Chapter 178


    I start forward, ws and fangs ready to tear him to shreds, but Rykerughing pulls me up short.


    “You think this is funny?” I demand, my fury building to incredible heights.


    “Your misdirected rage is somewhat amusing, yes,” Ryker says, rocking back on his heels.


    He’s totally rxed, no sign of his wolf surfacing, no indication he considers me a threat at all.


    “My rage isn’t misdirected,” I snap at him. “You were there that night. You helped Liam scre w over my


    wife, my mate. She almost died, and for that, you are going to pay.”


    “You think this stops at Liam, or at me?” Ryker asks, holding up a hand, making me pause, “What


    happened that night was the result of ns that run for deeper and have wider reaching consequences


    than just you or your wife.”


    “What are you talking about?” I demand, trying to figure out if this is just Ryker trying to mess with me,


    or he’s actually telling me something of substance. Something I should be worried about.


    “You really think Liam could have done all he did without help?” Ryker asks, and it’s like a needle


    sticking into my skin.


    The thought had crossed my mind-especially with Tobin somehow being involved with Liam-but I’d


    dismissed it, thinking surely it was too far-fetched that Liam’s ns and the whole thing with the Al


    weapons system couldn’t go all the way to the Council.


    The idea that I might be wrong, and this whole thing could be muchrger than I’d wanted to believe


    was slightly terrifying.


    Especially with a missing Al weapons system on the line that had the potential to destroy entire


    countries or wipe out entire poptions.


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    “What do you know?” I demand, thinking I might as well get as much information out of Ryker as I can


    before I spill his entrails.


    Ryker shakes his head, frustration crossing his features.


    “Nothing concrete, not anymore, Dorian and Michail are freezing me out.”


    This surprises me more than anything else.


    “Why would they do that?”


    Ryker returns his gaze to me. “That night in the warehouse, I didn’t agree with what they were doing.


    Old Country Wolves, we have a strong set of traditional values we live and di e by. I felt the dealings


    with Liam and other American wolves was crossing lines into territory that went against those traditions.


    Dorian and Michail disagreed. They believed what we could gain through the agreement was worth


    crossing a few lines. And then Leah arrived, and I saw how she was willing to sacrifice everything for


    her brother when she thought his life was in danger…those are the actions of a true wolf. Pack before


    everything else. I admired


    her…”


    I growl, not liking the way Ryker is talking about my mate.


    However, he only grins.


    “So now they freeze me out,” Ryker continues with a shrug. “But I know something big ising.


    Something that will change the entire fate of wolves and humans alike.”


    “What the hel l is the Council up to?” I demand.


    “Like I said, I don’t know anything concrete, only that it involves some kind of project Liam and his


    father had been working on in


    secret.”


    The Al weapons system


    So the fact it’s missing is wrapped up in all this.


    “Also,” Ryker says after a pause. “I’ve heard the Council aren’t very fond of you these days, with all the


    power you’ve been


    amassing


    I cross my arms, debating what to tell him, beginning to think maybe Ryker isn’t the target my rage


    should have been directed at


    all this time.


    In fact, I’m starting to think the enemy of my enemy is my friend.


    “Someone’s been trying to k ill me for the past few months,” I tell him. “I have my suspicions it might be


    members of the Council. I just don’t know if it’s sanctioned, or if someone is acting independently.”


    Ryker nods, not surprised, and I think he probably already knew, the basta rd.


    “Do you know who’s behind it?” I demand.


    “No, but maybe I can find out,” he replies casually.


    “For a price,” I surmise.


    Ryker grins. “Maybe I’ll do it out of the goodness of my heart.”


    “Except you don’t have one,” I tell him, but instead of being insulted, he simplyughs.


    “Maybe I’ll do it because your wife fascinates me, and I’d ha te to see all that potential snuffed out by


    some greedy wolves who are more interested in lining their own pockets than upholding the old ways


    and ensuring survival for our species.”


    I growl again, even though it’s probably pointless. Ryker is not intimidated by me at all.


    “Watch what you say about my mate, Ryker,” I warn.


    Maybe I’m willing to y ball with him because we have amon goal, but I won’t put up with him


    getting ideas about my


    wife.


    Which reminds me.


    “Tobin has been sniffing around Leah.”


    Ryker’s expression darkens. “Well, we can’t have that now, can we?”


    Clearly, Ryker isn’t a fan of Tobin, and I wonder what the pair got into a fight about when they saw each


    other at the club.


    “Something I need to know about you and Tobin?” I ask, even though I know he probably won’t answer.


    “Maybe,” Ryker replies with a sly grin. “If I decide you need to know, I’ll tell you. Until then, how do you


    feel about an extra pair of eyes on your mate for heightened security?”


    “Why would you offer that?”


    “Because if Tobin is sniffing around her, it’s definitely for a reason, Ryker answers. “And I want to know


    what that reason is.”