15. Asher

ASHER

T he only way I could think to pass the time before the meeting was to pace around my shed. I felt caged, and the wood creaked annoyingly with each quick step I took, but I had to keep moving.

Phaedra's friend, Theodora, had ensured no guards would see us meeting, but I didn't like leaving something like that up to someone I didn't know. Phaedra trusted her, and that ought to be enough, but it felt wrong to let another person handle something like this for me.

So, I paced, and I was getting worked up, my wolf running around within me. It was more than just this meeting and leaving some of the planning to a woman I didn't know very well. The fact that I was going to see Phaedra again after those precious moments in the linen closet was also making me antsy.

It wasn't as if a lot of time had passed since I'd last seen her, but now it was mere minutes before midnight and the meeting, and all I could think about was her lips in that little "O" of surprise when I'd flicked on the light, and the way her back muscles had moved beneath her soft, creamy skin as she walked away.

I ran a hand through my hair, and when I lowered it, I looked at the spot where our fated mark had been on my wrist. Just a month before, it had been a pain in the ass, the bane of my existence, but now I missed it.

Whenever Phaedra had used the mark to call for me, my body had tingled and filled with heat. That mark was really a blessing. Maybe the only blessing in my life. It was the one thing that tied me inexorably to the woman I loved.

I stopped when I heard footsteps nearing, but relaxed when I heard the special knock on my door. It was only Taig and my uncle.

When I opened the door, my uncle pulled me in for a hug, then Taig did the same. We never used to be so affectionate with each other, but since Connor took us under his control, it just made sense, even if we'd only seen each other a few hours ago.

Every time we got to see each other might be the last time.

"How are things?" I asked.

"Fine," Taig replied, stretching his arms above his head. His joints cracked. "Except everyone feels more exhausted than after training."

Garrett nodded. "Morale is holding strong, but that little prick is running us ragged."

I nodded, hating Connor and every member of high-wolf society with such a fierce passion that my canines itched with the impulse to lengthen to sharp points.

"I'm glad we're having this now," my uncle added. "I already feel better knowing we're going to be discussing a plan."

I nodded. "Did either of you see Phaedra or her friends?"

They shook their heads. "But it's only been a couple of minutes," Taig said. "They'll show up soon."

That did nothing to alleviate the anxious tightening in my gut. What if she'd been stopped by a guard? Or worse, Connor? The thought of him getting near her when I couldn't see her or protect her made my teeth ache.

I was so distracted by my worries, I almost didn't catch the look my uncle and Taig shared.

"It's nice to see you're still so worried about her, kid," Garrett said with a teasing grin as he rubbed the scruff on his jaw. He was usually cleanshaven, but a week away from a razor had caused his beard to start growing in again.

"What?" I said, even though I knew what he was talking about.

"Don't worry so much, Ash," Taig said, patting my shoulder. "They probably just got delayed. You know how women can be."

It was true enough. And honestly, I didn't mind their teasing, but as excited as I was to see her, I wished I could handle this without her help. She didn't deserve to be caught in the middle of this mess. She deserved to be following her dreams as far away from my mess as possible. As long as she was here, she was in danger, and I didn't want to have to choose between her safety and my pack's. That sort of choice had nearly destroyed me the first time.

A few agonizing minutes later, a second knock sounded at the door. I knew it was Phaedra even before Taig opened the door. She, Theodora, and Edgar's daughter Penny stepped inside. They were all wearing black, but I didn't pay much attention to the other two women. I couldn't take my eyes off Phaedra. The black pants and long-sleeved shirt showed off her curves. It was good everyone else was here because it'd be difficult to keep my hands off her if we were alone.

"Sorry we're a little late," Phaedra said.

"It's my fault," Theodora said.

Phaedra shook her head and placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "No, it's Connor's."

My anxiety spiked. "Did you see him while you were?—"

"No, no. It's just that we each had to find our own ways to sneak out, and it took me the longest. His guards were all over the place."

"Oh." I tried to slow the rapid beating of my heart. She wasn't mine anymore. I needed to get that into my thick skull and rein in my feelings.

"Were you seen?" Garrett asked.

She shook her head. "No, but we're going to have to come up with another solution. Maybe I could get El to give us some pix magic to make sneaking out a little easier."

"That would help a ton," Theodora said.

