“No, no, I’m fine,” I reassured her. “I’ve pretty much fully healed.”

  “I don’t even want to know what you looked like before you healed,” Mia said as she lightly cupped my face and inspected it. “Otherwise, I’d be running back to that warehouse and giving them a piece of my mind.”

  “Hey, I’m okay,” I whispered to her with a small smile on my face. “I promise.”

  “You better be,” she said with a cute little pout.

  I let her grab my hand and pull me toward the couches where the rest of my pack had settled. I sighed as my back hit the plush leather pillow, and I was glad it was the smell of chemicals and fresh fabric that hit my nose rather than cigarette smoke and mold.

  “So, what happened?” Luke asked as he leaned forward in childlike excitement. “You gotta tell us everything.”

  “Yeah, when Mia arrived, we were kinda freaking out,” Amy said as she tucked her knees up to her chest. “Was Carter there?”

  “No, not Carter,” I said. “Leon Drake.”

  “Oh, shit,” Finn muttered as he leaned back in the armchair. “What was he like?”

  “A very intimidating Alpha, that’s what,” I weakly joked. “That guy is not someone we wanna mess with if we can help it. He might be wanting to pass on his territory, but that doesn’t make him any less powerful.”

  “What did he want from you?” Mia asked as she slipped her hand into mine. “Did he make you an offer?”

  “I guess you could call it that,” I said. “He laid it out for me. Carter is after us because he wants Drake’s territory. I have the option of stopping Carter before he kills me, claiming the territory for myself, and joining a ‘partnership’ with Leon, or doing nothing and ending up dead in a ditch.”

  “That can’t be your only option, Josh,” Katie said with a severe look on her face. “There has got to be another choice.”

  “I wish there was, but from what I could gather, we’re walking a very thin tightrope across a very high drop,” I sighed. “There are things much bigger than we realize at play here, and whether we like it or not, we’re becoming a part of it.”

  “Like what, Josh?” Mia asked with a frown.

  “Leon said something about ‘higher powers’ he distanced himself from,” I explained. “He wouldn’t elaborate, and he was really serious about it. But he drove home how much we need him as an ally if we’re gonna survive in Manhattan.”

  “I’m confused.” My mate shook her head. “There’s a treaty protecting the packs in Manhattan. It goes back years, and if there’d been a breach in that treaty, we’d definitely know about it.”

  “It might not have anything to do with the treaty,” Klaus pointed out as he chewed on his fingernail. “Not to mention whatever it is could be happening right under our noses.”

  “Including the other packs,” Finn agreed with a slow nod. “We need to be on our guard.”

  “Yeah, we do,” I said as I squeezed Mia’s hand. “He knows where our den is.”

  “Already?” Amy asked, and her eyes widened in surprise. “H-How? We only just moved in here!”

  “Leon has eyes and ears everywhere,” I said as I fought back a shudder.

  “‘Big Brother is Watching You,’” Katie said with a roll of her eyes. “Of course he’s got his claws everywhere. Just like his bastard son.”

  “No, he’s far more powerful than Drake.” I shook my head. “And the worst part is, he didn’t need to attack my warehouses to show that off. The address on the letter was for a warehouse by the docks. I didn’t know what to expect, but when I got there, it was a fighting pit for wolves. All Leon needed to do was walk into a room, and people were aware of his presence.”

  “Sounds familiar,” Luke mumbled and kept his eyes trained on the floor.

  Amy rubbed his shoulder to comfort him, and a solemn silence settled over my pack. I suppose in their world, Drake had that effect, because he’d plucked most of his pack out of their beds in the dead of night and forced them to join him. They were out of their depth and thrust into a world they’d not chosen to be in. A world of violence and submission. A world of fear.

  But the guys at the fighting pit had been real brutes. They were betting on two wolves tearing each other apart for Christ’s sake, and they didn’t flinch away from the bloodshed. That’s what stuck out to me the most. The guys in that den who looked like they could tear up a small village were scared of Leon. They hadn’t been forced into that warehouse, and I was sure most of them had earned their spot. So, them being afraid of Leon’s presence made it all the more unsettling.

