with tattoos on his neck, is holding up a tablet. Even from a distance, I can see the entire scene is being transmitted to a man with slicked back brown hair and a scar down his cheek.
“Alpha Rourn,” Addie mutters beside me as she presses closer, which makes me realize that like many others who shifted back, we’re both stark naked.
“As you can see,” Hugo drawls, his voice carrying across the lot. “It looks like your shifters have breached our peace treaty, Rourn. They’ve crossed into Pack Aberrant territory without permission and attacked my pack members, unprovoked.”
Hugo’s second-in-command shifts the tablet, allowing the other shifter man to see the mess of broken up fights and injured shifters all over the lot.
“Yes. I see that,” he says with a clipped tone.
Rockhead’s alpha is clearly pissed, but he’s not pissed because his shifters are attacking. No, he knew damn well they were. Hell, he sanctioned it. But he can’t admit that unless he wants a full-blown pack war, which he doesn’t.
Hugo is a damn smart alpha, which means he knows his enemies and how they operate. Alpha Rourn is trying to punish Addie and weaken the Aberrants, but sends small groups to do the jobs, while keeping up fake appearances of an alliance.
He had no intention of acting with honor. He’s hiring humans to do his dirty work, like robbing banks, and he’s doing all of this in order to appear honest and law abiding, while secretly working to rule the entire town. He wants to pretend that his pack members are acting out of order so he can avoid the repercussions. And there would be repercussions, because the leader of all the shifter packs in the continental U.S.—Alpha Leader Lutzo, also happens to be connected on the video call.
Hugo knew that Rockhead’s M.O. was to fight underhanded and dirty. Which is why he planned this to go down this way. We needed proof showing Rockhead shifters attacking Aberrants, which we have, and Alpha Leader Lutzo doesn’t look happy at all.
“What’s the meaning of this, Rockhead Alpha? Are you declaring war on Pack Aberrant?”
“No, sir,” Alpha Rourn grits out through clenched teeth.
“So these Rockhead shifters acted out of orders?” Alpha Leader Lutzo questions with a cock of his brow.
“It would appear so.”
Lutzo’s eyes blaze through the screen. I can almost feel his alpha power just from video alone, which is impossible. But he’s a massive crocodile, with so much alpha power that he was a shoe-in for the job. Shifters need someone strong to lead them, especially in order to lead other alphas, but Lutzo fits the bill.
“Tell me, Alpha Rourn, are you incapable of leading your own pack?” Lutzo asks, his tone even but sharp. “Because if that is the case, I will dissolve you as Rockhead Alpha, and assign someone who can do the job and lead these shifters properly.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Rourn says indignantly.
“Then I suggest you control your shifters. Or I’ll do it for you.” The warning is thick in the air, and the other members of Rockhead shuffle nervously on their feet. The last thing they would want is for a new leader come in, or for their pack to be dissolved.
Alpha Rourn grits his teeth, twin spots of red appearing high on his cheeks. “Rockhead,” he bellows out. “Stand down and get your asses back to our pack land. Now.” Without another word, he disconnects the call, leaving only Alpha Leader Lutzo on the screen.
“Alpha Hugo, it is within your rights to declare war on Pack Rockhead for their attack. What is your decision?”
The Rockhead’s anxiety seems to spike as Hugo takes his time sweeping a level look over them. He lets them bask in their nervousness for a moment. “We are a peaceful pack. If Rockhead agrees to honor their peace treaty, Pack Aberrant will forgive them once for their transgression.”
“A merciful decision,” Lutzo says with a nod. “Very well. I suggest you monitor this situation. Notify me if another unsanctioned attack occurs,” he finishes.
“I will,” Hugo agrees, and the video call ends.
His second hands off the tablet to another shifter, and then crosses his arms to glare at Rockhead while Hugo does the same. “You heard your alpha. Unless you’re going to throw a formal challenge right here, right now without the approval of your alpha, then get off my land,” he thunders. “I’m being lenient this time, but if another Rockhead shifter attacks one of my packmates, I won’t be so lenient