an eyebrow and went around the table so he could take his seat. "Maybe I'll stop being late. You have all the fun when I'm not here. What did you do to her?"
The rest found their seats except for the man, who was still standing over the girl with his eyes close. His eyes swirled molten silver.
"We've done nothing to her." Mr. Churchill promised. "She's seeing to some council business. Which you would know if you were ever on time."
"I'm here now and my patience is wearing thin with your condescending attitude."
"These meetings are important. I assure you we do not___."
"Her distress is growing. Something isn't right. Someone call them. Conway, maybe if we go to her dreamworld we can call her to us."
The tall, dead looking man shook his head. "We can try, but it will not work."
"We have to do something." The guy with the silver eyes demanded.
If the girl was in distress, Vallen couldn't see it. She seemed to be resting peacefully. Her frizzy brown hair laid out around her. Perhaps she was a little too pale. Her hundreds of brown freckles seemed to stand out.
The necklace she was wearing leap to life with a rainbow of colors.
Everyone in the room saw it and the tall dude in the suit looked at him.
Vallen wasn't scared of anything, but he could see where others might fear this guy. He was like death in a suit. "What are you looking at?" Vallen demanded of him.
"We'll all a little uneasy. Why don't we adjourn for the day?" Mr. Churchill said hopeful.
They were all waiting for him to move, and he didn't. They were hiding something from him. It was easy to see that they were all talking to each other where he couldn't hear it.
He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the table. "I think I'll stick around. Things are much more interesting than normally."
The guy who worked at the bank liked Vallen now that he's seen his back account. He smiled at Vallen then reached for his phone. "Wade, is everything alright? It might look that way, but it isn't. We need the four of you to return at once."
The witch never moved, never made a sound, but he could swear that the more he focused on her, the more he could feel her distressed.