A Council of Betrayal

by Kim Schubert

  “Actually, I’d like to discuss a business opportunity with you,” she began.

  My mouth hung open and Logan turned, raising an eyebrow.

  “Um, what opportunity would that be?” I asked, moving aside from the table with my full plate.

  Logan and Hudson followed me closely.

  “I’m aware of your dance establishment, Kitten, and I’m opening a similar business venue. It’s a hotel, and the rooms are magically charged to enhance a couple’s pleasure.”

  My eyes widened. “That’s kinda brilliant, but it would need to be well controlled.”

  She smiled under my unintentional praise. She was a witch, and I had no love for that brand of Supernatural after my run in with Destiny and her brand of crazy. I couldn’t help but agree, though, it was a good idea. I kinda wish I had thought of it myself.

  “Our grand opening is Thursday. I was hopeful you would be able to attend. If you like what you see, I’d love to discuss teaming up to build a location in St. Ann.”

  I nodded, “I’d like that.” I wasn’t averse to branching out to additional sources of income. Jerry would be an excellent choice to manage it.

  She pulled a business card from her pocket. “I’m Gretchen.”

  I took the card and muttered, “Olivia.” Shit, was I supposed to be carrying business cards around?

  “I know who you are. After the trouble with Destiny, I think everyone does.” She smiled and I groaned. “Do you have any free time Thursday?” she asked.

  I turned to Logan with a shrug. “Do I?”

  Logan gave me a half smile. “Yes, we have time around 11 p.m.”

  “Wonderful, I’ll text you the address,” Gretchen beamed as Logan handed her his card.

  I turned and Logan walked next to me. “So, branching out into brothels?

  “Hmm, hotels, I believe. Enhanced hotels. But for you, Logan, I’ll throw in company if you can’t find your own.” I winked, smirking at my own joke.

  I wanted to call him Kitty. Since Becky had outed me about calling him that behind his back, I found immense joy in it. However, he had made it very clear that I was not to do that in public. Besides, I didn’t really feel like having to get into yet another fight this early. The day was young, it would happen.

  Hudson covered his laugh in a cough when Logan sent him a glare. I shrugged, digging into breakfast.

  I hadn’t forgotten Grams’s betrayal, but this public setting was not the time to confront her.

  “Okay, Logan, what’s on the schedule for today?” I turned to him, sipping coffee.

  “Hudson, get her a to-go cup,” Logan asked, as my cup was pulled from my hands.

  I huffed, “You are all fucking lucky I am tired.”

  Logan nodded, checking his phone. He laughed, not looking at me. “Actually, this needs to be a surprise.”

  Hudson slipped the coffee back into my waiting hand. I glared at him. “Logan, I do not like surprises.”

  He slipped a hand behind my back, guiding me.

  I grunted, following his lead.

  …

  The day and evening passed quickly. Logan and I met with the European packs, and while everyone had been introduced to me, I wasn’t remembering names, aside from Hudson. He was much-needed comic relief amid the veiled threats and fake smiles.

  I cracked my back while waiting in our suite for Grams. Logan had checked her schedule; she would be coming back. I shouldn’t have been there, but didn’t care for the hair and nail appointment she had made for me. I let Jerry go instead.

  “You sure about confronting her now?” Logan asked around a mouthful of rice as he sat on the couch.

  “Yes,” I told him yet again, crunching down on a delicious bowlful of fake orange chicken. I had expected tofu, but the fake chicken was actually deep fried cauliflower. “Leaving things to fester has never been my style.” I was on the floor, sitting in front of the glass coffee table.

  “How did you meet Grams, anyway?” he asked, picking up a piece of my cauliflower.

  “It’s good,” I told him. He popped the bite in his mouth, making a disgusted face. “I was stealing a car after…” I hesitated. How much was I telling Logan? I had told Blake too much. I needed to be careful.

  He reached out, resting a large hand on the back of my neck, his thumb rubbing circles under my ear. “You can trust me, Olie, if you want to.”

