“And?”
“And it’s fifty-fifty right now.”
“In other words, we’ll never see that come to fruition.”
“I can’t say. It’s not entirely my call, but I have made some headway with the situation. Much of the land belonging to the Maguires was taken from other clans when they declared war upon all of us. You will not be getting those lands back. They have been returned to their original clans.”
“Which leaves what?”
“What you see right here and the castle grounds. Those were the original parcels owned by the Maguires, and it’s nothing to sneeze at. It includes hundreds of acres beyond just the buildings or where the buildings used to be.”
“But we’ll have to wait for the council to decide if they are willing to give those back to us either,” she snapped.
“Some of it. This place, where the main compound stood and the castle grounds, plus some of the surrounding lands, will be returned to you immediately. Some of the outlying lands were headed to other clans along with their land that was held adjacent. Those are the ones in question.”
“Weren’t these main portions of the land given to those same clans?”
“Yes, but the bulk of them went to my clan and a few others that played a key role in the removal of Trill and his men. I’ve spoken with my brothers and the others. They’ve agreed to give you these lands back.”
“Why? Why would they do that? Why would you do that?”
“They did it because the lands were designated to be rebuilt as a shared space for all clans, a reminder of what we can never allow to happen again. They weren’t going to be utilizing them otherwise.”
“And your clan? You?”
“We were once run off our lands and had to take refuge on another continent to survive. While some of the clans around here were weak and willing to answer to Sorley Maguire, he knew that our father would never bow down to him. Had our father not taken us far away, he would have slaughtered us one by one. He picked off most of our clan in their sleep as it was,” he said, feeling the anger seep in, even now.
“I know. I am sorry for what your family lost.”
“I wish I could say the same, but I’m not. I’m glad they are gone, every last one of them. As for the women and children they left behind, I am willing to make an exception and give them a chance. It bodes well for them that they’ve chosen someone from outside the direct family line to lead them. It shows they want a different future.”
“It’s not much of a future though is it? A bunch of unskilled Omegas and their children left with only a burned-out compound and a melted dungeon.”
Ronan paused, something sounding out of place suddenly.
“A melted dungeon? I thought this was the first time you’ve seen the place?”
“It is, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t heard it was destroyed.”
Ronan nodded, but he was still struck by the word she used. “Melted.” It was oddly specific for someone who’d not seen it, and from what he knew, no one in her clan had. Still, there was the possibility that an outside clan had revealed a more exact nature of the destruction. He dismissed it and moved on.
“I’ve talked with my brothers and we’re prepared to help you with reconstruction, at least of the compound. I’m afraid the dungeon is likely a lost cause.”
“Prepared in what way?”
“Financially.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. We’re not a bunch of useless women who need big strong men to take care of us. We’ll manage.”
“I’m sure you would, but you’ll manage faster with help.”
“We don’t want your money.”
“That’s the thing. It’s not our money. It came from the coffers of Clan Maguire,” he told her.
“How did you come about it?”
“The details are not important.”
“They are important to me,” she snapped.
“Okay. Well, let me rephrase. I’m not going to fucking tell you how we came about it. The Maguires were a bunch of shit stains who deserved everything that came to them. I’m sorry that the fallout affected the women and children of their clan, but that’s just the way it goes in our world.”
“Our world. You mean the Alpha world.”
“I mean anyone involved in a shifter clan.”
“No, because women have little choices. We’re traded and treated hardly any better than livestock.”
“I didn’t make the rules.”
“No. You just uphold them.”
“I’m trying to change things. I went to bat for you.”
“I don’t need your favors. We’ll take it from here.”
“Fine. I’ll take you back to the city or wherever you want to go.”
“No thanks. I’m good here. I’ll get myself home.”
“Come on, Maeve. We don’t have to be enemies.”
“Goodbye, Alpha,” she said, turning away dismissively to walk toward the burned-out compound without another word.
“Goodbye, Omega,” he snarled, heading back to his car.