Cullen cleared his throat and looked at Cadifor who nodded his unspoken permission to speak freely. “Knowing Jenna, she’d have no use for werecats. She’d also have no desire to make anything stronger than her. She wants to take up where her father left off, in her own warped way. If she has the books and Rafe’s notes and has kidnapped a group of people capable of making use of them, and she’s doing something with dire wolves. I’d say she was looking for a way to increase her own power.” He looked at Cadifor who was already coming round to the conclusion that Cullen had reasoned out and was starting to take on that pissed appearance again. “My guess is she’s trying to get them to make her into something more physically powerful than she is. Then she’d be able to hold her position against anyone in the pack. Question is if she will stop there.”
Cadifor growled. “An entire Tairneach pack of what? Dire lycans?”
“That’s what Aislinn suggested,” Cullen said.
Cadifor paced away and then back again. He looked over at Nora. “A way to stop this?”
“That depends on how far she has gotten. The men and women missing are more than capable of doing what is suggested. Traditionally it takes time and patience to create a were. However, Rafe seems to have found a way to shorten the process.”
Cullen growled. “He wanted the stone circle for that. So does that mean Jenna’s invading now?”
Nora considered for a moment. “He used the ley lines to turn himself. Imbuing yourself with great power is a dangerous process. With the ley lines Jenna’s process could be made less painful or she could be made stronger. But as long as she’s using someone else to turn her it’s not necessary. I don’t believe the men and women who have been taken to help her will volunteer information. But if she asks about the ley lines they won’t lie to her. It would make it easier and safer to do. It also depends on what exactly she wants and how well they were able to adjust the compound creation to work from bone dust instead of blood. That makes matters more complex and increases the risk to the. But she’s collected the correct people to accomplish it.”
Cullen looked at Cadifor. “You keep Jenna here. I’ll take my men to the Tairneach manor and get the muin books before she accomplishes whatever she’s doing.”
“No,” Cadifor growled. “I told you nothing that involves the Pack Council. The laws are the only things that keep our power here. Jenna has not technically done anything wrong that we can prove. Kidnapping and theft aren’t strong enough reasons for the Pack Council to become directly involved. All we have is innuendo and guess work based on visions and druids. Imagine the justification given to the alphas and how they’ll take it if the Tairneach clan is disbanded and handed over to the Arnauk because we though Jenna Tairneach might be doing something that might result in her attacking someone else,” Cadifor ranted.
Nora shook her head. “My friend if you wait for her to do what you think is happening there will be death instead of explanation. What’s worse is that her actions will have sparked the imaginations with ideas that have long since been buried so deep no one considers them possible. There truly is nothing more dangerous than a mind open to infinite possibility when mingled with untempered ambition.”
Cullen rolled his eyes and walked away from them. He was more concerned with the immediate threat posed to his pack if Jenna turned the Tairneach into horror movie lycans and released them on his territory. “I’m not just going to sit and wait for her to hang herself. Jenna’s not stupid enough to go without a plan. If we keep waiting then the Arnauk will be destroyed and that will be the Pack Council’s justification for involvement. Don’t ask me to allow that Cadifor. You know I won’t. She made veiled threats already. The only reason she worked with me to kill Rafe was because it was to her advantage. But her original reason for teaming up with him was because she believed he would be able to set her up to take me out. She doesn’t just want to be Tarirneach alpha. She’s out to prove that she deserves to be. And for whatever reason she’s targeted me and my pack as her means to that end.”
Cadifor growled. He agreed with Cullen. But there would be no convincing the Council of this.
“Perhaps,” Nora suggested. “The solution is to plan for the worst.”
Cullen glared at her. “I’ll not run and hide either druid. Brinah tried that one already.”
Nora smiled at him. “I’m too old and have known too many lycans to think that you’d be willing to hide anywhere. No. I’m suggesting that the Arnauk prepare for war if you believe one is coming.”
Cullen looked at Cadifor and then shook his head. “The only way to prepare for an army of lycans who were already my equal and may now be double or triple in strength would be to double or triple my numbers. I can’t import reinforcements from other packs without Pack Council approval.” He snarled at Cadifor.
Cadifor’s eyes lite up like fire and he began laughing. Cullen growled at him. “I don’t get the joke.”
“Don’t be so single minded my friend,” Cadifor said with a wicked grin. “No you can’t bring in reinforcements without Council approval. And you’ll never get approval for war footing on the grounds that we have. But you can invite other packs to a mating ceremony. Considering you’re about to mate to a druid and we are encouraging diplomatic relations, perhaps we can discreetly increase your number. We import people to stay on the reservation in anticipation of the ceremony. I don’t think Jenna would be fool enough to attack if she knows what we’ve done. But we don’t have to invite the Tairneach. Then when she chooses her moment or if we provoke one, you’ll have the men you need available.”
Cullen was still considering the plan. “Do you truly believe we could triple my pack number without her finding out?”
Nora placed a hand on Cullen’s arm. “There are ways of keeping people from finding things out.”
“I don’t think Aislinn will like this,” he said.
Cadifor started laughing again. “You truly are gone over that woman. I never thought I’d see the day.” He ran his hand through his hair and grinned. “This is going to be interesting. I can’t wait to taste her.”
Cadifor smiled wider when Cullen growled possessively. “I think you have enough females to taste around here.”
“Alright, I’ll behave. But for now you and I need to revise your guest list.” Cadifor looked to Nora. “Is there a secret you need to teach us in order to prevent Jenna from finding out what we’re doing?”
Nora chuckled at him. Her smile made her whole face wrinkle. She didn’t appear to do anything but a man with striking blue eyes and an overly efficient look about him appeared from nowhere. He bowed to Nora and then looked to Cullen and Cadifor.
“This,” Nora said, “is Malik. He’ll make sure that the messages and phone calls you make only reach the people who you wish.” Malik nodded to Nora.