Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Oh no,” Nadia said, rolling her shoulders. “I went to bed early.”
Caidrik looked from Nadia to the women, then back again. He wanted to talk to her and make sure she was all right, but not with two nosy lupine aunts behind her. He had to end this entire Alpha challenge first—before anybody smelled their mating on them. “I have work to do but will check on you later.”
“As do I,” Nadia said.
“I need to find Bulwark,” Caidrik added quietly. “And now.”
Chapter 28
Nadia spread the map across the slate conference table in the main lodge, smoothing the curled edges with her palms. The room smelled faintly of pine cleaner and old stone, the wide windows letting in a cold, clean light that bounced off the snow outside. Two enforcers stood near the door, pretending to be uninterested in the meeting while very clearly clocking every movement. She could feel others outside as well, posted along the perimeter. Caidrik hadn’t taken any chances.
Her large purse sat in the corner of the room, heavy with the notebooks. She was acutely aware of them, like a physical tug at the back of her mind. She needed to get to them sooner rather than later. She’d almost forgotten this meeting entirely until a phone call had reminded her that morning.
Paco Johnston sat across from her at the table, hands folded neatly, posture relaxed but alert. He had to be a couple hundred years old at least, his dark silver hair combed back from a sharp, intelligent face. His green eyes missed nothing. He’d been the city planner for years before finally retiring, and apparently retirement hadn’t stuck.
“All right.” Paco leaned over the table, pointing a gnarled finger at the land between Slate Pack territory and the mine leased from Jackson Tryne. “If we extend here, we could create a cooperative farming area with the Copper Pack.”
“That’s what I thought,” Nadia said, excitement rushing through her. This was finally going to happen. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on the table. “I have contacts there who are phenomenal farmers.”
“So I’ve heard,” Paco said with a faint smile. “That’s fine by me.” He cleared his throat. “Are we any closer to getting an Alpha? I heard Luca Cross was out of the running.”
“Yeah.” Nadia nodded. “He’s with Doc right now, but we don’t know if he’s going to make it.”
Who had left him on her porch? It had to be Bulwark.
Paco nodded. “That just leaves Caidrik, right?”
“Yes.” She shoved down her reaction to his name. Her body was already changing. She could feel it on a molecular level, the mating settling in, rewriting her. She probably only had twenty-four hours where she’d be able to mask it.
The door opened and Solomon strode in, dressed in a navy-blue suit with a green tie. “You called? Repeatedly?”
“Solomon,” Nadia said, relief bleeding into her voice. “I’ve been calling you for days. I need to get my hands on the grimoire.”
“You can’t get your hands on it,” he said easily, “but you can certainly look at it. You know that.”
“Thank you,” she said, meaning it.
The outside door opened again, and Taryn soon appeared, cold air trailing after her. “I have too many enforcers on me today to think. Caidrik is being a bit overprotective, isn’t he?”
Nadia sighed. “He’s just trying to keep everyone safe.”
Taryn looked around. “Full house here, huh?”
Paco chuckled. “That’s what I was thinking.”
“I just heard about Luca Cross,” Taryn said, eyes wide. “Is it true?”
“Yeah,” Nadia said quietly. “He was stabbed with a lot of silver. Caidrik got him to the doctor right away, but it didn’t look good.”
Taryn leaned against the doorframe, as immaculate as ever in winter white pants and a blue sweater. “That is unfortunate. Who do you think stabbed him?”
“I don’t know,” Nadia said. “Bulwark’s our only guess. I don’t really know the guy, but he doesn’t seem like he’d use silver. It feels like he would’ve just cut off his head.”
Solomon cleared his throat. “Could be some sort of offering?”
Nadia swallowed. “Maybe. But Bulwark’s no longer in the running for Alpha.”
“Well,” Taryn said carefully, “he might not understand that. When you get a pure Alpha like that, they want to win.”
The far outside door opened again.
“Who is here now?” Paco muttered. “We haven’t had this much activity in the main lodge in forever.”
“This will be normal in the lodge,” Nadia said, gesturing to the map, “once we start planting and harvesting all of the planned farms.”
Helena McGregor stepped inside and looked around with open interest. “Hello, everybody.”
Paco instantly stood. “Hello. I’m Paco.”
“Helena McGregor,” she said with a smile.
Wow, the female really knew how to get male attention. Nadia had never seen Paco move that quickly. “How was breakfast?”
“It was excellent.” Helena leaned over the map, studying it with open approval. “Oh, good. You’re planning.” She straightened and glanced around the room. “However, I really need to talk to my son. Does anybody know where he is?”