  “So, what now?” Amy asked as she kept a hand on her brother’s shoulder.

  “Now, I guess we try to come up with a way of getting to Carter before he gets to us.” I shrugged. “Then I gain the territory and try to…”

  I trailed off as I thought about what I might have to become if I became Leon’s right-hand man.

  “What is it, Josh?” Mia asked knowingly, and as I met her concerned green eyes, I felt my resolve shrink.

  “He wants me to change,” I said. “He wants me to be more brutal and show less mercy. The only problem is, that’s not me.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Luke said as he sat up and met my gaze. “You’re a good person, Josh. You shouldn’t have to change that because some Alpha from out of town said so.”

  “He’s right,” my mate said firmly. “We can figure this out. It might take us some time, but we can figure it out.”

  “So, what are our options right now?” Finn asked.

  “I say we go along with Leon’s plan for now, but we play him at his own game,” I said as I weighed up our options. “I don’t want him as an enemy, at least not yet. Conflict between us is inevitable, and I’ve seen how he treats those closest to him. But you know what they say… keep your friends close--”

  “And your enemies closer,” Mia finished off for me with a frown.

  I’d be naive to think an alliance with Leon would last forever, but I had an opportunity here to play him at his own game. Carter was my main concern, because for now, Leon was counting on me. But I couldn’t take his word as law, and I couldn’t count on him not stabbing me in the back.

  It was the smartest move. And if I’d learned anything from my business degree and years of experience, it was that you always had to outwit your opponent. All we had to do was bide our time until we were ready to take on Leon, if and when it even came down to that.

  “We deal with Carter,” I said as I laid out the plan to my pack. “We see what happens with Leon and this territory situation, but in the meantime, we train. We get stronger, and we get ready for a fight. I’m not planning on becoming some sort of villain just to get more land under my belt.”

  “If there ever was a right answer to this predicament, Josh, I think you found it,” Katie said with a proud look on her face.

  “Sounds like a good plan if I’ve ever heard one,” Finn agreed with a nod of his head.

  “So… deal with Carter, then worry about Leon,” Luke said as his eyebrows tugged into a frown. “Even though he’s willing to give you his territory if you win?”

  “It might seem like a kind gesture, but I’ve got a feeling there’s a lot he’s not telling me,” I said as I fought back another shudder. “But that’s a problem for later. For now, it’s Carter.”

  “Can we expect any more surprise visits from Leon at our door?” Mia asked.

  “Hopefully not,” I said with a sigh. “Like I said, he’s on our side right now. He’s even rooting for me to win. So, I think that means no more ominous letters on our door.”

  “I hope so, otherwise I’m sleeping here for the foreseeable future,” Mia joked.

  “Speaking of, I think we should hunker down here tonight,” I said to my girlfriend. “I don’t think I’ve got the energy to drive home, and I’d honestly feel safer staying here with all of you guys tonight.”

  “Yeah, me, too,” my mate said as she squeezed my hand.

  “You guys can take my bed, I’ll stay down here,” Luke offered.

  “Me, too,” Amy immediately added as she wrapped a protective arm around her brother.

  “No, you kids get some rest, I’ll stay up and keep watch,” Finn said. “I won’t be getting much sleep tonight anyway.”

  “Are you sure, Finn?” I asked.

  “More than sure,” the tall man said with a warm smile. “That memory foam bed can wait another night.”

  “Thanks, Finn,” Amy said as she met his gaze and nodded her head in gratitude.

  “Alright, I’m gonna go get cleaned up,” I said. “I don’t suppose any of you have any spare clothes?”

  I looked down at my torn jeans and my bare chest and grimaced at the dried blood that covered me. Luckily, none had gotten on the brand-new couch, but I was gonna need clothes if I was ever going to leave this place. It was a miracle no one had seen me coming inside here, but then again, this was New York, and I doubted anyone would have looked twice.