While she continued to talk, I looked from her to Penny. She hadn't spoken yet, and when I met her eyes, I realized why. She was staring hard at me. It wasn't quite a glare, but it was intense, especially with her eyes—the same color as Connor's and Edgar's—shining so brightly under the hood draped over her head.

She didn't look away, but the intensity of her gaze did lessen a bit. She was Edgar's daughter, and I had no doubt Phaedra had told her that my plan was to kill him. If she felt angry with me, I couldn't blame her. Even if I hadn't killed him myself, it couldn't be easy being in the same vicinity as the person who wanted your father dead. Especially not for a sheltered member of high-wolf society.

Eventually, her gaze wandered away from me. I almost wanted to ask her how she was holding up but didn't know if it was appropriate.

"Okay," Phaedra said. "Before I get too deep into this, I need to introduce my friends. This is Theodora, a maid at the manor, and Penny, Connor's sister." She pointed to each woman. "This is Asher, Dagger pack alpha, his uncle Garrett, and his right-hand, Taig."

We exchanged pleasantries and handshakes.

"Since we got here late, we should probably get right to it," she said.

"I can admire someone who gets straight into it," Garrett said with a smile. "What do you have in mind, kid?"

"Well, I've been giving this a lot of thought," Phaedra said. "We should leak to Den City that there have been extravagant feasts in high-wolf society, and let them know things are unstable here."

"It's upsetting, but would that affect the people of Den City?" Taig asked. "Don't they already know that high-wolf society is extravagant and overblown?"

"Yes, but the people aren't aware of the extent," Theodora piped in. "And they're under the impression that if they keep their heads down, one or two of them might be allowed into the inner circle. It happens every few years or so."

"Keep the people obedient by telling them that the best of them will get a spot in their exclusive club." My uncle scoffed. "Does that sound familiar to anyone else?"

It hit us all at the same time, but Penny was the one to give voice to it. "Like the gods would do with Emerys. I don't know why that never occurred to me before."

"Sometimes it takes an outside perspective," he replied. "I've thought about high-wolf society and its place in the Wilcox pack a lot, and I always wondered how the alpha kept people from rioting. Now it makes sense."

"And I'm sure it's always the wealthier members of Den City who get a spot here," Taig said, bitterness evident in his tone.

Theodora nodded.

Dangling the promise of luxury like a carrot in front of the less fortunate members of Wilcox Pack made my stomach turn. "There have to be people in Den City who are unhappy with that," I said.

"Of course," Theodora said. "My family for one, but so are a lot of other people who are on the lower end of the income bracket. Unrest is growing among the people of Den City, but they're not sure where to direct their anger. According to my sister, there's a greater presence of guards in Den City because the people keep fighting each other. No one is happy."

"Then, let's give them a place to direct their anger," I said. "Now, if that's how we're handling Den City, how do we make sure these high-society fuckers don't interfere?"

"We do the same there," Phaedra said, her stormy-gray eyes aglow with excitement. They seemed to take hold of my heart until she let her gaze slide away. "The thing about the so-called elites of the Wilcox pack is that they are incredibly cowardly?—"

"In case you haven't noticed it yourselves," Penny interjected, her mouth quirking in a deriding smile.

"Self-preservation is their top priority," Phaedra continued. "And the moment they feel unsafe, they will turn on anyone, even their alpha."

"I don't know that we'll be much help there," I said, crossing my arms. "They already look down on my pack."

"That's where Phaedra and I come in," Penny said, still smiling. "Connor is already unsettling the balance of things on his own, so all we have to do is bring more attention to it."

Phaedra nodded. "They're going to be hoping that they can just ignore it and that things will return to normal after some time. But they won't be able to do that with Penny and me highlighting Connor's faults."

"His inner circle, namely those who are part of his advisory board, might not budge too much, but the members of high-wolf society on the fringes of the community won't be happy. Their unhappiness will make the inner circle feel unsettled, and they'll abandon Connor. They might even leave the island."

It was a solid strategy. Phaedra seemed excited about her part to play in the plan. Her determination made her even more radiant, and it took my breath away.

Fortunately, a question at the back of my mind distracted me from the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her.

"I hope you don't mind me pointing this out," I began, looking at Penny, "but I have to ask. Why are you so eager to take down high-wolf society? Aren't these your people? Your loved ones?"

Penny's excitement waned a bit.

"I'm sorry if that was too direct," I said. "But I've been thinking about it."

"No, no. I get it," she said. She took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. "Phaedra can vouch for this, but I never felt like I belonged. I was the alpha's daughter, and now sister, and because of that, every interaction I had with others was stilted. They're respectful to my face but talk about me behind my back. And I know because those who were trying to curry favor with me would tell me, even though I knew they were just as eager to participate in that hate and gossip."

"So, this is revenge?" I asked.

She gave me a withering look. After a beat, the intensity, once again, died down. "Not exactly, but I understand why you would say that. I do resent them for the way they treated me, the way they treated Phaedra, and the way so many of them were so eager to throw away my father to get in Connor's good graces. But it isn't just a desire to see them put in their place. I want the Wilcox pack to be better. My family has been in charge for four generations, but we never served the pack the way we should have—the way it deserves."

She looked from me to Taig and my uncle and then back to me.

"I have as much pride in my pack as any one of you do in yours, and that's why I know that the way we treat our people is unacceptable. I'm loyal to the people first and foremost, and I want to help it reach the greatness it deserves."

I let her words sink in. The girl might have grown up soft, but she clearly had some grit to her. Theodora did, too. I understood why Phaedra had gotten close to them.

"That's noble," I said. "I can get behind that."

"So can I," my uncle said.

Taig nodded his agreement.

"Good," she said. Now she'd finished making her goals known, she seemed to deflate a bit. "Now we know what to focus on, we can delineate tasks, right, Phae?"

Phaedra nodded. "The monthly banquet is the day after tomorrow. The high-ranking women get together for tea and gossip."

My uncle grimaced. "I hope I don't sound too rude, but that sounds like a waste of time."

"You're not wrong," Penny said. "Without Phaedra around, I had no reason to go to them."

Phaedra glanced at her friend, and I read the emotion in her expression. Penny's loyalty meant the world to her.

My uncle nodded. "In my opinion, there's no need for a ladies luncheon'."

"I do have to disagree with you, Garrett," Phaedra said. "These women use it as an opportunity to gossip and spread rumors, but I think it has a practical use, too. A discussion among the women—or the doctors or builders, etcetera—is a good way for us to share our concerns about how the pack is running. The results of that meeting could then be taken to the alpha and his right-hand. It's just another opportunity to ensure that the pack is running smoothly."

"Ah." He rubbed his beard, then nodded. "Fair point."

It was more than just a fair point; it was an excellent idea. Having my people's concerns condensed and summarized for me after such a meeting was fucking brilliant. My father had been too out of his mind to even consider sitting down to listen to what the members of his own pack had to say. If we survived this, I'd make sure this was something I implemented.

I looked at Phaedra, wishing, not for the first time, that she and I were still fated mates.

"Penny and I are going this time," Phaedra said. "It's the perfect opportunity for us to start sowing seeds of doubt. We have high-wolf society covered. Asher." She looked at me, Taig, and my uncle. "Any time you or your pack is in Den City, you'll be able to subtly bring up the disorder you've seen here."

"I can help with that," Theodora said. "And my family will, too. My sister works for some of the wealthier families. She'll talk with some of the maids."

Phaedra grinned. "That's perfect, Theo."

"Hold on," Taig said cautiously. "I understand your end of the plan, Phaedra. The women will inevitably go back to their husbands and voice their concerns about the way things are going in high-wolf society, but our pack has no sway in Den City. Why would they take anything we said seriously? Actually, why would they take the opinion of waitstaff seriously, either? No offense, Theodora."

"None taken," she said.

"I get it," Phaedra said to Taig. She wasn't offended by what he'd said. If anything, she seemed excited to explain her plan with more detail. "What we're doing is a two-pronged approach. We start at both ends of the hierarchy—the top and what is ostensibly the bottom. We're getting the people talking. I can't speak for the Daggers, but in the Wilcox pack, gossip spreads quickly no matter your rank. And soon, those two ends will meet in the middle, and it will be obvious to everyone exactly how unfit Connor is as alpha and that change needs to happen."

Taig rubbed his chin. "That makes enough sense. We'll try it out."

She beamed. "I'm happy I could clear that up."

Wow. Phaedra really seemed to take to strategy well. She had the mind for it, and seeing her so in her element ignited my desire for her. Was it too much for me to hope that maybe this wasn't so bad? That maybe it was okay to rely on her help with this, instead of convincing her to leave and head to the mainland? Yes, I still wanted her to have her opportunity to live the life she deserved, but perhaps I could let go of some of my guilt. If she was happy, I could be, too.

"This is a good start," my uncle said. "I think we should reconvene in a bit to see how things have gone."

"Yes," Phaedra said. "Maybe another week or so if we can manage it."

"That sounds good," I said. "We'll give it a week."

With that, everyone began to file out. Phaedra hesitated at the door. She looked back at me with an indecipherable expression.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you a bit," she said, stepping back inside and letting the door close behind her. "We, um, didn't really get to at the feast."

The memory of those few minutes in the linen closet came back to me immediately. My eyes, of their own volition, dropped to that perfect mouth of hers, and I wanted to pull her against me and kiss her until her lips were bruised and swollen.

But that impulse disappeared when I remembered Kestrel staring at Phaedra like she was prey.

"No, we didn't," I agreed. "Actually, I did want to ask you something."

She tilted her head slightly. It reminded me of the way her wolf cocked its head to the side. "Yes?"

"Kestrel," I said, clinging to the topic because it was the only thing keeping me from closing the distance between us. "She was giving you a weird look."

"Oh." Was there a hint of disappointment in her voice, or was that just me? "You noticed that?"

"I did. Do you have any idea what that was about?"

"I don't." She crossed her arms and shuddered. "It makes me shiver every time I think about it."

"Has she tried to talk to you at all?"

She shook her head. "I haven't seen her since the feast. I know Connor was meeting with her and his other advisors, but I don't know how that went or what was discussed. Honestly, she's the last person I expected Connor to bring into his inner circle."

"Yeah, it seems no one was expecting him to pull something like that." When Connor mentioned a special guest, I'd thought it would be some celebrity from the mainland, not a witch. Definitely not that witch.

Phaedra sighed. "I have no idea what he's thinking, or what she's thinking for that matter. She must be manipulating him, but I can't even begin to imagine what her goal is."

"Money? Status?" I asked. "Maybe she's tired of being an outcast."

She pursed her lips. "She's never given off the impression she was struggling or that she cared people went out of their way to avoid her. Remember when we went to her hut? She had a drawer full of money."

"Damn. You're right." My memory of the night before we did the bond-breaking ritual was a bit hazy. I'd completely forgotten Kestrel had stuffed the five hundred I'd given her into that drawer. "Well, until we have a better idea of what she's planning, you should watch your back. I don't want you alone with her."

I winced inwardly. I'd said that without thinking. I was sure the last thing Phaedra wanted was for me to be worrying about her or telling her what to do. But if it bothered her, she didn't show it.

"I agree. If it's up to me, I'll be giving her as much space as I can get away with."

"Good."

After that, we both went quiet. It was a bit awkward, but in a pleasant way. The kind of awkwardness that made my stomach flutter and my wolf pant with anticipation of what Phaedra would say next.

"I think—" I started to say, at the same time she said, "We should?—"

We chuckled.

"You go first, Asher," she said.

"I was going to say I think we should turn in for the night. It's getting late."

She nodded. "It's like you read my mind."

As she turned away from me to put her hand on the doorknob, I realized she was about to leave me again, and it hit me how deeply I was going to miss her. She was headed back to her room, closer to Connor and his devotees than she was to me. It hurt watching her go.

And suddenly, between one moment and the next, she was wrapping her arms around my neck, while mine wound around her waist, moving of their own accord.

I started to ask what this was for, but my voice was caught in my throat. I was confused, but so, so happy to have her pressed against me again. She felt just as wonderful to hold as she had the first time.

"I know things are going to work out," she murmured, her nose slightly cold as it pressed to my neck. "We'll make them work out."

"Yes," I said, because it was all I could say, and because as bleak as things had seemed lately, I believed her. I would have believed anything she told me as long as she kept hugging me like this.

And then, all too soon, she pulled away. And because she wasn't mine, I let her. She gave me a smile so beautiful it should have stopped my heart. Phaedra turned from me and slipped through the door, leaving behind only her sweet, floral scent.