  Setting down my dinner I turned to face him, meeting his caramel gaze. He didn’t remove his hand when I turned, letting his calloused palm rest against my neck.

  Was I capable of trusting him?

  My mouth decided before my brain could catch up.

  “I was running for my life. She was with this guy out on a deserted road and I needed their car,” I began, letting the memory swallow me in…

  “Four, leave me,” Seven grunted softly.

  “Fuck you,” I replied, keeping my body low in the dense underbrush. I had just blown up everything we had known. If the whiny bitch thought I was losing her as well, she was delusional. “Stay here.”

  The truck had been parked here for twenty minutes. I didn’t know why they were out here, but I was fairly certain I would have to kill them both. Staying crouched, I waited a moment, reaching up to rest my hand on the door handle of the truck. Lord Master was always trying to get me to remember makes, models and years. I never could. I found it useless information.

  The sound of crying had me tilting my head, confused. “Please don’t kill me,” whispered a female voice. My gaze jerked up. I should let the murder happen, it would mean only one person I had to kill, but I didn’t. Flinging the door open, I pulled the heavyset man off of her and out onto the ground.

  The woman screamed. “What the hell?” the man asked, taking in my bloodied and soot covered exterior. I wasted no time snapping his neck. He was only human, after all.

  I turned to the woman, who was pulling her clothing on. She looked at me with wary gray eyes. “What do you want?”

  “The truck,” I replied calmly.

  “He dead?” she asked, calmly finishing dressing.

  “Yes,” I answered, narrowing my eyes. “Why aren’t you upset?”

  She laughed, pulling her tangled hair back. “I’m going to guess you ain’t from around here.”

  “I am not.”

  She nodded. “Look, I need a ride out of here. I can drive you somewhere relatively safe and you can have the car from there.”

  “I have a friend who is in need of medical attention.”

  “A hospital?” she asked.

  “No, I’d prefer private help.”

  She nodded. “I know of a guy, but he ain’t cheap.”

  “I can handle the payment. Wait here.”

  It was a gamble, but what other option did I have? Drag her out of the vehicle and drag Seven back? It was a gamble that paid off. She started the truck and I covered Seven with a thick, dirty blanket.

  Shaking my head, I pulled myself back to the present. “Wow,” Logan muttered.

  “From there I built my empire.” I smiled on the last word.

  He raised his plastic cup. “To your empire! But why share everything with her?”

  “I never dreamed she’d betray me. She was the one stable thing I had going. Besides, if I was ever killed, I didn’t want there to be any problems with her taking care of the kids. “

  We finished eating in silence after my confession.

  Logan stood. “I have to get changed for The Cages.”

  “Wait, you never told me who you wanted to take over the East as Alpha?”

  “Alec.” He watched me closely.

  “Yeah, I think he’s the best replacement for Darren.”

  “Good. We will announce it soon.”

  “What are the cages?” I asked.

  He stretched. “It’s a way for the more violent Supernaturals to blow off steam in a semi-controlled environment. It is, however, very dangerous and I do not want you going in there.”

 
He was spared my retort by the door opening and Grams’s laughter following it.

  “Twenty minutes,” Logan told me before leaving.

  I heard Grams greet Logan with surprise before turning the corner and finding me.

  “We need to talk,” I told her disappointedly.

  “What about?” She waved her ensemble away for this conversation.

  “Did you know Hash would be here?”

  She sighed, taking her scarf and shoes off before turning back to me. “Yes.”

  I clenched my jaw shut and my hands together, trying to keep my anger under control. “Why did you keep it from me?”

  She shrugged, “I knew it would only upset you.”

  “I have a right to know what you have been up to,” I gritted out, not mentioning the tapes I had watched.

  She laughed, hauntingly. “I take care of the children, run your businesses, manage the Supernatural Council, and you want to know what I have been up to? That would imply you care about any of the above.”

  “How fucking dare you,” I hissed, standing up. “They are all important to me. I trust you to handle things in my absence, but if you cannot, I will find a replacement.”

