“The point is that Keon, you’re strongest, very loyal by the way, wolf fell to my persuasion. I wasn’t in full vamp mode nor did I really even have to try that hard. My vampire is a baby vamp but Silvano. He is king and that boys isn’t just a title. Vampire’s world is a dog eat dog society and to be king in said world you have to be old, strong, and cunning. Your enforcers don’t stand a chance and I won’t allow anyone to die for me!”
“I see your point,” Keon, admitted grudgingly. James’ posture was stiff, his jaw clenched tight, but he remained silent. Tony still looked angry at what she had done.
“Don’t ever do that again,” he demanded to her. “Don’t you ever try to control me or any member of my pack again!” Lily sighed, resisted rolling her eyes only by a fraction. She sat back down next to Greg. “I mean it! I don’t care if you’re trying to prove a point or not. If it happens again…”
“You’ll what? I’m not your pack Tony. I never will be. So what you’ll exile me from your territory?” Lily snapped. “Who said I was going to stay when this is all over in the goddamn first place!” James snapped up straight and growled, his eyes tinted with yellow. She’d deal with James later but for right now… Lily stood up from her chair, slamming her hands on the table.
“You know what Tony. Do nothing. I don’t want your help! Don’t worry I’ll put as much distance between your little pack and myself as I can without actually leaving town. I won’t put any of your precious wolves in danger but stay the hell away from me until either Silvano is dead or I am,” she demanded and stalked out of the room, hoping she’d find her way out.
James watched Lily leave with a mix of panic and fury though the anger was reserved for his alpha, not her. He wanted to get up and follow her, convince her that she needed to stay, but he also had Tony to deal with. If experience told him anything it was that chasing Lily would only make her run faster. So he stayed seated, ignoring the beast’s panic urging to find their mate. She’ll be fine. She’s not going anywhere yet, he assured his beast.
Keon looked over at Tony then at James. He saw that his brother in law understood the message Lily was sending them. “So should I call Andrew over here to take back the alphaship or what,” James asked Tony.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Tony growled at him.
“It means that if you’re going to throw a hissy fit that Lily went puppet master on your ass I’m going to call in Andrew to do what needs to be done,” James told him in a matter of fact tone. Tony’s turned amber as he glared at him, clearly furious.
“Is that a challenge James?” Tony demanded, his hands were gripping the table with a tight-knuckled grip.
“No Tony, it’s a promise. Lily just proved one thing. We’re not prepared for a vampire attack, especially if the attack comes from a vampire king. We all see it but you. Now you can follow down the path of your father and cry about how she just toyed with you or you can do something” James told him.
“Get out,” Tony commanded, his voice stony. James shook his head slowly, disappointed.
“Fine,” James snapped then stood straight. “The way this pack has treated her it’s no wonder she wants nothing to do with us or the pack. I told you if she leaves Tony. I’m leaving with her.”
James left the conference room and out of the meeting hall, hoping he could catch up with Lily. He found her in the parking lot, leaning against the old piece of junk she called a car. “Alright there?” he asked and she shrugged with a sigh.
“You know I’m not a total idiot. There are times I do know what I’m talking about,” she said then shook her head. “I’ve tried talking. I’ve tried to show them… him but nothing! No one will listen! He’ll get his people hurt,” she said, clearly frustrated.
“I know Lily, so does Keon. He’s not mad. He actually got it. It’s just Tony,” James started, but she cut him off.
“Is a complete douche?” Lily offered and he grinned, leaning on the car next to her.
“I was going to say alpha. You can persuade Keon and he sees it, but alphas see that kind of control as a challenge. In his alpha brain, he feels like you challenged him,” James explained. “I know you don’t mean too, but you’re doing it by the way you talk to him. You’re his sister and used to calling him on his bullshit. It’s what sisters do. It’s just when he is with others it sounds like a challenge.”
“I know and that’s why I refuse to consider joining his pack,” Lily told him. “It’s just how I am. I can’t help it. I was just hoping that now with the danger to his pack he’d actually listen,” she said then blew out a breath as another obvious sign that she was frustrated.
“He can’t,” James told her and she looked as if he’d lost his mind. “Seriously he can’t. He’s part animal and when faced with a challenge his animal side kicks in and the part of his brain that processes logic is diminished so even being as rational as possible he still wouldn’t listen.” James finished.
“So what? You’re saying I have to wave a juicy steak in his face for him to listen to me?” She asked and James grinned and laugh.
“No! He’d kill me if you told him that but between us I’d love to see that! What I mean is that you need to try to talk to him in a manner that it doesn’t make him feel challenged.”
“I don’t know if I can do that. It feel likes just existing I challenge alphas,” she replied and he laughed again.
“You and Tony will figure out something. Until then what’s the plan? Tony will keep to his plan of having the enforcers out there looking for the vamp.” He asked, looking over at her.
“People are going to get hurt,” she said in a matter of fact tone. “But I can’t change that so I’ll see what the Aequivalere have cooking.” She pushed off the car when James asked if he could tag along. “Sure, besides I don’t think you’d take no as an answer anyway,” she said in a teasing tone.