  “I brought some clothes with me, just in case,” Finn said. “They’re by my bed upstairs. You’re welcome to take what you want, Alpha.”

  “Thanks, man,” I said as I stood and pulled Mia up beside me. “I appreciate it.”

  “Don’t mention it,” the Beta said with a wave of his hand. “I was a bouncer, remember? I practically run on the night shift.”

  “I’ll stay up with you, too,” Katie said as she turned one of the armchairs around so it faced the front door. “I won’t be sleeping, either. So, you might as well have company.”

  Finn smiled down at Katie with a knowing look in his eye but nodded his head in thanks. Then we left the two Betas to guard the front entrance while the rest of us got ready for bed. Luke and Amy immediately fell asleep the moment they hit their mattress, and Klaus tucked himself into the covers of the bed in the furthest corner of the room.

  Mia helped me clean myself off in one of the bathrooms, and it felt good to get all of the gunk from Saxon off my body. My mind cleared a little as the water washed over me, and I felt a little more confident in my plan to see this through and make it out alive.

  If we pulled this off, we could avoid a fight with Leon until he forced our hand. I had to start thinking tactically now that I was playing in the big leagues, even if I didn’t really want to.

  After my shower, I grabbed a pair of gray jogging bottoms from Finn’s pack that Klaus pointed out to me, as well as a black shirt. They were a little loose on me because of how big the Beta was, but if I shifted, I knew I’d probably fit into these perfectly. Still, it was better than nothing. Or rather, better than ripped jeans clinging on for dear life.

  Mia and I hit the hay after that, and I slept like a baby. When I finally woke up in the morning, my body didn’t ache at all, and I thanked whoever it was that made werewolves a thing for making me a Supreme Alpha.

  When we went down the stairs, Katie and Finn were having idle conversations over cups of black coffee, and I could tell there was definitely something between them. It was cute, and it was nice to know that despite all of the shit Drake had put them through, they’d managed to find something like affection for each other.

  Mia and I decided to cook up a big breakfast for everyone before we left for the office, and I got Finn’s bank details so I could transfer him a monthly allowance for the den.

  I told him to take the pack out to buy new clothes and any other groceries they might need, and I knew I could trust the tall Beta with that amount of money.

  Luke, Klaus, and Amy were still fast asleep by the time we’d helped ourselves to a plate of bacon and eggs, and after a coffee and a talk with Katie and Finn, Mia and I set off for the Lunar Corp. building. My mate sent a text to Victor to tell him to get the rest of the board and meet us in the conference room as soon as possible.

  The board needed to know about everything that had gone down, and that they weren’t actually the intended targets of the attacks from the Beta.

  When we pulled into the parking lot and I climbed out in my jogging bottoms and shirt, I felt like I did when I first started at Lunar Corp., but at least I was a little more settled in my role now and didn’t feel like a fish out of water.

  We took the elevator straight up to the meeting room and were greeted by the calm and collected faces of the board committee.

  “Good morning, Josh,” Victor said politely. “And good morning to you, too, Mia.”

  “Morning, Victor,” the blonde said with a smile.

  “Good morning,” I said as I sat down at the head of the table. “Excuse my attire, I had, uhh… a pretty insane night last night. I met Leon Drake.”

  All four of the board members’ eyes widened in shock, and Victor threaded his fingers together as they rested on the table.

  “You met with Leon Drake?” he asked slowly. “And… how did that go?”

  “Well, I got a personal invite to his fighting pit in the Meatpacking District delivered to my door last night,” I said as I leaned back against the spinny chair. “Turns out he’s willingly offering up some of his territory, and whoever kills the other first gets it.”

  “Out of who? You and the Beta?” Susan asked as her thinly plucked eyebrows twitched.

  “Yep. His name is Carter, and the threat on the van and the attack on me and Mia the other night was him trying to get to me. Leon’s offered me an alliance, but I’m very much aware of how fickle he is.”

  “So, you’re going along with this?” Benjamin asked in a nasally voice.

