Wolf Bait (Perry and Jonas)

Chapter 21 The next ten days the team the King put together helped me catch up with everything. I’ve slept in the dome talking to the New CEO of Lycan Tech, trying to convince him to let the Queen in on some of my projects. James, that piece of shit, has stepped all over the name Alegra Prince up and down the business world. When Eddie Sentinel heard me say mated to Jonas Prince, he almost hung up on me. Killing James is not going to be enough. The damage done is extensive. I can see why the King wants everything so public. “We’re going to have to do some illegal shit for some really mean people,” I say to myself. “I’m still here,” the King says from his desk. I look back to see that he’s the only one here. “What do you have in mind?” “Magique City.” I sigh and slide down the armchair I’m sitting in enough for my chin to rest on my chest. “On a scale of one to I’ll kill you before I let you do it. How flexible are you about selling some of your brother’s minions to the vampires for blood harvesting “Somewhere in the middle, he answers honestly. “We need to get that tracker on him, Lycan King, I don’t like not knowing where he is or what the f*k ***e’s using all this money for.4 think it’s time for movie night,” “You want to invite my feral Lycan brother to watch a movie about a hundred-and-something-year- old teenage falling in love with a sixteen-year-old so we can put a tracker you still haven’t shown me on him?” vampire Yes, I push myself up to sit on the edge of my seat. And I think Bella was seventeen. Girls mature differently-especially those with mothers who have children very young. They raise themselves and their mothers. They get mean when you add extra siblings.” “Is that why you’re mean?” “Yes. I was older than Morgan. She has two sisters and four little brothers. Then there was Mackenzie. If I had a dollar for every time she f***d me over growing up, I’d be able to buy your

family,” “She sounds like a Lycan,” he smiles. “You really don’t know where she is?” “She uses the money I transfer into her credit card at an ATM in Madrid, but there is no record of her ever actually being there. Phurrys are insanely smart and c***y. If I hadn’t been raised the way I was, I don’t think I would have been able to keep up with them. “Even Jake. He’s a tracker and he was the best Chief of Police Red Wood had ever had. His ability to close cold cases is unmatched and he did it while drunk. I’m good at making friends with rich people because of their mom, “So, you know what socialites are,” “Yes, I do. But influencers in Red Wood are nothing like what you guys have going on here. Your sister posts a video of her morning routine and the company that manufactures her lotions makes millions. Your spaceship. There were only fifteen of those made and people are fighting over the other fourteen for more than it’s actually worth. There was a time I would have killed to have your marketing expertise, “My mother wanted me to ask you if you would like to buy the rest of her shares and take over her position on the board,” he says after a while. “I told her what we’ve been doing and she realized that she’s way in over her head,” “I don’t have enough for the rest of them and if she lowers the price we’re really f**d,” “We can sign you in,’ The other Lycans wouldn’t like your pet wolf owning a third of one of the biggest corporations in the world. They’d drop La Chapter 21 the prices to get out of their shares and it takes us back to square one. We need to start playing dirty and for us to do that “We need to place a tracker on my brother.” “Yes, your mom is just going to have to hang in there for a little longer. I’m sorry. I want to help, but my hands are tied here. Come over here. Silas gave me a layout of your territories. I want to show

you something.” He comes over to me as I reach for one of the tubes Silas brought for me. I take the map of Clifton Way out and set it on the coffee table. He uses our empty coffee mugs as paperweights so it doesn’t roll up again. I love how detailed this thing is. It’s hand-painted. You don’t see that in the city. Everything is f**g digital now. “What are we looking at?” he asks. “When we went on our first outing, you showed me all of your security measures. In the city, we had towers because it’s just concrete out there. It’s a good strategy, but you guys live in the countryside. This is you,” I point at his populated areas. “But all of this is open. You literally live in a hole in the ground. It’s not easy to get out. These towers have blindspots,” “I have runners on the ground.” James doesn’t seem like the type to care about killing one of his own, I remind him. These, I tap the high hills. “Are better than towers. You told me you guys were beasts, Which means you can probably survive out there with the wildlife, right?” “Yes,” he nods. “Use that to your advantage. There are four hills here. There is nothing behind them and because they are the highest peaks. it would be difficult to sneak in. And if all things go accordingly, you can use these same hills to evacuate the people if needed.” “No one is s***id enough to attack us like this,” James is Jonas, to you, he’s your brother. And you love him, but that’s not what you are to him anymore. I’m in here. I tap his chest. “I can feel you the same way you can feel me. This man is your enemy and he’s turning your people against you. That’s called mutiny. He’s a traitor whether you and your family want to admit that or not. “I would know. I’ve been trying to get the people of Red Wood to turn on the alphas of the city for the past five years and it’s working. Without me and Jake there, that city is going to fall. I’m willing to bet that your brother is using the money your father made to pay his way through this uprising. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but your brother is kind of an evil genius. He’s winning a race you’re barely starting because you refuse to see him for what he really is, I reach up th cup his face

and smile. “You think we’re compatible, but the truth is that you’re a really kind and gentle person. I’m not. I never have been. You’re angry, right now, but once you get to where you need to be things will fall back in line for you. These people will love you again. You are their King. I know it’s because we’re bonded that you think I hold Darren on this pedalstool. But between the two of you, you’re the better man. He was an***. The genuine article. Just like James. We’re bad people. You’re not. But you’re going to need to pretend to be if you want to save your family. “It starts here. Protecting those who are still on your side and you need to do it as discreetly as possible. You are in the perfect position to turn the tables. James is already claiming victory and it looks like he’s right. Your plan is good. We just need to make a few adjustments. I need you to trust that I can be this little gray area you need to give you that advantage. He knows you’d never do what I am about to,” “I don’t want to hurt anybody else,” he whispers. “Let me help you with this and I’ll be the last pet you put down. think I can have some fun with this if you let me and it’s not going to take me five years. I already have everything I need “There is no f***g way you’re insecure, he smirks * There’s no f**g way you’re not, I laugh. “I think your dad is going to date my mom,” he whispers. “I don’t know how I feel about that,” I can tell you that if he does, he’ll make your mother very happy Jake is a good man. We got the ugly bits from his mate and the part of the city we grew up in we both laugh. “You and your siblings don’t get a say in the life your mother leads with our father gone. You don’t have to like it. You just have to accept that your mom is a milf and she looks like a live-action Elsa and there is no way Jake is passing that up,” I don’t know who that is,” he says. “And I have the indescribable urge to punch you in the face and the fuck you,” You’re lying. You don’t know Elsa? Let it go,” I sing. He shakes his head. I reach for my phone on the couch and look her up. I hold my phone up to show him the picture. That does look like my mom,” he grins. “What is this?”

“A princess movie about two sisters and how their love for one another saves their kingdom. Now that you know what spider-monkey is. We can change the movie. Maybe guilt your brother a little. See if he’s truly dead inside. It’s a heartwarming film.”