Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“No imprisonment, no probation, no executioner’s axe hanging over my head. When the alpha council arrives, they will stand with me before all the packs, and give me a full pardon.”
Her expression was unreadable, but her body language wasn’t. She clenched her fist so tight, her claws pierced her palm and stained the table red. “Such a high price for a video you claim to have made, and a mystery person supposedly waiting to release it. How do we know you’re telling the truth?”
I said nothing. Simply took out my phone and hit redial. Lucia picked up on the third ring.
“Oh, what a shame. You’re still alive.”
I bit off a sigh. If Pantsuit didn’t think I was punished, she was wrong. Knowing Lucia for five fucking minutes was punishment I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. “Dear sweet friend, I’ve got a request for proof.”
“Ugh, whatever. Give me a second.”
Pantsuit frowned. “What is—?”
Half a dozen phones trilled, chimed, and rang. I watched their faces while they all pulled them out. Confusion, shock, surprise, and there it was, anger. Their priceless expressions while they watched the video that would be a viral hit within twenty-four hours of hitting cyberspace were everything.
I kicked back, crossing my legs. “As you can see, the video does exist and my associate is ready and willing to unleash it.”
“How did she do that?” Pantsuit demanded. “You don’t know my number.”
I winked. “Exactly.”
Her grip tightened on her phone until her knuckles went white. She was aching to punch my grin out through the back of my skull. “I see,” she gritted. “So, in exchange for not unleashing this video, you want a pardon for your crimes and admittance to the academy? Is that all?” Her voice said that had better be all.
Too bad it wasn’t.
“There’s one more thing. I want on the alpha track.”
Her forehead crumpled. “Excuse me? Why on earth for? You’re a high priestess. What possible purpose would it serve you to do anything other than the priestess track?”
“What purpose would it serve me to do the priestess track?” I replied. “I’m not like the others here. I was raised, trained, and put on the path to high priestess from birth. I know everything and more than my instructors could possibly teach me. If this isn’t going to be a boring waste of my time, I’ll have to study something else.
“Alpha,” I pressed. “It’s not a negotiation.”
Pantsuit’s eyes narrowed. “No. That’s not the reason. You want to join the alpha track because somehow, someway, you discovered that your fates were moved from their safe house and brought to the academy to begin their study.” She punched the table, shooting up. “That’s why you’re here! To kill them!”
The fury in her eyes would’ve boiled my head. “No,” she barked. “Make your threats. Send your videos. You will not be given free rein on my campus to murder my students. Out,” she cried. “OUT!”
I gripped my chair, jaw seizing and clamping down on the pained yowl my wolf almost forced up my throat. An order from an alpha wolf. It was only because I was an epsilon that I could weather it. If I was an omega, I’d have run so fast, there’d be a me-shaped hole in the wall.
“Calm down, woman,” I snapped. “I’m not here to murder anyone—let alone my fucking fates.”
Growling, she scoffed. “Like I’d believe a single word out of your traitorous—”
“1435 Dunston Street, Jasper, New York.”
The rest of her speech died on her lips.
“That’s right.” I slowly peeled my fingers off the chair, sending waves of calm to my wolf. She was starting to get restless—quickening my pulse and making my heart beat faster. “The address to the blessed safe house. I’ve known where my fates were for almost seven months. I even dropped by to peek on them. I didn’t see them but I did see the two measly beta wolves left to guard them.” I shrugged. “If I didn’t take my chance then, why would I try it here on a locked-down campus while they’re surrounded by much stronger allies?”
“Likely for the same reason you killed Castor in much the same circumstances.”
I sighed. “I swear I won’t touch a hair on their chinny-chin-chins. I’ll even swear it on Luame if that’s what it takes.”
A hush fell on the room. Swears to Luame were serious. She didn’t stand for false promises or trickery in her name. Like most of the old gods, she was weaker in this new age. Without the hundreds of thousands of worshippers she once had, she had to sustain herself by living on in her creations.
The werewolves.
But even though she wasn’t at full power, she always had enough strength to punish disrespect.
“I swear on Luame that I will not kill, maim, or harm my chosen fates. Well?” I prompted. “Does that satisfy you? Do we have a deal?”