Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Plan

Rose

The half-healed claw marks spanning his otherwise unblemished cheek make my bloodless skin crawl. I struggle to hold back my rage as he sits across from me, his demeanor serious. He’s here for business, not pleasure, much to my displeasure.

“I can hear your mind stewing.”

“I want to kill her,” I tell him. “The challenge can’t come soon enough.”

“We haven’t decided that we’re going to kill her, Rose,” he warns gently. “Margaery is still pretty dead set on keeping her alive.”

“That seems impossible at this point, given her enhanced powers and probable connection to the Night God.”

“Margaery will need more proof of that before she’s convinced,” Asher replies, leaning his other cheek on his fist. “I don’t want to kill her sister unless she’s alright with it, even if it is an error. We can’t betray our own.”

“I understand,” I grunt, still upset about it. “Anyways, it seems that you aren’t here on a social visit.”

He smiles, reaching across the table to stroke my hand lovingly. “I’m always here on a social visit when it comes to you,” he replies. “But we do have important things to discuss before we can relax. I also don’t have much time. Gen will be out of the house for a few hours. She’s probably meeting with some of her allies to do some damage control.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“I’ve been thinking about what happens after the challenge,” he explains. “This all depends on the idea that you win, but it’s worth discussing since we don’t want to be caught with our pants down if all goes well.”

“You mean that I, a vampire, would technically be in charge of a wolf pack?” I ask, chuckling.

“Yeah,” he replies with a short laugh. “Sounds a bit absurd, and people will view it as such. Including your Clan.”

“I know,” I reply, groaning as I lean back, scratching my scalp. “I’ve spent some time thinking about this, too. You’ll still be the Alpha of your Pack since we are mates, but I’m not sure how it’ll work if I maintain my title for the Clan. Will we rule our factions separately but also be together?”

“That’s if they accept us being together,” he adds. “That’s a hurdle we’ll have to jump.”

“I think your pack will be more on board since I’ll be the one to free them from a dictator,” I reply. “That might be what we need for them to overlook me being a vampire. Plus, me handing the title over to you rather than keeping it for myself will be a gesture they’ll respect.”

“This is true. I think you’re right. Your Clan will be tricky, though, because all they know of me is that I’m the spineless mate of a madwoman.”

“You’re not spineless.”

“I’m not saying I am, but that is what people think of me. True or not.”

I bite my lip, knowing this is true. So, how do we overcome it?

“I think you have to talk to your Council and tell them the truth about what’s happening,” he suggests.

“That’s a terrible idea!”

“Doing it with them in the dark’ll make things much harder on you.”

“But what if they spill the beans?”

“To help a woman they all despise?” He asks, arching his brow. “Plus, I trust your powers of persuasion.”

“I’ll need to make it sound like it’s going to help us,” I reply, stroking my chin. “Like me, challenging Gen isn’t just to help you but also to help us. We have the angle that she’s amassing an enormous amount of power from dark magic, which could be used against us after she rolls through River Run. Plus, we’d be part of that war after declaring ourselves allies of River Run. She’s a danger to our Pack and needs to be eliminated, and they’ll easily agree with that. But being mates with you? Being your Luna? I don’t see how I could spin that as being beneficial to them.”

“My Pack and your Clan would have a permanent alliance,” he counters. “That’s good.”

“Not when your Pack has such a terrible reputation at the moment. Especially if Gen goes through with an attack before we challenge her.”

“Hmm,” he huffs, both of us sitting silently as we think.

Then, my eyes light up, my posture straightening.

“Oh,” I announce. “Oh! Oh!”

“What?” He asks, matching my posture.

“It’s risky, but I think I’ve got it,” I tell him. “I need to contact Victor to get a Council meeting together ASAP. When will you be available to meet again?”

“What’s your idea, Rose?”

My mind is buzzing as I pull out my phone and text Victor. Before the meeting, I’ll have to brief him on my plan so he isn’t blindsided. He may disagree with it at first, but he will back me up with them no matter what.

“Rose!”

“Answer my question please, my love,” I ask again as I stand, watching my phone as Victor begins typing.

“I-I can probably see you tomorrow night. I’ll find a way to sneak out.”

“Good, we’ll meet here tomorrow night. I’ll ensure the coast is clear. And you mask your scent like you’ve been doing.”

My phone buzzes with Victor’s text.

I sent out an email and made sure to include that it’s an urgent and mandatory meeting. I’ll be at your office in five minutes.

“What’re you planning?” Asher asks again.

“Victor is on his way. I need to have a discussion with him before the Council meeting starts in thirty minutes.”

“You were able to get one together so quickly?” He exclaims, surprised.

I begin pushing him out the door, my hands on his back. I bite my lip and feel his back muscles flex, his large shoulders prominent as he places either hand on the doorframe, chuckling as he asks, “Why’re you kicking me out?”

“Because I have business to conduct, and I’m too horny to have you around for too long,” I throw out. “I’ll tell you how the meeting goes.”

“What’re you proposing at this meeting!” He cries, whipping around. “What’s churning in that big brain of yours?”

“I’ll tell you tomorrow night,” I answer with a smirk. “This is your punishment for teasing me last time. When you wouldn’t let me kiss you.”

“You little stinker!” He exclaims as I open the door, pushing him out of it playfully.

“Go before someone spots you, my love,” I say, blowing him a kiss just as I see Victor coming up the path. “I’ll see you soon.”

He sighs, his smile telling me everything I need to know about what’s coming my way the next time I see him, even if the subject matter we’re discussing is no laughing or sexy matter.

Leave it to us, though, to turn it into that.

Leave it to us.