  That pissed her off. She turned, pointing a finger at me, “No one else could possibly put up with your shit and handle all the prissy succubi as well as I do.”

  “Everyone is replaceable.” Then, my eyes narrowing at her, “You would do well to remember that.”

  I turned away from her, not liking the way this was going at such an important juncture, or the way I kept screwing it up. I just needed her to be honest with me, honest about Hash, about her concerns for her safety. I could—I would forgive all that had happened, if she would just tell me the truth. But I had a meeting to keep, and at this point I might end up in the cages.

  Jerry was waiting for me in my room, an outfit laid out. He rested his chin between his thumb and first finger.

  “I’m not sure about tonight’s outfit,” he admitted.

  I swallowed my anger; it wasn’t with him. “Why?” I asked, coming to stand over his shoulder.

  High-waisted white shorts were paired with a navy blue crop top, but my favorites were the knee-high boots.

  “These are hot,” I admired them, eyeing the flat heels.

  I dressed quickly, with Jerry and Mark waiting to escort me to Logan’s room. In the extra five minutes we had, Jerry smeared more makeup on me and pinned up my still dark brown locks into an artful mess.

  I was admiring my boots and the very neat hiding places they had for my knives when Logan, Hudson and Alec entered, surprising me. I turned my attention to them, smiling.

  “How did it go with Grams?” Logan asked me, coming to walk next to me.

  I groaned, “Not well.” I was closed-lipped, not giving away any more. The walls had ears.

  He nodded and we all piled into the elevator together.

  “Those shorts are hot, Olivia,” Hudson stated, admiring my long legs.

  “Jerry picked them. I have zero sense of style.”

  “That’s true,” Alec confirmed.

  “Although it doesn’t have pockets for my phone,” I muttered, holding up the object to Logan. He stored it in his pocket with a small smile, his warm fingers brushing my own.

  …

  The ride went quickly, all of us listening to Hudson and Logan talk about their past exploits. Logan was far older than I had originally thought. Like World War I old.

  The noise level surprised me when we arrived. I could hear it from the street as we forced our way between pack bodies into the huge building. I locked my arms around Logan’s waist, not wanting to get lost. Finally making it into the main rooms, I was taken aback by the raw needs flooding the space.

  “Whoa,” I muttered, leaning heavily on Logan.

  “You alright?” he asked, turning and resting an arm around my shoulders.

  I nodded, stepping back, bracing myself. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “What?” Hudson asked. “I figured after your sex tape, open displays of sex wouldn’t bother you.” He was watching closely the two naked women in the corner.

  I shook my head. “It’s not what is happening, it’s the emotions underneath it all. I’ve never felt anything as desperate before.”

  Jerry and Mark surveyed the group. “Where is Alec?” Mark asked.

  “Shit,” Logan hissed, grabbing my hand and towing me after him. “I fucking told him not to do this.”

  “Do what?” I yelled at him over the uncomfortably loud music.

  We moved into an auditorium and at the bottom was Alec, facing off against two opponents.

  “Logan, they’re drugged. On the same stuff Bear was,” I whispered to him, moving close.

  He looked down at me in surprise. “How can you tell?”

  I shrugged. “The way they are holding themselves back, the drool, the emotion they are kicking off. All of it is exactly how Bear reacted.”

  “We are still looking for a companion to fight next to Alec!” the announcer boomed.

  “Logan, you have to put someone down there,” I hissed at him, desperate to protect Alec.

  “What would you have me do, show him favor?” He pulled me closer, whispering in my ear. “I am days away from being challenged here.” I felt his anger and his fear in those words as he pressed closer to me.

  My shoulders lost some of their resistance at his heat. I pressed my fingers tips against his chest.

  “Watch him,” I told Mark, darting down the stairs and running to the cage door. My shorts snagged on the jagged metal as I skidded to a stop next to Alec.

  “So, any rules I should know about?” I asked, breathless, as the announcer boomed my arrival.

  “Don’t die,” Alec whispered, not looking at me.

  “Got it.”

