Chapter Seventy Two
“Natalie.”
I stopped just outside the door. He reached me in quick steps.
“I love you, you didn't think I didn't know what those words meant when I said them? When I repeated them?” His forehead met mine and he let out a small breath, squeezing his eyes shut.
“You do not understand that without you, there is no me. I exist simply for you, darling. My love for you extends beyond my control and I have no greater pride in life than knowing that I do not belong to myself, no greater satisfaction than in the knowledge that every piece of me will move at your command. That is how much hold you have over me, Natalie.”
“But what about Lyle?”
“He will come with us. I do not have to choose between you and my son, never.”
My heart swelled with joy.
Nikolai thought I was a blessing to his life, but he had no idea how much of a bigger blessing he was to me — and that I'd only started living the day our paths crossed.
****
“Silviu has taken control of the Dark Wood pack, and the Mystic Hollow pack. He also has received aid from the Icepelt pack.” Luther paused, his eyes running through the small group he was addressing. “He is moving fast, reaching out to packs for alliance, and from what I heard a number of them are considering his offer. Silviu Alden has helped some Alphas in the past and they owe him.”
“Well, we could do the same, right?” Catherine asked, looking around for approval. “Reach out for alliance from equally strong packs.”
“Unfortunately, following the death of the Emerald pack and the tumult that act of violence has plunged the werewolf council, the Night Blood and the Black Tide have been blacklisted by the other packs,” Luther announced.
Kate’s accusing eyes found me.
“We do not need them,” I said. “We have an army of three packs.”
Callan cut me off. “My pack did not become the strongest pack in the world by constantly inserting itself in wars and garnering enemies. This fight with Silviu and Mystic Hollow pack in its entirety can be avoided by simply ignoring your uncle, Natalie.”
“Silviu is assembling armies, do you think he's doing that simply because he is bored? If we don't attack first, he will.”
“Then let him!” Callan said, “The council hasn't decided what judgment to pass yet for the attack and slaying of the head of the council. Do you think going to war with another pack now is the right thing to do?”
I was stunned and when I looked to my family for support, it seemed as though I was the only one that was concerned about Silviu.
“You are not going to side with us?” I asked Callan.
He sighed. “The real question, Natalie, is who is the ‘us’ you speak about? From what I can tell, you are the only one insisting on going to war.”
“Because I know my uncle! Sooner or later, Silviu is going to take advantage of his alliance and attack us. Do you think he has forgotten he has a defect now because of Sophia? Or that Nikolai and I sent his family away forcing them to become rogues? How short of memory do you all think Silviu has, he’ll forget how he was disgraced and how we ruined his well-laid plans?” I laughed. “Or do you think he is so forgiving, he’ll let the rest of the Alden women go?”
Sophia’s expression became downcast as she considered my words. “You might be right.”
“I am right.” I looked from Sophia to Kate to Marilyn and then our mother. “If we don't attack now, we give him ample time to prepare, and when he does, he is going to wipe out the remains of the brother he so despised.”
“Natalie is right, Alpha. You have an upper hand now if the Black Tide pack joins forces, not only will your armies surpass Silviu’s and his current alliances, but you will also have the element of surprise, and therein lies hope for victory.”
“Thank you, Luther,” I said. His eyes met mine and he looked away immediately.
“You haven't said anything, Nikolai,” Callan said, dragging everyone’s attention to Nikolai who had been seated quietly by my side, one of his hands resting on my thigh.
“She’s my Luna,” he said. “She speaks for me.”
I shook my head at him and he smirked in return.
“I mean it.” His voice reached me through the bond. “You are smart, strong, and capable. I trust your judgment and whatever you need, I'll provide it at your command.”
“I need you.” I paused before adding. “... between my legs.“
I couldn't stop the laughter that escaped me when Nikolai’s eyes instantly darkened with lust. Unfortunately, I’d interrupted something Callan had been saying, thereby grabbing everyone’s attention.
“Apologies, please continue.”
“I was saying if we fear that our army might not beat Silviu’s. I could ask for help from the Blood Hound pack, I am friends with a cousin of the Alpha,” Marilyn said, standing upright.
“No,” Nikolai spoke up. “The Blood Hound pack is too wild and unpredictable. We could be inviting trouble by bringing them in.”
“But…”
“Alpha Nikolai is right,” Luther said. “The pack members are unruly, bloodthirsty brutes, they have no moral compass and are barely different from rogues.”
“That is an unfair description. I believe they are better people than we think and if we give them a chance...”
“Alpha Wilder is not a man whose word we can trust,” Nikolai said.
“But we barely know him.”
“That is enough, Marilyn.” I interrupted her. “We are enough and do not need the trouble associated with Alpha Wilder and the Black Hound pack and that is final.”
“Fine!” she said, folding her arms across her chest before leaning back against the wall.
“I'll send word to Williams to gather the Emerald Pack army, Luther will do the same. Until the rest join us, we will begin to devise our strategy, regardless of our advantage of surprise against Silviu, he is still an intelligent man, and let us not forget that he’s had a year to channel his hate against us into planned actions,” I said.
Luther nodded. “I'll get on it,”
I watched him leave the room, the rest of us remained in silence, everyone lost in their own thoughts about what was to come.
“I'm scared,” Marilyn spoke up quietly. “The last time something like this happened, we lost Father and Sephora. Who is it going to be this time?”
And that was the question none of us had answers to because, deep down, we knew that we would be fools to expect a war without casualties.
“The important thing is that Silviu dies,” I said.
“Even at the expense of your life?” Sophia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded.