Dark Times

Chapter Thirty-Three

As the days until our departure ticked down until there were only two left, things got a little more heated around the rogue base. People quickly began to realise their questions were soon to go unanswered and the panic set in. No one understood what a working pack Alpha was doing here. They felt they needed to know. No one understood the tension between the two of us, either.

Personally, I'd have liked to keep it that way.

One thing that did get out to the wrong ears was our plan of attack. Word got back to Igor that there'd been meetings regarding strategy, none of which he'd been invited to. When he heard he wouldn't be the one to slay Diego... well, his usual calm demeanour faded away.

As the least professional, I was the wolf to get cornered.

The stunt seemed highly planned. Igor had given himself an audience. In the rogue ground, he cornered me.

"Lorrie, we need to talk."

Why did everyone want to talk? Couldn't somebody just call me and tell me they like my shoes so we could call it a day? I was sick of this. Beyond sick of it.

I made to move around him, but he wasn't having any of it. Apparently, the ex-Beta had grown tired of being pushed to the corner. Did he think me the weakest link?

"Move out of my way, Igor. Unlike some people, I have places to be."

He didn't back down. Not even when I turned my unforgiving gaze on him. I was slightly shocked that he managed to meet my eyes, but at the same time, I was beyond pissed off.

"Right now, you need to be here. We need to talk."

"Do we now? It seems everyone wants to talk to me about something these days. So go on. What's so important it has to be done now?"

"You need to tell that Ranger friend of yours that he's wrong."

Oh lord. He'd mistaken me for a letterbox, or someone that gave a shit.

"About what, might I ask?"

"About his plans. Killing Diego is my responsibility. It's my unfinished business. It has to be done by me."

Or maybe someone had realised that was his only chance at becoming an Alpha. He had backup for this task. People that could stop him from dying if things got out of hand. He couldn't just walk up to any old Alpha and whip his claws out. He'd get his ass kicked, as he was about to here.

"Well you've been relieved of the job. You can stop worrying about it now."

"This isn't a joke, Lorrie." I clenched my jaw. If I hadn't been annoyed before, I certainly was now. A crowd was beginning to form around us. Rogues were pointing, each of them listening in. "I know you like to think life's a merry-go-round and you can laugh your way out of everything remotely serious, but eventually even you have to face your responsibilities. Face me now, Lorelei."

He was not my responsibility. I didn't know who had to hear it, but I'd make damn sure it was out there.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to with that tone, but it definitely isn't me. Watch yourself, Beta. Know your place."

"I know my place. That's why I've come to you. I'm better than this. So you tell your friend what he needs to know."

Was he asking for death?

I'd warned him before. I told him before we got here what would happen to those that messed with my reputation. Maybe I might've been willing to handle this differently had he cornered me in private, but the fact of the matter was he'd sought out an audience. He wanted people to see his grab for power.