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Yes. Without a doubt.
Does Kryder know you have a following?
He has spies, but I’ve always been discreet.
She thought about this. Yet, if he’s been invisible, then he might know things you’ve discussed with Ryan or the others, wouldn’t he?
He finished the last bite of egg and set the plate atop the empty one on the table they shared. I’ve been thinking about that and I suppose it’s possible. But he’s arrogant enough to believe he’s untouchable because of his sheer size and The Sapphire Club is massive. I’m sure it accounts for his long absences from the Meldorin Compound. I’d be surprised if he spent much of his time or energy following after me or the others.
Natalie had thought something similar. You’re probably right. So, here’s my suggestion. What if the pack challenged him to a dominance fight?
What do you mean? He shifted in his seat to face her more fully, but her gaze once more turned to her garden.
As she sipped her coffee, she said, Pretend we’re not conversing in case we’re being watched.
He turned away from her, picked up his own mug and followed suit.
Natalie explained what she meant. I realize I don’t know the details of pack structure, but there must be some way to remove an alpha like Kryder. My impression has always been that dominance fights were honorable affairs. Yet from what you’ve told me, he’s killed most of the wolves who’ve challenged him. Where is the honor in that?
There is no honor in Kryder.
So, why not fight fire with fire. He will never play by the rules and I doubt there’s a wolf, with alpha potential, in your entire pack that would ever be able to take him down through the traditional method.
Not one. He leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair then stroked a finger along his jaw.
She made a point of not looking at him and took a swig of her coffee. She then set her mug on the table, rose and picked up her hose. She turned the water on and made her way slowly around the different pots in the patio garden outside her bedroom sliding doors. She continued with telepathy. I think you need a coup. Is there a way to break the pack bond if, say, Kryder is held down by ropes in the sandpit and you plant your foot on his chest? I guess what I’m asking is have you ever considered doing it illegally?
I have no idea if it would work. Besides, if Kryder got a whiff of it, I have no doubt he’d bring in his security team from The Sapphire Club. A slaughter would follow.
She went to the next pot and watered it slowly. But can you think of a way that you could make it happen? If you told a loyal core group what you planned, wouldn’t you have a shot? Wouldn’t most of the pack rally behind you?
You have to understand that pack bonds are unbelievably strong.
There has to be a way, Grant. Don’t you see that through The Sapphire Club and his use of the pack money to fund it, he’s built an almost unstoppable force. At this point, he has two packs that he can use. One of them could destroy the other. But who do you think would win the fight if the security at the club took on the Meldorin Pack?
She continued watering the rest of the pots until she was all the way on the other side of him. If she was being watched now or had been through an earlier peek into the future, she and Grant would appear to be having a relaxed, first meal.
She returned to the spigot, arranged her hose in a tidy circle, then sat back down in her chair.
Grant took a turn at the charade. With mug in hand, he masked the nature of their telepathic conversation by leaving his chair and walking onto the grass down the avenue of cypresses. He continued, Until last night, I had no idea Kryder had built an empire. I knew he was siphoning money, but it never occurred to me that he was doing anything other than feeding his own appetites. Maybe you’ve got a point. Maybe it’s time I set aside a few of the rules.
~ ~ ~
Grant walked all the way to the tall shrubbery that separated Natalie’s back garden from the canal. He understood the design since tourist boats were already running. She valued her privacy, and in that sense, she seemed more wolf than fae.
Revel had a reputation for living it up, much more than Savage. As would be expected, theirs was a life of pack order and dominance, which led him back to Natalie’s acute observation of what Kryder had really built.
If he chose to employ his security personnel, how would any of his fellow pack members stand a chance against Kryder’s intentions. If he wanted to make then all slaves, he could.
Grant gripped the handle of his mug and had to remind himself of his alter strength. He’d destroyed more than one bottle of beer by squeezing too hard.
Loosening his hold, he headed back in Natalie’s direction. He watched her for a moment. She wore a long loose dress with purple flowers. Her hair hung all around her shoulders and well down her back. She didn’t seem to mind the heat. Her sandals were white, and her toenails were painted lavender. She was a beautiful, feminine woman who could fire a Glock with accuracy.
His heart thudded in his chest. She’d become important to him in a very short time, too short. He felt in danger of something he couldn’t put his finger on. Loving her, maybe. It was a tough path to walk, getting deeply attached to someone in Five Bridges. Death visited Savage every damn night. Memorials had become routine and usually conducted as quickly as possible. A few words were spoken, a moment of silence, then back to the business of staying alive.
The thought he could fall in love with Natalie then lose her, caused his stomach to twist into a knot. She’d definitely disrupted his calculated plans to marry an alpha female wolf, and have an easy, working relationship with his mate as together they took care of the Meldorin Pack. He would continue to serve on the Border Patrol and she would tend to the welfare of their wolves, everything in order.
What use would Natalie be to him in pack life?
