I’d ever done anything for the colony that would make them want to sacrifice anything for me. So I wasn’t expecting them to stand up for me personally. I just hoped there were enough first and second-generation mixed-bloods within the alpha families that would ensure the alphas didn’t allow the ruling to go through.
I leaned over to my father. “So what if the majority of the alphas disagree with this ruling?”
“It certainly seems like it doesn’t matter who disagrees.”
“But can they really do that?” When he didn’t say anything, I asked, “So what if they decide the Walker Council now chooses the alpha leaders, that dominant Walker blood no longer has a say?”
“As ridiculous as that sounds, it looks pretty much like they could do that too if they wanted,” said Iain, a cold, hard anger in his voice.
“Then I think the Walker Council has gotten way too powerful if they can stand all the alphas down when and if they want to.”
“We agree, but little can be done about. We’re left with lobbying the current council members to ensure the vote doesn’t go through.” Dad shook his head as if he couldn’t fathom what was happening.
“So one nay will stall the ruling from being ratified?” I asked, curious about the process but fuming at the reality of it all.
Dad nodded, but his eyes were hooded with worry. “But I’m not sure now if they can be stopped.”
“How the hell did it get to this?” A voice at Dad’s back made him swivel around in his seat. A jaguar alpha elder from the north spoke with Dad and Iain in low tones for a few moments.
When he left, I asked, “What was that about”?”
“Just someone as unhappy with this whole situation as we are. Seems the alphas are pulling together on this. It’s not a matter of the bloodline issue any longer. It’s more to do with the fact that the power of the High Council has reached a danger point. The alphas no longer have a strong vote in major decisions. It used to be that we were consulted, that our opinions were taken into strong consideration. But it seems the balance has shifted. Something has changed that we aren’t aware of.”
“Did you even see this coming?”
“I’m afraid we did see this coming.” A voice spoke behind me, and I twisted around to face Justin. “It’s been a point of concern for a number of years, but this ruling is worse than we ever expected. Something has to be done.”
I said nothing, but Dad looked at Justin, his gaze dark with concern. “Are we meeting?” was all he asked.
Justin nodded. “I’ll let you know the details as soon as I hear.”
“Will they want us on board, considering?” Seems the alpha bloodline issue had struck a chord with Dad too.
“Of course, Corin. Don’t even think that the alphas will sideline you on this.” His tone was sharp, as if it annoyed him that Dad had even asked the question.
Dad just nodded and Justin left his seat and walked farther down the line to stop and talk with another alpha family. I scanned the people in the room and for a moment, I was relieved to see that few eyes were on me or any of the other half-bloods with relationship issues.
Until my gaze fell on Michael Waring. He was staring straight at me, caring little if I noticed his attention. The look he gave me didn’t disguise his dislike. The Warings were one family I’d never want to contend with. If you wanted to see entitlement in action, you only had to look at the Waring alphas. They were cougars from Washington and seemed to think their location meant they got to tell everyone else what to do. Most alpha families paid them little attention, and the reality was they had more enemies than friends.
Now Michael, whose father was the reigning alpha of his clan, stared at me with a potent hatred in his eyes. Michael, whose advances I’d deflected just before I’d fled to Chicago. It didn’t make sense though. Why hold a grudge against a half-breed with the new ruling now
I leaned over to my father. “So what if the majority of the alphas disagree with this ruling?”
“It certainly seems like it doesn’t matter who disagrees.”
“But can they really do that?” When he didn’t say anything, I asked, “So what if they decide the Walker Council now chooses the alpha leaders, that dominant Walker blood no longer has a say?”
“As ridiculous as that sounds, it looks pretty much like they could do that too if they wanted,” said Iain, a cold, hard anger in his voice.
“Then I think the Walker Council has gotten way too powerful if they can stand all the alphas down when and if they want to.”
“We agree, but little can be done about. We’re left with lobbying the current council members to ensure the vote doesn’t go through.” Dad shook his head as if he couldn’t fathom what was happening.
“So one nay will stall the ruling from being ratified?” I asked, curious about the process but fuming at the reality of it all.
Dad nodded, but his eyes were hooded with worry. “But I’m not sure now if they can be stopped.”
“How the hell did it get to this?” A voice at Dad’s back made him swivel around in his seat. A jaguar alpha elder from the north spoke with Dad and Iain in low tones for a few moments.
When he left, I asked, “What was that about”?”
“Just someone as unhappy with this whole situation as we are. Seems the alphas are pulling together on this. It’s not a matter of the bloodline issue any longer. It’s more to do with the fact that the power of the High Council has reached a danger point. The alphas no longer have a strong vote in major decisions. It used to be that we were consulted, that our opinions were taken into strong consideration. But it seems the balance has shifted. Something has changed that we aren’t aware of.”
“Did you even see this coming?”
“I’m afraid we did see this coming.” A voice spoke behind me, and I twisted around to face Justin. “It’s been a point of concern for a number of years, but this ruling is worse than we ever expected. Something has to be done.”
I said nothing, but Dad looked at Justin, his gaze dark with concern. “Are we meeting?” was all he asked.
Justin nodded. “I’ll let you know the details as soon as I hear.”
“Will they want us on board, considering?” Seems the alpha bloodline issue had struck a chord with Dad too.
“Of course, Corin. Don’t even think that the alphas will sideline you on this.” His tone was sharp, as if it annoyed him that Dad had even asked the question.
Dad just nodded and Justin left his seat and walked farther down the line to stop and talk with another alpha family. I scanned the people in the room and for a moment, I was relieved to see that few eyes were on me or any of the other half-bloods with relationship issues.
Until my gaze fell on Michael Waring. He was staring straight at me, caring little if I noticed his attention. The look he gave me didn’t disguise his dislike. The Warings were one family I’d never want to contend with. If you wanted to see entitlement in action, you only had to look at the Waring alphas. They were cougars from Washington and seemed to think their location meant they got to tell everyone else what to do. Most alpha families paid them little attention, and the reality was they had more enemies than friends.
Now Michael, whose father was the reigning alpha of his clan, stared at me with a potent hatred in his eyes. Michael, whose advances I’d deflected just before I’d fled to Chicago. It didn’t make sense though. Why hold a grudge against a half-breed with the new ruling now
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