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My dad sighed and drummed his fingers on his desk. “Kathleen, she’s right. If we start sending people away, we’re admitting defeat. Our best chance is to hold our ground. I agree with Sloane.”
My mom scooted farther to the edge of her chair. “I just worry about Erica, Willa, and some of the other young girls who can’t shift. What happens to them?”
I shook my head. The decision was impossible, but in my gut, I knew what needed to happen. “We would have to send people away to protect them on the road. It would weaken our defenses. That’s not something we can afford to do. And if we start sending people away as a precaution, what does that say about our resolve? It sends the wrong message to the remainder of the pack.”
I hit my palm on the desk as I spoke. “We have to stay here. We have to defend what’s ours, and we have to make it known that we’re not going to rung.”
My mom squeezed her eyes shut, and her face crumpled like she might start crying.
Emotion clogged my throat, and I had to blink my eyes.
My mom blew out a breath. “I understand where you’re both coming from. But most of these girls are under my charge. I don’t want to see them fall into Alpha Dane’s hands.”
I bit my lip and stared at the wood grains on my dad’s desk as I fought the burning sensation in my eyes, hoping I didn’t cry. “I don’t want anyone falling into Alpha Dane’s hands any more than you do. I was a prisoner there, and from what I hear, I was extremely lucky.”
I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We have to make a stand, Mom. We have to show Alpha Dane we’re not afraid and that he can’t intimidate us.”
Was I making a mistake? What if my mom was right and we should send those girls away? If I was wrong and we lost, Alpha Dane would make the women and girls suffer for it. Willa would have to face that maniac again. He’d probably kill her.
I shivered at the realization and wrapped my arms around myself.
My dad let out a heavy sigh. “Kathleen, I know where you’re coming from, but I have to agree with Sloane about this. If we send those girls away, it’ll lower morale in the pack.”
He shook his head. “The men will think we’re giving up. That’s not what we need right before we go into a battle. We’ll be sending a message that we think we’re going to be defeated.”
I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “That’s not to say that we can’t have a vehicle ready to go and someone who can drive it. Most of Alpha Dane’s men will be on foot if they get close to the house. With the right vehicles, it wouldn’t be hard to outrun them. We have four-wheel-drive vehicles and several paths out to the main road.”
I pursed my lips. “We wouldn’t even have to send them away, per se. They could wait in the caverns at the state park for the all clear, and if they don’t get it, then they should leave.”
My dad nodded and threaded his fingers together. “I agree. That’s our best option. We have men staying by the house anyway to guard, just in case. They can be the drivers.”
I sat up straighter and crossed one leg over the other. “I think Jacob Delido should be one of them. Willa won’t leave without him.”
My mom hummed her agreement.
My dad raked his hand through his thinning gray hair. “I agree. Lincoln should stay behind along with Brandon.”
My mom reached out and put her hand overtop the arm of my chair. “Absolutely. I’m not even sure how Lincoln is functional at this point. You guys were out all day yesterday, and before that, he was not in the best shape. He should avoid fighting if he can.”
My dad put his elbows on his desk and leaned forward. “I also want you to stay behind, Sloane.”
My breath caught, and I put my elbows on my knees. “But how will the other men ever take me seriously if I hide? I’m supposed to be their next alpha.”
My dad held up a finger. “You need training, first of all. Second of all, it’s because you are next in line to be alpha that you should stay. We can’t afford for anything to happen to you if something were to happen to me, and we know for a fact that Mikey and Alpha Dane are gunning for you in particular.”
My mom shook her head. “Putting you out there would put more people in danger.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but my dad spoke up first.
“You won’t change my mind on this, so don’t try.”
I slumped back in my chair.
My dad gave me a small smile. “Don’t worry. You’ll be helping out plenty this morning. I want you and Lincoln to help with the wolfsbane. We’ve diffused a lot into a spray and are distributing it around the perimeter in places that can be tripped so it will spray intruders.”
He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “We still have a lot left. It’s my understanding that it’s most effective before the leaves begin to wilt. I’d like to get as much as we can into a long-term useable form.”
I patted my thighs before I stood up. “I should get Lincoln up, then. He knows ways that we can weaponize it to give maximum results.”
