Chapter 17
Tyler's POV
I like to say that I successfully got rid of Alpha, Sullivan, and Brian. Maybe I suddenly remembered the gun that I had in my pocket, if there was one, and I just mistakenly pulled the trigger when it was pointed at their faces. Now that would be a story worth telling, but unfortunately, none of that happened.
Unfortunately, I must mask my annoyance. I stood here in one of the upper rooms with the two men sitting behind a large table. The tension in the air was so suffocating that I could almost touch it. I could really make use of a nice cold M19 right now.
Diego and Alex stood at the doorway like some guards, making them know that they were outnumbered, although I doubt I would make them relinquish any thoughts of doing anything stupid. Like, what the hell would they request for a private meeting with just the three of us in it? That was already threatening to bypass all stupidity checks.
I let out a deep breath and turned to meet them. Since I'm already here with them, I can't exactly walk away, can I? Actually, I could, but we're looking at things from the positive side around here. Not to give you any hopes that I'm going to agree to whatever this might develop into.
"What do you want?" I begin, since no one was going to say anything and the silence was starting to wear on me.
Sullivan cleared his throat. I locked eyes with each of them in turn, my gaze lingering on Brian for a few seconds more than necessary, just to give him the intended glare.
"I know that matters haven't been exactly smooth between the Blu-ray Pack and Mystic Pack," the Alpha began, his fingers crossed on the table.
"And just as well, because he better not put his hopes up," I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't recall that's been a problem for me to solve."
"No, it's not," he agreed. "But I think that at a time like this when weapons are flying about, we should start off by preventing any internal fight between us. This is all of who've been involved, and I don't think it's the best scenario we to start fighting."
He says it like hearing a piece of paper talking because his words don't make any sense and most definitely do not have any effect on me. I just stand there patiently against the wing, waiting for him to stop speaking. Would that ever happen? I thought to myself, already getting bored.
"I seem to recall who started the fight," I said with a yawn. Brian's fingers clenched on the table, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Well, did you forget?" I questioned him with a slight smile now forming on my face once I realized that I am at the upper hand of the query that we are having.
"You know that was necessary, and you know it," he said firmly.
I raised an eyebrow, wondering who the hell gave him the authority to speak.
"Enough!" his father said, smart too because I couldn't have put it any better.
"Better listen to your dad," I say snarkily. He leans back in his seat and turns away. I had a feeling that this meeting wasn't his idea either. Oh well, we were together in that.
"I want us to speak truth, Tyler. I know that you are smart, and you absolutely see I couldn't do it myself to push her away. But it was a little bit of a desire to push her away. The uselessness of a chore at this moment is not going to improve our status in any way."
I let out a sigh. "Don't get it twisted," I said, walking to the table, leaning against it, making my face level with his. "You're the one who declared war if I seem to remember correctly. Just said, and I quote, 'From now on, the Blu-ray Pack is enemies to the Mystic Pack.' How is any of this my fault?"
He - I can tell that he's starting to regret his life choices, and just as much too. "I don't think I'm hearing the full story, so why don't you tell me what's really happening here?" I say. "Start thinking of it now. A lot is simply hanging by a thread. There's way more to the matter than just ABC. Tell me the truth, and I just might consider helping you. You never know."
Sullivan and Brian shared glances. I don't know what they're thinking about, and for my credit, I really don't care.
"You are being threatened, aren't you?" I asked. A deafening silence fills the room once again. I catch Brian's fist clenched under the table.
"This is bullshit!" he rose from the chair, slamming his fist on the table in rage. I raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised by his outrage but not entirely surprised all the same.
"I told it was a bad idea," he said, glaring at his father. "How do we come back to get help from this complete scoundrel?" he demanded.
I remembered to keep my cool; otherwise, I might end up losing it right there and slamming my fist in his face just like I always wanted to do.
"We really expect to get any help from someone who sided with a traitor?" he demanded.
"Watch your tone, young man. I'm sure you still have a lot of years to live," I glare at him, not finding his words the least bit amusing. He looks like he's about to retaliate but thinks better about it and holds his peace. Just as well too.
The Alpha's shoulders sagged. If he kept this up, his humility and feelings in check, then I just might consider giving him the blank check, I reasoned to myself. But Brian, on the other hand, was a total no. He was the one that ordered Lola to be beaten up. He sent his guards at her and made weeks of her life at most every bit a terror for her. That was something that I would never forgive him. That I was not strangling him right now was already saying a lot. He best not push that grace.
"You probably heard about the rogues' attack by the South Side, if you already know about the human weapons," Sullivan began in a grave voice, forcing me to listen.
"I don't recall any of that," I say immediately. And then I recall the words of the elders just a few days ago.
While it was true that the rogues might have attacked us once or twice before, I already sent my men to investigate the attacks. I refuse to believe that it had any global meaning to it. It most definitely did not have anything to do with the Blu-ray Pack, right? However, the look in the Alpha's eyes told me that it was way more than that.
"What is coming, Tyler?" he said, standing up. "And I trust that you are not petty enough to ignore the signs when you see it."
Just as he and Brian get up after him like a fucking lap dog, I glared at the both of them. I watched them leave the room. Diego and Alex enter almost immediately.
I let out a sigh and finally slumped on the shelf, rubbing my temples in frustration. "Damn it," I cursed. Why did all the packs have to come and throw all their burdens at my face? I wasn't some fucking Father Christmas who was going to solve all their problems for them.
"And when they were convinced, I wasn't going to help them, they pull up 'this is going to affect us all.' Stupid sons of—" I cursed under my breath.
"What was that about?" Alex asks like he didn't just hear everything.
"I have no time for these dance games," I say, getting up and walking over to the window patiently. I can hear distant sounds of music coming from the Grand Hall below. The annual gala must have officially begun by now.
"Give me something to drink," I said, waving my hand at Diego. I lean against the window and look down below. The view is overlooking a fountain that is on the ground floor.
Suddenly I remember that Lola is alone in the hall. Damn it, I thought. She must be so uncomfortable right now, all alone. "I have to head back," I say more to myself than anyone else.
My mind already told me that things weren't going too smoothly back in the grand hall. I needed to get to Lola, clear my head... Maybe we could call it a day.
I stood up just as Diego offered me a glass of wine.
"I'll locate the Luna," he offered, leaving the room.
I nodded and pulled out my phone. "Go first," I said to Alex. He looked at me skeptically but nodded, realizing that I probably needed some space.
Once he was gone, I dailed a number and leaned against the wall, waiting for someone to pick.
"The person you're calling is bus..."
I ended the call with a curse as the voicemail began speaking.
Why the hell wasn't the manager picking up?