Chapter 188


    Sinir


    I lean over the back of the sofa in my quest suite, my hands closed in white- knuckled fists around the


    frame. My phone is lit up on the table in front of me, Gabriel’s name glowing on the screen. Hugo and


    the ck Alder Alpha, Cahan, stand beside me, looking on with somber expressions. “Talk to me.


    What do we know?”


    “It’s bad, Dom.” The Vanaran King reports. “My spies say that all signs point to utter ruin. Civilians are


    fleeing the territories in droves, and the governments they’re leaving behind are scrambling. The packs


    have all fallen to Damon, and the human regimes are considering extreme action to hold off the


    invasion.”


    “Do they not realize what they’re up against?” I demand. “After all, the upper echelons of government


    have always known the secret, they know h0w far ahead our SOcieties are.”


    “And they’ve been nning contingencies.” My father interjects. “Sovereigns from other continents are


    offering their aid, there’s been talk of employing weapons of mass destruction… of secretboratories


    working for decades on projects inventing next-gen arms capable ofbatting our own. They’ve been


    preparing for this sort of eventuality since day one.”


    “And what have theye up with? Any weapon deadly to shifters will also be lethal to humans.” I


    remind them.


    “From what we can tell, even the best of theirbs haven’te close to matching the sophistication of


    our technology.” Phil!ppe reveals. “They’re at least fifty years behind. But that’s less important than the


    likelihood that they’ll deploy them anyway. Some we can stop and neutralize- others we shield against,


    but there are others still that we cannot defend against once they’ve been deployed, only try to mitigate


    the damage.”


    “Im afraid things are reaching the point where the humans may very well decide to abandon their own


    people left under Damon’s rule, for the sake of taking him out once and for all.” Gabriel cautions,


    answering the second part of my question. “They see them as lost causes, coteral damage.”


    “That’s ?nconscionable.” I snarl. “What kind of leader would contemte k!lling their subjects so


    indiscriminately, as if they’re nothing more than pawns in somerger game?”


    “It’s containment.” E chimes in, her sweet voice shing with the harsh words. “They’re panicking


    and they want to fight fire with fire. Damon isn’t holding back no matter the impact on the shifters under


    his rule, and the humans are being faced with the choice between losing some of their poptions, or


    having the entirety enved.”


    “As we said.” Roger sighs, “things are worse than we ever could have feared.”


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    “Are the pathways out of the continent still open?”


    I inquire, trying to quell my wolf’s rabid energy.


    Are we still able to bring refugees to Vanara?”


    “We need more nes.” Dad replies. “One trip a day isn’t enough anymore, and we need to allocate


    more funding to supporting them once they arrive.”


    “Authorize it.” I order, knowing my voice sounds harsh and biting, but unable to help it. “Has there been


    any word from packs on the other continents? What of the rebellion?”


    “Dom, our spies are reporting all the same intel that Gabriel’s are.” Roger shares, “the rebellion is all


    but in shambles after this… there’s a strong undercurrent of anger and hope among our allies back


    home… they’re eager to fight, but right now our biggest concern is making sure they live to fight


    another day.”


    “We’ve had word from the Veran King.” Gabriel adds, referring to the continent west of Vanara.


    He’s eager to speak with you. Things haven’t devolved to violence there or in Sevka, but the human s


    are in an uproar around the world. They’re anxious about our future.. they’re willing to offer any help


    they can to get this under control.”


    “Thank the Goddess for that.” I breathe, even though I don’t have the first idea how to do such a thìng.


    The only thing thates to mind is inventing a time machine and going back to kit Damon before he


    ever got a chance to put any of his diabolical ns in motion. If I hadn’t been such a noble a.ss we


    could have avoided all this.


    “What are your orders, Alpha?” Phil!ppe inquires, his voice full of belief that I will have some sort of


    answer. I’m grateful for him, but also at a loss.


    “E?” I ask, wishing I could see her. “You know the ways of humans far better than we do. Do you


    have any thoughts?”


