He was ruini
ng everything.
Damn him.
The son of a bitch was destroying her, and she hadn’t even known it was coming.
She inhaled slowly, her gaze still locked with Jonas’s.
“I suggest we adjourn … ,” Jonas began.
“And I respectfully disagree,” Rhyzan spoke up, causing Jonas to swing toward him as his lip lifted in a snarl. “Director Wyatt, you have consistently upheld Ms. Sinclair’s actions within the Bureau, even when they’ve been questionable more than once.”
“At what time have my actions or any decision I’ve made in my capacity with the Bureau been deemed questionable?” she asked, keeping her tone pleasant, nonconfrontational.
Rhyzan turned to her slowly, that icy gaze piercing. “We can discuss that during a review of your position. We’re here to discuss your mate.”
“Wrong.” Turning back to the Cabinet, she faced them, her gaze sweeping over the members. “This Cabinet was convened to discuss Deputy Director Brannigan’s Petition for Reconsideration. As that matter has been resolved, hopefully to everyone’s satisfaction, then Deputy Director Brannigan can file the proper paperwork to question my mate. Those requests can be sent directly to me, as I am his legal counsel. I will then file my requests and we can begin this farce he seems so determined to play out.”
“Are you in agreement?” Jonas sounded as though the words were grinding from between his teeth as he turned to Brannigan.
“A waste of time,” the Coyote objected, of course. “He’s here now, as are the interrogators. An additional request will be made to question Ms. Sinclair, as she was apparently aware of her sister Kenzi’s location before the transport landed in the desert that night. I’d like to know how.”
Cassie turned, met Brannigan’s gaze and smiled sweetly.
“That one’s easy enough. I’ll answer it now.” She shrugged. “A ghost told me. Any other questions?”
Dislike. It suddenly shimmered in the air around him. Disgust. Why, the deputy director was a shade prejudiced against her. And evidently, he didn’t care much for her flippancy either.
“A ghost told you?” he sneered. “Aren’t you tired of playing that card, Ms. Sinclair? I believe your mate, in his capacity within the Council, informed you of the abduction and transportation of your sister and the other child that night. Just as I believe you’ve conspired with him in the past, especially concerning the minor child who was on that transport.”
“Director Wyatt, your assistant’s about to get an attitude adjustment.” It was Graeme who spoke up, the lazy feline drawl rumbling with menace. “He isn’t even attempting to hide the scent of his distaste or unfounded prejudice. Does that give all Breeds leave to foul the halls with their petty dislikes?”
It was the ultimate form of disrespect among Breeds and considered unacceptable where Breeds gathered together. Even Council Breeds kept that under control whenever they met other Breeds in public.
There was something more in Graeme’s voice, though, something Cassie couldn’t put her finger on, but she could sense it.
“Deputy Director Brannigan, it’s also my understanding”—Graeme leaned forward, lazily playing with the pen he held as he stared down at the Coyote—“that two of the Wolf Breeds at your command were dismissed by Director Wyatt for the same infraction. Is this true?”
“My feelings, or total lack thereof, for Ms. Sinclair, are not the issue. Her disregard for Breed Law, as well as her mate’s, is, though. And must be addressed,” he argued with steely calm.
And he was good, damned good; she had to give him credit. Unfortunately, he really didn’t have a leg to stand on with the Cabinet. They knew her; most there had practically raised her.
“It’s almost my position that the Ruling Cabinet should be convened for this, considering the strong ties Ms. Sinclair has with each of you, and your overwhelming bias toward her,” he finished.
Yeah, he was really good.
“I must admit, I’ve barely met Ms. Sinclair.” Alpha Reever shot her a polite smile before turning back to Brannigan. “And I believe Alpha Parker and Ms. Sinclair have no more than been introduced. Yet I believe we’d agree that your request is outlandish, just as it was my opinion that your petition was. I agreed to hear the case out of disbelief that Wyatt allowed it.”
“And as her alpha, I and my Prima have loudly protested it,” Callan stated as an aside before turning to Coy Delgado.
Coy Del Rey Delgado let a mocking smile twist his lips. “I’m not much of a fan of Ms. Sinclair’s, as it was her argument that separated me from my mate, at my mate’s request, for nearly a year. But even I found the petition, and now this request to ignore protocol, outlandish. If the deputy director wants to interrogate Ms. Sinclair’s mate, then he can file the proper requests. As for interrogating Ms. Sinclair?” He shook his head slowly. “I’d vote against it. Her ability to know things she shouldn’t know, as I understand it, is one she’s had since she was a child. And I rather doubt she conspired with her mate at age nine.”
Each of the Cabinet members was given a chance to weigh in, and each agreed, as she’d known they would. As they spoke, she opened her senses, those instincts she’d always fought before, and allowed the ebb and flow of emotion in the room to drift through her.
Rhyzan was furious. But how could he have expected anything different?
“You know,” Dog finally spoke up, a mocking, condescending drawl that had her gaze jerking around to him. “This is damned interesting.” He took his seat then sat back in his chair rather lazily. “All this protocol and opinion stating.” He turned Rhyzan. “Why don’t you and I settle this like Breeds rather than wasting everyone’s time like this. The last one still standing decides.”