  “I don’t really have a choice,” I said as I looked at the treasurer with a blank face. “It’s either kill or be killed. And I’d rather deal with just Carter right now than Leon and Carter.”

  “Leon Drake isn’t someone to trifle with, Joshua,” Victor warned. “If you’re planning on double-crossing him…”

  “I’m not planning on it, but I don’t want to put all of my trust into that guy,” I reiterated. “I’ve seen how much he cares for those who associate with him. And quite frankly, I’d be a fool to completely trust him.”

  “It does seem almost too good to be true.” Susan nodded in agreement. “Free territory for disposing of a Beta? It seems too easy.”

  “Carter has a few tricks up his sleeve, but it’s nothing we can’t handle,” I said. “Which is why you’re right. It almost does seem too good to be true.”

  “And what are the conditions for claiming this territory?” the gray-haired chairman asked as he leaned forward in intrigue.

  “He wants me to become more brutal,” I said with a hard swallow. “More like him.”

  “I see,” Victor said with an uncomfortable roll of his shoulders. “And do you intend to do that?”

  The board looked at me in apprehension, and it was like the air had stopped moving in the room. I did a double-take as I noticed the look of worry on Lexi’s face. Her bright blue eyes had clouded over a little, and her short ginger hair had fallen from behind her ears and half-covered her face.

  They were all frozen, as if I was gonna switch up and lash out at them for the promise of power. It made me feel nauseous, and I knew I had to quash whatever fears they were having right now.

  “Of course I don’t intend to do that,” I quickly said. “Guys, I’m still me. I’m still the kid who had to work hard every day of his life to get where I am now. I’m not gonna switch up because some Alpha’s tempting me with power.”

  Nicely put, Mia said down the bond, and I turned my head to see a proud smile on her face.

  “Good,” Victor said, and I could see his shoulders relax a little. “So, what do you intend to do with this new predicament?”

  “I’m gonna get rid of Carter,” I said as if it was obvious. “And then I’ll worry about Leon. But until that’s done, I want the guards trained up and more comfortable with combat. Who knows what Carter’s gonna pull next, and I don’t want those guys out there like sitting ducks.”

  “Very well, we can see to getting them additional training and more staffing,” the chairman said. “Was there anything else you needed from us?”

  “There was one thing I wanted to see if you knew, actually,” I said as I readjusted in my chair. “Leon said he’d recently separated from a ‘higher power.’ Whoever or whatever he was talking about had him on edge. And if there’s something in New York that can unsettle a wolf like that, I think I need to be aware of it.”

  “A higher power?” Victor’s eyebrows pulled into a frown. “I… I’m afraid I don’t know what he was alluding to.”

  “Out of the packs occupying Manhattan, are there any that have been acting up?” I asked. “Any that are more powerful than others who might be trying to pull something?”

  “The Treaty prevents them from doing that,” Susan said. “The only reason Leon is able to give away his territory is because it is his. If any other pack tried to lay claim, they’d be breaching the Treaty, and that would come with dire consequences.”

  “So, no one’s trying to expand?” I asked as I tried to get to the bottom of this mystery.

  “Not that I am aware of.” Victor shook his head. “We can try and contact some old allies with connections to the other packs, but I doubt that will turn up anything.”

  “It’s worth a shot,” I sighed. “I wanna be ahead of this thing. And figuring out who this ‘higher power’ is seems like a good idea.”

  “It’s good thinking,” Victor commented. “But you need to be careful, Josh. Navigating this mystery might come with serious consequences if you delve too far. And considering this information is coming from Leon Drake…”

  “Tread carefully around him, Josh,” Susan finished for the chairman. “I know you are already aware of that, but we cannot stress it enough. Be on your guard, and hunt well.”

  “Thanks, guys,” I said and felt myself relax a little. “I’ll keep you posted.”

  “And we’ll do the same,” Victor said with a small smile. “Hopefully, this mess will be dealt with soon, and we can continue focusing on production.”

  “Yeah, I hope so,” I chuckled. “But you guys let me deal with this issue. Business can go along as usual. As CEO, I’ll see it through.”

 

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