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She pulled back and shook her head. “This is crazy, Holden. I seriously don’t see this ending well.”
My stomach churned, but I gave her a reassuring smile in spite of it. “It will be fine. Just don’t act rashly. Stick to the plan,” I repeated.
Kayden pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, but she didn’t push me away when I bent my head and softly kissed her lips. My chest tightened, my wolf rumbling at the edge of my subconscious, our protective instincts going into overdrive. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I needed to tell her about how much she’d come to mean to me, but it would have to wait.
“Be careful,” I told her, looking earnestly into her eyes. “Don’t do anything stupid. Remember why we’re here.”
“Right. For me toprovemyself.” Her tone was laced with sarcasm that I chose to ignore.
“You just need to show everyone you can follow instructions, Kayden. That way, when I choose you as—”
“Are you coming or what?” Garret said, interrupting us as he peered around the corner of the vehicle.
I didn’t even look at him, my eyes trained on Kayden. “You ready for this?”
“Might as well get it over with.” She turned and followed Garrett, ending our private moment before I was ready, but she was right. The sooner we started, the sooner we’d be back home, safe and sound.
I gathered my men for one final review of how this was to be handled, insisting that violence was to be avoided unless there was no other choice. “If it appears that Branson and his men are hostile, we may have to pivot our plan. Be ready for my signal.”
Garrett led the way, Cal and Jax flanking Kayden and me as we trailed behind him, our contingent of soldiers bringing up the rear as we walked down the street where I’d first met Kayden only weeks ago.
I could feel the tension coming off her in waves as we climbed the steps, and I squeezed her hand one last time before entering the building. The meeting was still underway, with two guards standing outside the open double doors. They didn’t move to stop us as we walked through, but the tension was high as we stopped just inside.
I glanced around the room, surprised to see a couple dozen men inside. We were outnumbered at least two to one. I subtly moved in front of Kayden, instinct urging me to protect my mate at all costs.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Branson drawled from where he sat at a table on a raised dais. He leaned back, crossing his legs and lacing his fingers behind his head. A casual stance, as if we were no threat at all. His eyes glittered with malice even as he gave me a cocky grin. “Little alpha coming to play with the big dogs?”
I ignored his barb, taking a step forward. Jax and Cal moved closer to Kayden, as I’d instructed them to do. “We’re here to speak with you and the alphas you’ve gathered here tonight. We come to negotiate peace.”
There was a long pause, and Branson smirked. From the corner of my eye, I noted the two alphas that he’d managed to get here. I wondered just how loyal they were to him yet, and if our plan might at least succeed in bringing them back to my side.
“We’d like to present you with our proposal and get your input on the matter as well,” I added before turning to Kayden.
Branson’s eyebrows flew up in surprise as she stepped forward, but a wicked grin quickly replaced it. “Ah, yes. The little wolf who lasted longer than anyone expected. Tell me, Holden, how did she win you over? Was it that sharp tongue?” He laughed. “I wouldn’t have taken you as a man to cave so easily to her… talents.”
Anger reared up at his disrespect, but I managed to hang on to my temper by a thread as Kayden stepped forward, her gaze cool and assessing.
“We are here to present an opportunity to you,” she began, and I tensed as Branson’s gaze sharpened, focusing on her now. The need to protect was roaring through my veins, and I was ready to shift at a moment’s notice.
Around the room, all of Branson’s men watched us carefully. The tension in the room was so thick I could practically taste it. I glanced at my men, making sure they were ready for anything.
“And what might that be?” Branson’s tone was degrading as he smirked at Kayden.
She wasn’t ruffled, though, taking another step forward, her voice ringing out strong and clear. “We’d like to extend the opportunity for you to work with us, Branson. To hear your concerns and perhaps give you a bigger say than you currently have as a pack alpha.”
My gaze flew back to her; her words taking me by surprise. This wasn’t what we’d talked about at all. She was supposed to be the liaison between the packs—showing Branson that her experiences with the North American pack had been good. That we could work together and weren’t a threat. That there was no reason to rebel. Instead, she was going off script and going rogue.
I grimaced, catching Garrett’s confused gaze, but shook my head almost imperceptibly. We had to present a united front.
Branson chuckled. “Oh, this is rich. Yes, let’s hear just what you have in mind?”
Kayden stood tall, her gaze unwavering as she advanced another step forward. “What if you could take a position that gave you more influence than you have now? Rather than your policies affecting just your pack, you could make decisions that concern all the North American packs. A position on the council, or perhaps even within the inner circle.”
Yeah, definitely not what we’d discussed.
Branson threw his head back, his laughter echoing through the otherwise silent room. I glanced around, taking note of the eyes all focused on us—watching and waiting.
“You’re as much a fool as your pathetic brother, aren’t you?” Branson spat, the smile vanishing from his face as he stood slowly. “Your entire family isweak. Perhaps I made the wrong choice in sending you to the Contention—you’ve already fallen under this idiot’s spell, haven’t you?”
