“Well, now, how do you know they’re captive? They could just as easily have been part of those you consider yourself allied with,” Wimbley said.
“Because we took three of them into custody where we found them watching the Gamieyon Pride lands from across the highway. They were taken back to home base of the Variant people where they are still undergoing interrogation. In addition, they gave coordinates that led two of the Variant SOT teams to sixteen more Variant males who were kept in cages,and have since been rescued and are safely with the Variant on their base. They are all talking. They are all overjoyed to be free. There is a chance they are all shifters who were forced through the processes that created the Variant. It is without a doubt that the females rescued with them are shifters. What I want to know is what you are going to do about all of this? What are you going to do to hold the Falwells responsible for the murder of the Gamieyon Pride? For burning their females and children alive in safe rooms? What are you going to do to figure out which Prides these captive females, and males if they prove to be shifters as well, came from? Are there actually Alphas out there forcing their Pride members into this DNA manipulation? Forcing their females to submit to the newly Variant males? Or are you going to turn a blind eye to this just like you have every other time a complaint has been filed with the Council for the last two years?”
“Alpha Laighin, I understand your concern, and I’ve made notes of all your points and complaints as you spoke. I give you my word that I will poke around a little, do a little digging and see what answers I can find for you. You’ll definitely be hearing from me soon.”
“Taking notes? Poke around a little? Do you hear yourself? There are Alphas out there that think it’s perfectly acceptable to murder entire Prides! Did you miss that? There is at least one, if not more Alphas out there that think it’s okay to hand their females over to be given for use in anyway these newly turned Variant want to use them! This is not poke around and see what you can find. This is urgent! This is demanding of immediate action.”
“Alpha Laighin… Jack,” Wimbley said with a bit of scorn in his voice, “need I remind you that your own father is as guilty as any other for abuse of his Pride members while he was in power. It’s nothing new, it’s just a new way to go about it.”
“I find it reprehensible that you are not outraged at the murder of so many people, you condescending little fuck! The Falwells tried to wipe the Gamieyon Pride off the map, and you’re going to take notes and poke around a little bit? And how dare you bring my father and his equally despicable behavior into this as a defense for your lack of action. Let me be clear, Wimbley. In case you’re not absolutely certain about what happened here in my Pride, I killed my own father to protect those under his persecution, and I’d do it again a thousand times over. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.”
“You don’t get to speak to…” Wimbley started, but Jack cut him off.
“I’m not finished!” Jack roared. “The surviving Gamieyon Pride members are here, with me, under my protection. That makes them Laighin Pride members now. Anyone comes after me or mine or anyone else who has permission to be on my mountain, and I’ll kill them regardless of who they are or who they represent. Fix this shit, make this right, all of it, or you will have more to worry about than me being outraged that you couldn’t care less about a travesty that’s taken place on your watch.”
“Are you threatening the Council, Alpha Laighin?” Wimbley asked angrily.
“Should I be? If I should be, then no, it’s not a threat. It’s a promise. If I shouldn’t be, it’s at the very least a clear message of the disgust I feel for your lack of concern for innocent people who were minding their business and were slaughtered like animals in the middle of the night. Who the fuck torches safe rooms where females and children are taking shelter? Psychotic fucks, that’s who! Decide which side you’re on, and decide quickly!”
Jack reached over and pressed the button ending the call. His eye was twitching, his lips pressed into a thin line. He was so angry he really wanted to hit something.
“Well, that went well,” Frenzy said.
Jack couldn’t help it, he started laughing.
Everybody else followed to some degree or another.
“Damn girl! You gave him an earful, too!” Frenzy said.
Gwen smiled tiredly at Frenzy. “I honestly don’t think I have the wherewithal to fight to receive justice from the Council. Easiest thing to do is to pass my authority to Jack and Bonnie.” She looked over at Jack. “I’m sorry, I should have asked you if you cared to assume my authority before I told the Council that you had.”
“No apology needed. I’ll hold it until you want it back. I will advise you of everything that comes up and pass your wishes off as mine so you have no blow back.”
“Honestly, I don’t know that I want it back. My mate, the sole reason I had the authority to begin with, is dead. That time in my life is over.”
“You still have everyone that arrived with you looking to you for guidance. Your sons still deserve their place in what would have been their father’s Pride.”
Gwen nodded as she looked down at her hands. “There is no more Gamieyon Pride, Jack. But thank you for your concern. I won’t be going back to live there or assume stewardship of the land. It’s Laighin Pride land now. Protect it. Maybe one day it can be something great again.”
Jack nodded. “I’ll take care of it for you, or your kids. Whatever and whenever, it’s available to you and yours only.”
Gwen nodded, but she didn’t look up. A tear splashed on the back of her hand where her hands were crossed on her lap.
Rance reached out and brushed the tear away with his thumb.
Gwen looked up at him, her lips trembling as she struggled to hold it together.
“Want to go back upstairs?”
She nodded. “Please,” she rasped out.
Rance picked her up and tucked her against his body, carrying her up the stairs to her bedroom, with Bonnie following right behind them so she could be sure that Gwen was alright.
“I vote we sit down and make contingency plans. We have to be ready if somebody comes at us,” Niko said.
“We are, and I’m also going to be reaching out to the Prides I know of that are less than happy with the Council. See how many we can drum up some support from.”
“Or at the least suspicion from. If they’re suspicious of the Council, they can’t be drawn in,” Niko said.
