the conversation he’d just had. Then he answered Mick’s question. “They’re preparing to stage an attack, take out that alliance before it becomes well established.”
“You can’t say they’re not smart.”
Kyle glared him. “Yes, they’re smart. They’re also cowards—getting us, the wolves, the coyotes, even the grizzlies, to do all their dirty work.”
“Then why are we aligning with them?” Mick asked.
Kyle smiled with cold satisfaction. “I have no desire to go rogue. I’ve been promised…certain things.”
Mick nodded, that explanation seeming to be enough for him. Another reason Kyle kept him around—the man didn’t question, just followed blindly. It helped that Kyle had saved Mick from numerous beatings growing up.
He’d been a scrawny, wimpy little kid, late to grow, but Sarai had once told Kyle that Mick would save his life. That had been when she’d first come to his dare as a trusting little girl. No longer though. However, her warning had made him help Mick out as a child. That Mick had grown into a massive cougar and a mean fighter had been an added bonus.
“Andie really messed things up when she killed your father,” Mick commented.
Kyle felt rage boil up inside him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he backhanded the cougar shifter, extending his claws as he did, though deliberately careful to strike with the curved side of the edges. He left three long welts across the man’s face.
“Next time you say her name I turn my hand so the claws catch you with the pointy ends,” Kyle snarled.
Mick covered his face with his hand. “Yes, sir.”
“Leave,” Kyle ordered.
Mick immediately about-faced and left the room. Kyle shook his head. Mick was less than useless when it came to brains, but the man was a brute. More important, he was loyal.
Kyle walked back to the desk and dropped into the seat behind it. He ran a finger over the grain of the very basic wood. With a hiss, he pulled his hand back to discover a long splinter in the pad of his thumb. They hadn’t exactly stuck him in the lap of luxury. At least this was only temporary.
Mick had been wrong about Andie messing things up for him. Sarai had done that.
True, his father, the Alpha of the Carstairs Dare, had been killed by Andie in a direct challenge for rule. Kyle had challenged Jaxon that same day, but when his father had gone down, he’d known he couldn’t win, even if he beat Keller. Not with Andie running his father’s dare. Therefore, he’d run. Better to live and conquer another day.
He knew Sarai had used her powers to orchestrate as much as she could, resulting in his eventual downfall. He’d heard her voice calling from the back of the crowd, subtly letting Andie know she’d win if she fought. Traitorous bitch. She’d pay. Right after he whelped a cub off her. A new little Seer under his complete control. Something his backers desired as well.
Still, as much as he hated both Andie and Sarai, their machinations did accomplish one thing he hadn’t been able to. They’d cleared his father out of his way. As long as Walter Carstairs had lived, Kyle would never have become Alpha.
CHAPTER 10
Zac entered the hotel suite to find it empty. Sarai must’ve decided to go out and explore the city after all. After several days of hanging around the apartment just reading, according to George, she’d obviously needed to get out. Cougars didn’t handle confinement well. They were too solitary and needed too much room for that.
Pulling out his cell phone, he texted George. “Where are you?”
“Down in the gym.”
She’d let the guys get in a workout? That was nice of her. He started walking back toward the elevator.
“What’s Sarai doing?”
“Practicing.”
Zac paused, his eyebrows raised.
“Practicing what?”
“Come see for yourself.”
Zac frowned but headed down to the basement, where the building gym was located. He saw George and Scott first. Neither man was working out. Instead,
“You can’t say they’re not smart.”
Kyle glared him. “Yes, they’re smart. They’re also cowards—getting us, the wolves, the coyotes, even the grizzlies, to do all their dirty work.”
“Then why are we aligning with them?” Mick asked.
Kyle smiled with cold satisfaction. “I have no desire to go rogue. I’ve been promised…certain things.”
Mick nodded, that explanation seeming to be enough for him. Another reason Kyle kept him around—the man didn’t question, just followed blindly. It helped that Kyle had saved Mick from numerous beatings growing up.
He’d been a scrawny, wimpy little kid, late to grow, but Sarai had once told Kyle that Mick would save his life. That had been when she’d first come to his dare as a trusting little girl. No longer though. However, her warning had made him help Mick out as a child. That Mick had grown into a massive cougar and a mean fighter had been an added bonus.
“Andie really messed things up when she killed your father,” Mick commented.
Kyle felt rage boil up inside him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he backhanded the cougar shifter, extending his claws as he did, though deliberately careful to strike with the curved side of the edges. He left three long welts across the man’s face.
“Next time you say her name I turn my hand so the claws catch you with the pointy ends,” Kyle snarled.
Mick covered his face with his hand. “Yes, sir.”
“Leave,” Kyle ordered.
Mick immediately about-faced and left the room. Kyle shook his head. Mick was less than useless when it came to brains, but the man was a brute. More important, he was loyal.
Kyle walked back to the desk and dropped into the seat behind it. He ran a finger over the grain of the very basic wood. With a hiss, he pulled his hand back to discover a long splinter in the pad of his thumb. They hadn’t exactly stuck him in the lap of luxury. At least this was only temporary.
Mick had been wrong about Andie messing things up for him. Sarai had done that.
True, his father, the Alpha of the Carstairs Dare, had been killed by Andie in a direct challenge for rule. Kyle had challenged Jaxon that same day, but when his father had gone down, he’d known he couldn’t win, even if he beat Keller. Not with Andie running his father’s dare. Therefore, he’d run. Better to live and conquer another day.
He knew Sarai had used her powers to orchestrate as much as she could, resulting in his eventual downfall. He’d heard her voice calling from the back of the crowd, subtly letting Andie know she’d win if she fought. Traitorous bitch. She’d pay. Right after he whelped a cub off her. A new little Seer under his complete control. Something his backers desired as well.
Still, as much as he hated both Andie and Sarai, their machinations did accomplish one thing he hadn’t been able to. They’d cleared his father out of his way. As long as Walter Carstairs had lived, Kyle would never have become Alpha.
CHAPTER 10
Zac entered the hotel suite to find it empty. Sarai must’ve decided to go out and explore the city after all. After several days of hanging around the apartment just reading, according to George, she’d obviously needed to get out. Cougars didn’t handle confinement well. They were too solitary and needed too much room for that.
Pulling out his cell phone, he texted George. “Where are you?”
“Down in the gym.”
She’d let the guys get in a workout? That was nice of her. He started walking back toward the elevator.
“What’s Sarai doing?”
“Practicing.”
Zac paused, his eyebrows raised.
“Practicing what?”
“Come see for yourself.”
Zac frowned but headed down to the basement, where the building gym was located. He saw George and Scott first. Neither man was working out. Instead,
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