I think he knows what I’m about to say, because his eyes start to glow again. “He kept saying they had to stick to the plan. It seemed pretty important. And nefarious, I might add.”
“A takeover?” Alpha Toth growls. “Is he planning to attack my pack?”
I shrug. “Could he?”
Alpha Toth glares at the ground and then looks at Rook. “With enough help and no warning, he might be able to pull it off.”
“Or, he could just be planning to take Marie off your hands,” I suggest.
Rooks sighs. “That’s the same thing. If he challenges Peter for Marie, it’s a fight to the death, and the winner inherits the other’s pack. But if he’s plotting in secret, he’s not talking about a fair challenge.”
“Maybe they just want to run away together, like Maya and Daniel did.” I know it’s a bogus suggestion, but I can’t help trying to make him feel better.
“Alphas don’t run off,” Toth says, as if personally offended by my suggestion. “And they never desert their packs. No. Whatever he’s planning, it has to be a takeover. What else is there?”
“He must think he can win, or he wouldn’t dare attempt it,” Rook says.
The two share another long look.
“Could Island Lake and Waterloo be teaming up?” Alpha Toth asks.
“To what end?” Rook shakes his head. “They’re not going to merge packs, and splitting ours wouldn’t give either of them any advantage.”
“You’re right. Day has to be working alone. Rogues?”
Rook nods. “It’s possible. They did pay some to go after Nora.”
Alpha Toth sighs. “We need more information.”
Rook nods. “Where, when, allies, numbers…”
“And whether any of your own pack is involved,” I say.
Both men growl at me for that one. I grimace but stand my ground. “Look, we know Luna Marie is in on it, and Jeffrey seemed really certain at the social that he was going to take over the pack. The way his thoughts were, it was like he was sure. Like he had a specific plan in place.”
Alpha Toth loses his temper again. This time it’s the coffee table that suffers his wrath. His fists come down on it, and the thing gets smashed to smithereens. “Damn it!”
“Easy, Peter,” Rook says, pulling me off the couch and away from the raging shifter. “We’ll get him. We just need to figure out his plan.”
“How are we supposed to do that? I don’t have time to send in a spy, and if they’re in league with rogues already, we won’t be able to hire any ourselves.”
An idea sparks in my mind. “What about me?”
All three men freeze and wait for me to continue. “What if I invite him to my party? I could read him the way I did the people at your social.”
They all think about it. Nick nods and Alpha Toth starts to, but then shakes his head. Rook shakes his as well. “Too suspect,” he decides. “Marie has already told him you’re digging around. They’ll know you’re up to something if you invite him now.”
“But he won’t know what. Marie’s not aware of what my gifts are. They’d never know I can pick the thoughts right out of their heads.”
“What if we invite all three pack alphas?” Nick suggests. He meets the gazes of Rook and Alpha Toth before continuing. “If we invite you, Axel, and Lucian of the Waterloo pack, you’ll show for sure, and there’s no reason for Lucian not to show.”
Alpha Toth’s eyes light up. “There’s no way Axel would miss it if Lucian and I were both going. His pride wouldn’t allow it.”
“Plus, it makes sense to invite you all. I mean, Cecile is inviting all the vampire clan leaders and prominent fey. She may have already added you all to the guest list. I’ll invite the lunas and betas, too, and then maybe we can see what Jeffrey knows.”
Nick, Alpha Toth, and Rook all fall silent, each thinking about this plan. The wheels turn in each of their minds as they run through the pros, cons, logistics, risks, and so on. “Works for me,” Nick says.
Rook nods, too, and they both look to Alpha Toth. He hesitates. “Are you sure you don’t mind?” he asks me. “It’s your party, after all. And it could be dangerous.”
I snort. “It’s Cecile’s party. I’m just required to show up. Having a case to work on will make it interesting. And I’m already in danger. Marie wants me out of the picture. The sooner we stop her and Axel, the sooner I’ll be safe.”
Alpha Toth sighs. “All right.” His demeanor changes in an instant, turning very somber. “Thank you, Nora. My pack is indebted to you in a way we might never be able to repay.”
Oh man, again with the gratitude. “It’s all good, alpha man. I’m happy to help.” I rub my hands together and grin. “Okay, then. Let’s go party and catch us some cheating lovers.”
I’m sitting at the bar in Underworld while Cecile and a team of people get ready for the party. My party, I guess, though it feels more like Cecile’s since she’s done everything to organize it.
The DJ stand is gone for the evening, and in its place on the stage a band of faeries is setting up musical instruments. The dance floor is covered with red rose petals, and the whole room glows faintly from hundreds of magically burning candles. She’s even had large white columns brought in and placed around the edges of the room, making the place feel like some kind of ancient Greek palace. She’s really outdone herself.
My mouth falls open when her sorcerer friend turns the ceiling of the club into a clear night sky. I blink up at what appears to be an endless sea of stars and a beautiful full moon. “Wow.”
Beside me, Oliver chuckles. “Pretty cool, huh?”
I shake my head, amazed. “It’s beautiful. And it looks so real.”
Oliver smirks. “That’s the point of the illusion.”
I just can’t believe what I’m seeing. “Magic is cool.” I nudge his shoulder playfully and say, “It’s probably a good thing you don’t use magic. I’d make you hate me, asking you to do tricks for me all the time.”
Oliver laughs, but then clears his throat. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to tell you that I’ve started seeing a therapist about that.”
I peel my gaze away from the sky and look at Oliver. “Really?”
Ollie nods. “Remember back when we were trying to find those missing underworlders, and you got into a fight with Gorgeous about me not using my magic?”
“I wouldn’t call it a fight.”
Oliver’s look turns wry. “An argument, then.”
I concede to that one with a small smirk. “Okay, yes, I remember.”
Oliver’s smile vanishes, and he looks at his lap as he shrugs his shoulders once. “I’d never considered that it might be some kind of post traumatic stress that was keeping me from using my magic. Or, at least, not that it was something treatable. You mentioned you’d gone to therapy after it happened, and I figured it couldn’t hurt. Director West knows a werewolf who works as a therapist for shifters who refuse to shift because they’ve lost control in their animal form, or had traumatic experiences. She figured I’m not a shifter, but the problem is basically the same.”
Oliver looks strangely vulnerable right now, so I place my hand on his thigh and lean my head on his shoulder. “And how’s it going?”
Oliver wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me tightly to him without touching any of my skin. “I’ve only had a few appointments with her so far, but I’m hopeful.”
I give his thigh a pat. “I’m sure you’ll get there. You’ll be the most badass sorcerer in the Midwest in no time.”
Oliver chuckles again, shaking his head softly. His hug grows tighter, but instead of pulling away from him, I soak up the physical affection with a sigh of contentment. It’s getting easier for me to touch Oliver. He’s so understanding and considerate of my condition. For some reason, my curse doesn’t affect him the same way it does others. It’s almost like his he’s not affected, and just cares about me like a normal person would. I don’t understand it, but I trust him not to lose control and hurt me the way others have done in my past.