  The sound of the bell had both shifters across the octagon cage coming at us. The shorter one came at me, fangs extended, mouth open as he aimed for my jugular. Ducking under the attack, I slammed his body into the diamond black metal.

  “What is wrong with them?” Alec yelled at me, raking his claws against his opponents back.

  “They’re drugged. Their beasts are in control and I’m not sure they know what’s going on,” I yelled back. My contender came back at me with a roar, sporting claws to go with those fangs as I watched him shift into a giant panther.

  He was going to die. I almost felt bad about it, almost.

  With a shake of his black head, all human thought fled those piercing yellow eyes. He lunged at me with a roar, his mouth closing around the soft flesh of my thigh. I pulled my weight off the injury as he tried to death shake. Pulling the dagger from my other boot I stabbed down into his brain. The teeth in my thigh tightened and I yanked the dagger up before slamming it home again, feeling the teeth relax.

  I looked up to see Alec finish, bloody with his own kill. The entire crowd was silent for a breath before their insanity ratcheted up a couple notches. The noise was deafening.

  Alec and I turned to the cage door, ignoring the announcer who tried to lift our arms in the air as the victors.

  “Come on, let’s go out the back.” He was sullen. Logan was pissed at us, I had no doubt.

  Limping heavily, I couldn’t take his offered help. I needed to appear strong. We left the insanity and the noise behind, walking out into the cool, quiet alley.

  Alec was slammed against the wall next to me, Logan’s caramel eyes darkening as his lion stared back at us.

  “You could have gotten yourself killed.” His voice was low with restraint.

  Alec properly lowered his eyes.

  “Why would you do such a thing?” Logan hissed, his mouth crowded with his fangs.

  “I wanted to prove I could handle the East territory.”

  Logan slammed the wall next to Alec’s head, releasing him with a spray of concrete.

  “We already think you are ready,” I told him softly.

  Logan turned his attentio
n back to me, his chest heaving.

  “I’m okay,” I told him, crossing my arms over my stomach, keeping weight off my leg.

  “What were you thinking?” he growled at me.

  I lifted my chin defiantly. I sure as shit didn’t need to explain what I did, even if I did want him to carry me to the car.

  “Let’s get moving. We have bigger issues than why I decided to help Alec,” I grunted, stumbling as my weight hit my leg. Biting down hard on my lip, I took another tense step.

  Hudson reached out, swinging my weight easily up into his arms.

  Logan’s growl had him putting me back down. “Well shit, if you ain’t going to—“ I wobbled for a moment, reaching out to balance myself against Alec.

  “Seriously, we do not have time for this. Someone drugged those shifters Alec and I went against.” All eyes riveted to me. “I think—“

  Alec flung me to Logan. My arms windmilled and I stomped hard on my injured leg. Logan in turn shoved me behind him with Jerry. Hudson, Alec and Mark formed our first line of defense.

  “Dammit,” I hissed, pulling my lone dagger from my boot.

  Alec was engaged with two shifters. I peeked around Logan’s broad shoulder, trying to determine if they were on the same drug as the others. From the control in their movements and the lack of their shifter essences in their eyes, I was hopeful that was a no.

  Jerry was chanting softly, his hands building an icy white ball. His hunched shoulder straightened and he looked for an opening. “Mark, down!” he yelled.

  Snapping the neck of his current opponent with deft hands, Mark squatted down, kicking at his next adversary.

  Jerry straightened, raising the ball over his head before blasting the oncoming shifters, mowing them down with the power ball.

  “Wow,” I muttered, impressed at the duration of the magic.

  It cleaved a path through the oncoming attack but it wasn’t enough, as Alec went down to a knee with a groan. Hudson had broken the line formation and was now surrounded.

  “Let’s go,” I told Logan, moving next to him.

  He nodded, cracking his knuckles, his dress shirt straining at the seams as he called upon his lion.

  Show off.

  Without waiting, I moved in between Alec and Mark. Being injured, I needed the extra protection on the sides. Logan stomped past me, helping Hudson clear off the shifters attached to his back.