“I don’t get it,” Aislinn said after a while. “I don’t understand why you have no problem telling me all this and no one else seems to think I can handle it.”
Makeda shrugged. “I have nothing to gain or lose by it. The rest of the pack is concerned that they may say or do something wrong. It doesn’t matter if the consequence is that you’d misunderstand and become upset or do something that may upset the alpha. You’re real problem is that Cullen Arnauk is a strong leader and his pack cares for him. They’re trying to not scare you away and they don’t know what will do it. I on the other hand have no concern for his feelings or truly for yours. Mostly I’m fascinated by your reactions to all of it and the fact that you could be here for even a month and still be in the dark.” She grinned in amusement. “There’s something very sexy about your naivety.”
“You always turn things into sex.” Aislinn raised her eyebrows at Makeda. She was growing to like the woman quite a bit.
“After you’ve lived as long as I you find that the only true pleasure in life is pleasure. If you do it right then it’s better than any drug or food or thing you could own,” she stepped up to Aislinn. “It combines control, risk, domination, submission. Can you think of a single thing right now better than what it feels like when you come?”
Aislinn’s breath caught in her throat. Makeda’s eyes sparkled. “See,” she said huskily. “I grew bored with other pursuits a long time ago. I have more than enough money to buy anything else. But there’s nothing quite as exciting as a new conquest,” she grinned at Aislinn. “Especially if she puts up a fight.”
“Fight,” Aislinn said shakily, grabbing onto the last thing Makeda said. Regretting having asked the sex question. “How about some sparing. I’m told I’m not too bad and that I’m supposed to ‘establish my rank’ around here some time soon. There’s a gym in the basement. I really can’t think of anything else to show you up here.”
Makeda smiled. “Alright. Though I may not be comparable to the others around here.” She knew that Aislinn didn’t really know who she was dealing with. There wasn’t a woman who knew her that would have suggested such a thing. But it had been a long time since she had been treated like everyone else and she liked it.
***
Jenna sat at her father’s large mahogany desk. She wasn’t sure what he had always done while he was here but she had never seen him sitting at the desk and not hard at work on something. She fingered the large ruby ring around her neck in frustration.
Maon was having a very difficult time finding out when Cullen’s mating was to take place. She was starting to wonder if he was hiding the date on purpose. Maybe he knew her intent. She just thought it would be fitting for her to destroy him during his mating with the bitch who had ruined her first set of plans. Jenna was firmly convinced that if Aislinn hadn’t come into the picture then Rafe never would have appeared, Cullen would have just sucked it up and mated with her, and Brennus would still be alive.
Seeing Rafe’s death had been healing. But seeing Aislinn destroyed would finish it. Maon knocked on the door and then walked in. He was getting less and less formal with her. Jenna knew full well that none of the pack was taking her seriously and if she was going to keep control she was going to have to act soon. She was also more than aware of the fact that Maon thought her best bet would be to let him mate with her and give over the alpha position to him. He was a definite contender for the position anyway.
“Do you have the list of volunteers,” she asked.
Maon handed her a paper with a couple dozen names on it. There weren’t as many as she would have liked. She took a pen to it and crossed a couple off. She was no fool. There were some men in this pack who didn’t need any more power than they already had. Maon noted the men who were crossed off and smiled. She was definitely a thinker.
“You’re not on the list,” she cooed at him. “I have to ask why?”
“I’d prefer to wait until we’re standing in the stone circle. Though I don’t fear pain. I’d rather the alternative that exists.” Maon watched her eyes. He was judging her reaction. He was coming to the point where he was growing tired of her games and he was considering just taking her and putting her in her place.
She let an amused grin play about her lips. She needed to make the entire pack stronger. But not stronger than she would be. If Maon was turned in the stone circle then he’d be stronger than her, since he was starting out stronger. That might put a dent in her plan if he chose to be difficult. She still needed him. “If there were anyone I would trust that much it would be you,” she cooed at him.
He smiled. He wasn’t stupid enough to think that was a promise. “They don’t know that there is an alternative to what they’ve been shown?”
“As you said. We showed them Devon. They know about what it will do. But they’re all willing to endure the pain for the end result. I will warn you that there are a significant number of our own who don’t like this. They’re saying that Rafe fucked you up and this is proof that you’ve gone mad.” He was blatant. He liked the idea of power as much as the rest. But he knew this would start a war with the Arnauk. There was no guarantee that the Tairneach would survive that. He was concerned that Jenna would destroy the pack before he could his hands on it. The only thing holding him to his current path was the fact that he wanted to mate with her so badly and he wanted her to be willing.
Jenna glared at him. “What right do they have?”
“Anyone can say as he likes. You’re behavior is questionable. You’re not above pack opinion. You haven’t earned their respect yet. You were on your way. The way you helped to deal with Rafe certainly had them all looking at you differently. But most of them have been content to be allies with the Arnauk for centuries. Brennus arranged that. They respected him and his decisions. Starting a war with the Arnauk for no apparent reason has some of them concerned.”
“Anything else,” she asked angrily.
“We’ve managed some word on what’s going on with Arnauk’s mating. I told Terrick that if he gets us what we need to know then I’ll give him access to the ultimate steroid. I promised him that he’d be stronger and faster than Cullen when it was done. He’s suddenly become more helpful. Though it’s still reluctant. When he asked for more details about what I meant I told him he’d find out if I got what I needed. So he told me what was going on at the Madadh-Allaidh Saobhaidh. He’s only giving out information that we probably would manage to get in the long run. But at least we’re getting reports of something. Apparently the Pack Council is turning the Arnauk mating into a circus. They’ve arranged for druids and others to be present due to the fact that the woman he’s taking is one of them and the Council is setting up ties to the Circle.” Maon watched her begin to seethe.
“How is it that the little galla seems to have come out of nowhere and gained more power in her short existence than I’ve been capable of gaining in a lifetime? She’s not even lycan!” Jenna’s eyes were on fire. She couldn’t believe that Aislinn had not only managed to get Cullen Arnauk, but now the Pack Council. Jenna stood up and began pacing back and forth across the office. Her voice took on a deadly calm. “I want her dead. That’s it. So when is the mating?”
“That is still being determined. But soon. They’re already bringing people to the reservation. I know your intent is to disrupt the mating. But with the number of people who will be present that’s looking more difficult. Wouldn’t it be better to go in and make use of the stones when there isn’t an entire army there?”
Jenna glared at him. “What kind of show of power would that be?”