Alpha King’s Wolfless Mate by Scarlett Higgins

Chapter 68

**Nora POV

When I got back from my first shift at the store, Blake was waiting for me. I was later than I meant to be, and I worried for a minute that he would be annoyed with me, but he smiled broadly when he saw me approaching.

“How did it go?”he asked. I could tell from his tonethat he was excited.

I smiled at how sweet it was for him to be so invested in this.“It went great,”I assured him.“I met so many people and I think I might be really good at it. Christian said that I’m a natural, but I think he was just being nice.”

“I’m glad to hear it,”he said. He bent to k*ss mequickly.“Maisi e is waiting for us.”

“Alright,”I said with a sigh.“Thank you for waitingfor me.”

He nodded, then turned and headed toward his office. I followed after him and let my smile fall.

The day did go by well and fast, but I didn’t want to tell him about my fears just yet. What if I couldn’t integrate into the pack, and what if the pack couldn’t accept me for me? Sure, I was known as the Luna, but with the way most of they reacted to me at the store, it was going to take a lot of convincing to prove that I wasn’t someone to be scared of.

As we walked, I tried to rid myself of those thoughts and mentally prepare for the serious conversation that was going to follow. I’d never been involved in tactical discussions before. I was grateful that Blakewas keeping me in the loop, though. This whole situation with his family was confusing and nerve wracking and I didn’t want to be caught off guard by anything.

When we entered the office, Maisi e was sitting on the couch beside the window with a far away look on her face. She looked at us when Blake shut the door behind us.

“I’ve been over all of the papers you provided,”shebegan.“I don’t like it one bit.”

“Neither do I,”Blake agreed as he sat behind hisdesk.“My uncle can’t be trusted.”

I sat in an armchair in front of the desk and looked at Maisie, waiting for her to say more. I wasn’t sure how much I should participate in the conversation, or if I even should at all. It might be better for me to just observe this time, since I didn’t have experience in this kind of tactical planning.

“We’re in a tight spot,” she said.“They’ve taken noaggressive action, but we do have the right to make a move against them given the violation of the terms of exile for Kelly. They are technically harboring a traitorous fugitive. It would be a deeply unpopular move given her position as the Lanecreek Alpha’s bride.”

“I don’t want to risk destabilizing them,” Blakestated.“It’s clear that they’re teetering on the brink of destruction. They put up a good show for our visit, but the state of the packhouse was a dead giveaway. Graham reached out to me out of desperation.”

I was impressed with how observant Blake was. He must have been taking in every de tail when we were in Lanecreek. The place had given me a strangefeeling, but I couldn’t have put my finger on why. Blake’s explanation made perfect sense.

“We have no intel to move on,” Maisi e said.“Wedon’t even know how your uncle managed to survive. By all accounts, he should be dead. Where has he been hiding out? How did he recover? It doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s unfortunate that we don’t have any contacts inLanecreek,”Blake sighed in frustration.“There’s no way to know what shady activities they might be up to.”

“We could place sentinels on the border,”Maisieoffered.“Keeping them under observation would at least give us some warning if they started to make a move.”

Blake shook his head.“No, I won’t risk anyone’s safety like that. He’s not above killing someone he perceives as a threat.”

I chewed at the inside of my l*p as I thought. Blake was right that anyone sent to spy on Lanecreek would be in great danger, but Maisi e was also correct that we needed to keep a better eye on them. There had to be a way to accomplish that without anyone getting hurt.

“I might have an idea,” I said uncertainly.

“What is it?” Blake asked curiously.

“I think we should invite them to dinner,”I began.

Blake balked.“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Hear me out,” I noted.“If we continue to play alongwith Graham and let him think that we’re trying to make amends and repair the relationship between the packs, then it’s a win-win. We can keep a bettereye on them and they might lower their guard and let something sl*p. Plus if Graham is sincere, then we might be able to get him to help us if your uncle does turn on us.”

Blake didn’t look totally convinced, but Maisi e was deep in thought.

“It will give us time, if nothing else,”I added.

“No,”Blake said firmly.“There may still besupporters of his among the pack. We can’t risk him reconnecting with them and conspiring against us. It could be catastrophic.”

“That’s true, but I think she has a point,”Maisieinterjected.“You’ve expelled anyone who was loyal to your uncle during his takeover from the castle. I don’t think that anyone is left, and if there is anyone among the staff, the rest of the staff would surely notice any odd behavior and report them. If we let your uncle think that his schemes are working, then there’s a better chance they’ll get sloppy and tip their hand.”

“Absolutely not,” he growled.“I will not have thattraitorous bastard anywhere near this castle again!”

I leaned forward and took his hand in mine.“I know that being near him is difficult,”I started.“That’s exactly why we have to stay close to him. We can keep a better eye on him that way.”

Blake still refused.“No. We’ll find another way.”

“Sir, I think the Luna is right. This may be thelowest risk option,”Maisi e chimed in.

Blake’s eyes flashed with rage and he stood suddenly, sending his chair clattering back against the wall. Maisi e didn’t seem phased by his suddenmovement, she just watched him storm out of the room.

I, on the other hand, was surprised by the quick display of temper. Blake hadn’t gotten angry like this in a long time. I looked at Maisi e questioningly. She just shook her head and sighed.

I went out into the hallway to look for Blake and was surprised to find him leaning against the wall with his face in his hands. He was rubbing the bridge of his nose and muttering under his breath.

“Blake,”I started softly. He fell silent and droppedhis hand, but didn’t look at me.“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

He looked defeated and it broke my heart. I’d never seen him like this. When he finally looked at me, his eyes were bright with emotion.

“I won’t risk my home again,” he said firmly.“Thatman has caused enough pain. I won’t give him the opportunity to do it again. He’s a snake, he can’t be trusted. I know that he’s trying to pull something and I will not let him get away with it!”

I was shocked by the heat in Blake’s voice. He was furious. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After a moment, he seemed to collect himself.

“I won’t let him hurt anyone else. If there had beenany indication that he wasn’t really dead, I would have tracked him down and finished what he started. It’s too late for that now, I can’t kill the man in cold blood…”

“But you think that’s what he deserves?” I askedsoftly.

“… yes.” Blake looked slightly ashamed as headmitted it.

I nodded. I still didn’t know the full extent of what had happened, but I knew that people had been hurt. Blake loved his pack more than anything and to see them betrayed by someone that he trusted must have been extremely painful for him.

I pulled him into my arms and after a brief hesitation he relaxed into the hug. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close.

“I don’t like that he brings this out in me,” he saidsoftly.

“I understand,”I replied.

He pulled back enough to look me in the eyes. “Your idea is solid,” he finally noted.“I think that it’sthe safest option, but I hate that we have to play their game.”

“It’s temporary,”I assured him.“We’re just givingthem enough rope to hang themselves.”

Blake took a moment to consider my words, then a small smile crossed his l*ps.“You’re clever,”he said. “My brilliant Luna.”