“What would you have us do here? Ramos has six packs on his side, readying to storm here in Ivory Fangs and kill everyone,” I shout, standing from my chair and snarling at Amelia. She shrugs off David’s hand and stands as well, the two of us releasing our inner power and glaring at one another. The room is silent, eyes on us, waiting to see what will happen.
“We will find another way, Kaylee, but I am not sending you, my goddaughter, back there to be slaughtered.”
“Amelia, there is no other way! Ramos had Blood Oath backing him. In two months’ time, there will be a slaughter here if we don’t act first. Wolves in Oak Fur are terrified for their lives, but they can’t leave!”
Her power surrounds me, threatening to crush me into submission, but I push back. The only way for those I love in Ivory Fangs to be safe is to kill Ramos and Marilyn. With them gone, we can take back Oak Fur and create a better future, a better pack for everyone there.
“No, Kaylee. My answer is n—”
“Then I will revoke my role as beta. I was chosen by the Goddess to be a leader when she made Lucas and me mates. Oak Fur needs that leader now.”
A surge of power springs forth deep inside me, and Amelia stumbles back as the room shakes.
“And if you won’t help me with killing your brother, then I will leave Ivory Fangs and do it myself to protect everyone I love, including my unborn pup,” I finish.
“I will, too. Wherever Kaylee goes, I go,” Lucas says, wrapping his arm around my waist, his power blending with mine in unison. Amelia glares at the two of us, but her power bounces off Lucas and me. We refuse to submit, to back down when the only way forward is the one I suggested.
“They’re right, love.” David’s voice breaks the silence and he takes Amelia’s hands in his. “We knew the possibility of war was high if Ramos learned you had become an alpha. The only way to save everyone is to kill him in his own territory.”
“But they could die, David. I promised Kaylee’s mother we would protect her,” Amelia argues, tears falling from her eyes. I want to go to her side, to hug her and assure her that everything wouldbe fine if she just trusted us, but Lucas holds me back, shaking his head. If anyone can convince Amelia right now, it’s David.
“David is right, Amelia,” Kurt chimes in, standing from his seat and standing beside Lucas. “Lucas and Kaylee are the rightful heirs to Oak Fur. They need to be the ones to go and take down Ramos,” he adds, looking at the two of us with pride in his eyes.
“Now, we can either support them and plan the attack or keep fighting amongst ourselves. The choice is yours.” David says, giving Amelia a stern look. It’s the first time I have seen him oppose her—the first time I have seen him not take her side.
Amelia looks between us all, conflict in her gaze. Marco, Royce, Maya, and Alexander stay quiet.
[Are you sure this is the only way, Kaylee?] Marco links me. Turning to look at him, I see the hurt and worry in Marco’s gaze. He was the first friend I made when I came to Ivory Fangs. The first person I trusted. He’d helped me through Lucas’ rejection. Without him, I would have died.
[I have to do this, Marco. I’m sorry,] I link back. He closes his eyes in acceptance, knowing he can’t change my mind.
[Okay then. No matter what Amelia says, I support you.]
[Thank you, Marco. That means a lot to me.]
37
Amelia
Staring at Kaylee, I no longer see the scared little girl I watched grow up before my eyes. Instead, I see a strong and powerful woman who has grown into the role the Goddess gave her the day she revealed my nephew as her mate. I don’t know when the change in her started. I don’t know when she went from being a strong beta willing to work beside me, where I can keep her safe, to the strong alpha female who now stands against me.
[Love, we need to let them go,] David links me, his words drawing my attention to him. Since we’d become mates, he’d never opposed my decisions. We’d always been a team standing side by side.
[But I don’t want to lose them. They’re our children, too.] He sighs, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek. With his touch, I can block out the power radiating off Kaylee and Lucas and handle the pressure those two have put on me. They areboth strong wolves—have always been—but together, Kaylee and Lucas are an unstoppable force.
[We won’t lose them, Amelia. If anything, we will be helping them step into a role they were always meant for.]
I close my eyes reluctantly at his statement. David is right, as usual. He is my voice of reason, and right now, I am being unreasonable—thinking only with my heart. I knew Kaylee and Lucas were growing restless here. They may not have noticed it, but I did. They weren’t meant to be betas stuck under someone else’s leadership. They were meant to rule.
“Fine,” I finally croak, wiping away the tears that flow freely. “We will do things your way— under one condition,” I add, turning to look at Lucas and Kaylee.
The power they radiate is retracted back into their bodies, and the tension in the room is released. Everyone takes a deep breath, Maya looking visibly shaken. It must have been hard for my packmates to feel such power in this tiny boardroom.
“What is your condition?” Kaylee asks, relief clear as day in her eyes as she leans against Lucas. Exerting herself so much must have taken its toll on her.
“We have to call in our own allies, including Council Representative Amos,” I say. Kaylee goes to say something, but I hold my finger up, causing her to pause while I take a moment to think about what I need to say next.
“Ramos is planning to attack us in two months. This means we need to act and act fast. Whatever you do must be planned and executed in six weeks. Do you think you can do that?”
