“Definitely.” Evan seemed to relax, sitting back down, and the knife was no longer on display.
Fen took a drink and then coughed. “Baby, that’s terrible.”
Evan’s eyes rolled. “I don’t have a wolf metabolism. I have to eat healthy.”
They were chill, and that let me know the possibility of violence had ratcheted down. I wanted to tell this Jered person to fuck off, but in this case I had to think about the bigger picture. In this case, I had to consider my place as the Nex Apparatus, and that meant opening a dialogue with the head of a group who could be our allies. I’d been told Donovan was planning on meeting with some of the European packs as soon as possible. I could at least tell him what I learned about the American wolves. Beyond they were kind of dicks. “I got a hot minute.”
I settled on the bench beside Evan, leaving the other side of the table to the alpha.
He gracefully slid on the bench, though it was almost too small for him. “I appreciate the time, Mrs…Ms. Owens.”
Smart man. “That’s my name.”
One thing I could tell the king was that the alpha was politic and had obviously done a study on me. Most people immediately assumed I took my husband’s last name.
“I represent the largest pack in North America,” he explained as he took his hat off and placed it on the table. “I’m sure your husband and Sasha Federov have already put a bunch of reports in front of the king, but it’s going to be all numbers to him. I need you to hear me. Over the last twelve years Myrddin’s army has taken out sixty-two percent of all wolves on the North American continent.”
That was a kick in my gut. I hadn’t read those reports yet. I’d been more concerned about seeing my family, the loss of those precious years, and there was nothing wrong with that. It was utterly normal for me to need to see my husbands and son. But I had to face the new reality. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you well protected now?”
“The majority of the remaining wolves are concentrated in Colorado. I estimate there are still nine hundred wolves in hiding around the country. They worry our compound is ripe for an attack,” Jered explained. “But as Billy has seen, there is some safety in numbers. We’ve survived the last couple of years because we’ve left Myrddin alone and he’s been satisfied with it, but we can only protect wolves who live in our compound. He considers us properly caged.”
The last was said on a low growl that let me know even the thought angered the wolf.
“And you believe that the royals’ return will change all of that.” It was a common theme lately.
“Of course it will. Unless Donovan no longer wants the throne. There’s little chance of that, since he’s already reached out to the Scottish wolves. Myrddin will hear of that, you know. He has his spies as well. I believe there are spies even here in this nest.”
I was sure there were, and one of them had probably killed Alvis. “I’m sure I’ll be tasked with finding them. What does this have to do with my son? I assume this is about Fenrir since my husband is a perfectly reasonable man. He would have done anything he could to help you.”
“Anything but the one thing that could make a difference.”
I had an inkling, but he was going to have to say it. “And that would be?”
Jered’s eyes went steely. “He is the wolf king. There is no doubt. Do you know how long our people have waited for a wolf king? So long that the last one is nothing but a myth.”
“He’s also young. He’s not ready to lead.”
“He would be if he’d taken his proper place in a pack.”
Now I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Sure, because a regular old pack would have taken in a wolf king. I’ve already had to save him from wolves who thought he was an abomination.”
“Lupus Solum does not speak for the wolf world. They are fringe lunatics,” Jered insisted.
They were. Lupus Solum was basically a cult, and Trent had grown up in it. Their entire existence had been centered on bring about the Lupus Rex. They did it in fun ways like forced breeding and oppression. We’d taken out most of one group, but I couldn’t imagine they were all gone.
“Are they fringe at this point?” Evan asked. “Because all my intelligence points to them recruiting. There’s a compound in Maine that’s almost as large as yours, and the word is they’re angling to make a deal with Myrddin. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that.”
“None of which would be happening if Fenrir would take his place at the head of the packs.” Jered’s hands were on the table, but they fisted now.
Fenrir growled low in his throat and those hands loosened.
I needed to understand if there was a political way out of this. If Fen could take over the great pack, that was absolutely to our advantage. “What would be involved in him taking his crown?”
“Mom,” Fen said.
I shook my head. “I want him to say it. I know he’s said it to you and to your father, but he knows I represent the royal family and I want him to say it to me so that I can officially inform your godfather, the King of all Vampire.”
We hadn’t had a ceremony or anything, but I like to think on my feet. I’d done enough service for the Donovan-Quinns that he wouldn’t hesitate to take the position.