Malek snorted but Alexa shrugged, apparently not embarrassed that this conversation was occurring in front of not only the Elders but Reuben and Vanne. “It’s not just that! Okay, maybe I thought about it … Caia and Jae have done pretty well for themselves, and they’re not as pretty as me so I have to conclude that it’s their willingness to fight—”
“An admirable quality but one that I don’t want my daughter to share.” Morgan sighed.
“But I do,” Alexa whined. “Daddy, I feel useless and stupid. But Caia is giving us a chance to do something amazing … something important! This is bigger than finding a mate. This will, like, totally change everything.”
They were all stunned by her sincerity. And as Caia watched Alexa plead with her father, she decided right there and then to start acting like a leader. This was a decision she was taking away from him. Alexa wanted to do this. She deserved the chance to show them all what she could do.
“Then you’re in,” Caia said quietly, and all eyes turned to her.
Alexa’s were bright and for the first time, she threw Caia a genuine smile. “You really mean it?”
“I really mean it.”
“No!” Morgan yelled. “I swear to you, Caia—”
Before Reuben could make that next unmistakable move toward him, Caia was across the room with a speed that surprised her as much as it did them. She stood in front of Reuben facing Morgan down, as much as she could at her diminutive height.
Caia scowled at him and used a little of her magik to force him back from her. She could tell by the widening of his eyes that he felt it. “Alexa wants to fight. She’s a grown-up and it is her decision, not yours. And Reuben’s right … when Lucien and Ryder are absent, then the Elders and I are in charge. Last time I checked, you weren’t either. The Elders have raised no concerns over Alexa’s involvement so that leads me to believe they think she should be allowed to make up her own mind.”
A rumble of grunts from the Elders confirmed that.
“I suggest you swallow that decision gracefully—”
Malek stepped forward, interrupting, “I wan—”
He snarled as Caia pushed him back but she was unimpressed. “Don’t interrupt. Your father said no. You’re still underage, Mal.”
Morgan looked as if he wanted to strangle someone. “You’ll understand when you have your own children, Caia.”
She sighed, trying desperately to hold on to the hard-ass act. “Morgan, if I don’t get enough people to help me fight Marita … we won’t have a future, let alone the possibility of little Caias and Luciens running around underfoot.”
He gazed at her in strained silence and then nodded curtly before leaving the room with his arm around his wife. Malek followed in their wake, disgruntled mumblings trailing him.
Caia turned to face the room. “I feel like I’ve been run over.”
“You handled that like a leader.” Reuben nodded, and she could’ve sworn there was pride in his eyes. Vanne looked sad, and Caia knew he was thinking about Marion. The Elders were a little shell-shocked, but Jae, like Reuben, smiled smugly.
“You kicked ass.”
She felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see Alexa smirking. “Thanks. I mean it. I’m totally pumped to do this.”
Caia glanced over Alexa’s long nails and saw her as a lykan, a strong, lithe black wolf with powerful form. “I have no doubt you can take care of yourself.”
Vanne coughed, drawing back their wandering attention. “As interesting as this little window into pack life has been, I do suggest we get a move on.”
9
Game On
This was it. Caia glanced around at everyone gathered outside Magic Fitness. She couldn’t believe who had turned up to pull through for this coup. Phoebe MacLachlan stood hands akimbo, muttering instructions to three burly male MacLachlans whose faces were pinched with concentration. Alfred Doukas’s eldest son gathered with nine other representatives of the Council’s families, all ready to take on Marita and her soldiers. Their fury crackled around them like the sky before a lightning storm.
As for Pack Errante, Caia had Magnus, Alexa, Jaeden, Christian, Lucia, Aidan, and Irini. The others had been left behind under the protection of Ella, Dimitri, and Morgan. As for Vil and Laila, Caia had sent them both back to hide out at Ryder’s apartment. Reuben and Vanne stood off to the side with their heads together, and Caia watched them suspiciously.
“Something we need to know, boys?” she asked in irritation.
“No.” Reuben shook his head. “Just going over the plan one more time.”
“Everyone knows the plan. You create a distraction in the reception area while Jaeden and I head toward the containment center. You follow when you get the chance. Lykans use their noses to follow our trail, magiks use the lykans to follow their trail. Okay?” She looked around, waiting for a nod of agreement from all.