    There’s a short pause, and then her silken voice floats up from the device. “People are afraid, and right


    now they see us as their enemies… as monsters from horror films who are all cut from the same cloth


    as Damon. I think the best thing we can do is show them that they aren’t suffering alone. Show them


    that Damon does not reflect all shifters, and that our people don’t want him in power any more than


    they do.” Another pause, and I can imagine my mate’s beautiful face scrunched up in deep thought. “I


    think we should extend our rescue operations to include human civilians.


    Reach out to every state and local government you can to offer aid, whether it’s money or resourcès,


    and publicize it. We need shifter allies, but I think human allies might be even more urgent now.”


    “Well put.” Dad praises, “we need tobine PR with diplomacy and hard line action. This isn’t just our


    fight anymore.”


    “Do it.” I agree. “I trust you all, authorize whatever funds and resources we can, and put out feelers to


    contacts throughout the continent. Forward me any correspondence for approval before sending it out,


    and have our spies start spreading the word on the ground. Half of Damon’s strategy is propaganda


    and fear mongering, we can counter it with a whisper campaign of our own. Don’t let people lose hope,


    don’t let Damon convince them we’re enemies. Print up flyers supporting the rebellion if we need to,


    whatever it takes.”


    There are a few mumbled agreements, and when a hush falls I turn my attention to the person I want to


    speak with most. “Can I have a minute alone with my mate please?” I request, though it’s actually an


    order. I listen as the men on E’s end of the line shuffle out, and wait for the ck Alder Alpha and


    Hugo to leave as well.


    When we’re finally alone, I ask. “How are you holding up, trouble?”


    “I’m a little overwhelmed.” She admits in a soft voice, “I never imagined th?s could happen.”


    “I don’t think any of us believed Damon would be so reckless.” I share, feeling more at ease now that


    we can speak one on one. “I always knew it would be a disaster if he came to power, but I have to


    confess this is so much worse than I feared.” I don’t add that I hate not being able to fix it, because she


    already knows. “I need to see you tonight.”


    “I’ll try my best.” E promises with true longing, as though she wants nothing more herself. “I’ve just


    been so tired with all the summon it nning and the refugees. I’m out the second my head hits the


    pillow.”


    “I know baby.” I sigh, feeling guilty even though I know a dream date wouldfort us both. “I suppose


    I shouldn’t keep you half awake in dreams all night anyway… I just miss you.”


    “I miss you too, so does Rafe.” E rtes, “He asks for you- in his own way – about ten times a day.”


    “Maybe I can record some purrs for you both, so it can feel like I’m there even when I’m not.” I suggest.


    E’s breath catches, and I wonder if she’s been struggling even more than she admits. “I’d love that.”


    “Then it’s done. As soon as we’re off the phone.” I vow, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of


    our call talking about each other and our pup, but knowing there’s still some business left to cover.


    “How are ns for the summit going?”


    “Well, for the most part.” E reports. “Everyone’s looking forward to the ball and Roger is helping me


    n some especially sneaky events to win over the reluctant Alphas. Though we’re going to have to


    reevaluate a few things now.” She pauses, sounding wistful. “And the ck Alder pack?”


    “Alpha Cahan was reluctant to join us this morning.” I say ruefully, “but it seems he’s had a change of


    heart, what with the pact being broken expect the Alphas here are going to be much more motivated to


    help us now, as shifters living among humans are probably going to be looking for an escape – and


    what better ce than the hidden territories?” I nce at the door, recalling the tense conversation I’d


    shared with the ck Alder Alpha Over breakfast. “Vanara is thest ce on earth shifters Can exist


    in secret now, and for the first time in the history of the hidden territories, their own society is at risk


    because of events in the rest of the world. It’s an important wake-up call.”


    “Then maybe some good cane out of all this pain.” E assesses sorrowfully.


    “I hope so.” I agree, wishing I could wrap my arms around her, breathe in her wonderful scent.”But for


    now we just have to wait and see. This is a new world we’re living in, and if we can save it then it will be


    up to us to build a new, hybrid society unlike anything before seen in history.”


    “And if we can’t?” My precious mate squeaks.


    “Im not going to let that happen, E.” I remark firmly. “Il die first.”