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I smiled, though guilt again gnawed at me. Things could have gone a hell of a lot worse, thanks to my impromptu decision. To distract myself, I turned to William. He was a fantastic tracker, and he had been one of the wolves who were injured in the altercation with the Kings.
“How’s your leg?” I asked. I knew William had recovered, but I could see that he had something on his mind from the way he shifted in his seat.
“Completely healed, thank you, Alpha,” William nodded. He was an excellent man for me to have on my team, but he was a bit shy. “I did want to announce that my mate let me know that she’s expecting.”
“Hot damn!” Dom exclaimed, pounding his fist against the table. “What is this, pup number three for you?”
William nodded again, the apples of his cheeks turning slightly pink with pride.
The table erupted with congratulations and well wishes for William and his family. The men spoke about how much their mates would appreciate another opportunity to dote on a new pup. As the conversation went on, William’s face became more and more red, but it was obvious that he appreciated the well-wishes. I would have liked to allow the talk and congratulations to continue for the rest of the meeting, but we had business to attend to.
I cleared my throat, and the room quieted. “Congratulations, William,” I said, “this is fantastic news.”
William inclined his head in thanks.
“What else is there to report?” I asked.
“We caught the scent of three feral wolves at the edge of our borders,” Iggy said. “But they were probably just testing to see where our borders began and ended.”
“Keep an eye on that, Iggy.” The last thing I needed was a group of ferals venturing too far on my land. But it was a small concern compared to everything else on my mind. "What do we know of the Kings’ movements?” I asked.
Kai spoke up. “Scouts have reported a group of Kings’ hunters sniffing around our borders. They hadn’t done anything until this morning when they attacked two of our junior hunters who had ventured outside our territory.”
“I see.” I bristled a bit at the knowledge that the Kings were already making moves. “Did they survive?”
“Barely. They managed to drag themselves back into our borders before it was too late. Last I checked with our healers, they’re in stable condition.”
“Good.” I leaned forward and set my elbows on the table. As I digested that information, the door opened quietly. My mom, the only person who was allowed to enter the conference room when it was in use, had brought buttered rolls, dried fruits, and meats for us to enjoy while we spoke.
“That’s troubling but not unexpected,” I said. “As you all know, I’ve acquired something—someone—that the Kings’ new Alpha desires. I believe that having her here will destabilize Redwolf enough that he’ll be even more reckless than he usually is.”
“We could use her as a bargaining chip,” Dom said, “as long as Redwolf is as obsessed as you believe he is.”
“Oh, he is,” I replied. “I saw the look in his eyes. If he’s got his hunters ready to pounce on our people the minute they step outside our borders, then he’s desperate to have her back.”
“If true,” Kai said, “we can move forward with our original plan.”
I nodded, pleased that my people were coming to that conclusion without too much prompting. “I want to challenge Troy on the night of the next full moon,” I said.
“That’s…” Anthony paused to count in his head. “That’s twenty-three days away! We need to let Redwolf know.”
“I’ll draft the message,” I said. “If Troy refuses the challenge, we keep the human. And if he agrees, I’ll return her to him on the night of the challenge.” As I sat back in my chair, I felt a telepathic nudge from Dom, who wore an uncharacteristic frown on his face.
“You sure Troy will go for this, Night?”
“I’m positive. His pride won’t let him lose something he’s desperate to possess. He’ll take the challenge.”
Dom nodded and turned to the rest of the table. “Prepare our most experienced hunters,” he said. “We need them ready to deliver the message Night will write.”
Iggy, a female wolf, spoke up. “Alpha, in the meantime, are you sure you want to keep the human in your cabin? On the chance that Troy had a hunter sneak into our borders, that would be an obvious place for her to be.”
My heart thudded with relief so strong I could have kissed her. Because of Iggy, I wouldn’t have to bring that issue up myself. But I kept my expression thoughtful. Neutral. “Good point. Would you be willing to take her, Iggy?”
“Ah, I’m not so sure,” she said, shaking her head. “My cabin’s one of the loudest in the village. I think my family would drive her crazy.”
“True enough.” And I don’t need to give her any more reason to try and escape. “Any other suggestions?”
“I could keep her at my place,” Dom suggested.
