Chapter 100: Chapter 99

Zane “Are you sure we should be doing this?” | asked Xander as we pulled up to a small cabin in the woods.

Hank, who had broken up our fight with Mason earlier, had called us together for a more private meeting in his backyard.

“That way if things get ugly, you won't disturb the locals,” he’d said.

Hank seemed like a nice enough guy, but | kept imagining us arriving and a whole group of rogues. descending on us, tying us up, and dumping us back in Constantine territory, beaten and bloodied.

“Nothing’s gonna happen,” Xander had said. He seemed uncharacteristically calm about the whole thing.

But | think he knew that if he blew his lid and Alpha’d out on the Stillwood wolves, we’d never get the information we needed on Mason and his beautiful mystery woman.

And he also knew that if Mason tried anything here, the town wouldn’t welcome him back. Rule number one of living in neutral territory was to, well, keep it neutral.

“Nice to see you again, boys,” Hank said as he extended his hand.

It couldn’t have been more obvious that he was lying, but we shook anyway It was clear that his displeasure had more to do with the situation than with us in particular. Though when Orion had told us to go to Stillwood, we hadn’t thought through what we were going to do...which was very uncharacteristic of us.

We'd just acted.

Anger, hurt, and too much adrenaline wasn’t a good combination for any Alpha.

It was my job to keep things like this from happening. Unfortunately, | hadn’t considered that until this moment.

I'd let my emotions get the better of me. | felt betrayed, surprised, and was still reeling from the loss of our mate.

| had no idea how this meeting was going to go, and | knew Xander hadn't thought about it, either.

Especially since setting eyes on Katie.

Hank walked us around the back of his cabin to a sprawling yard overlooking the woods.

Mason sat on a log in front of an impressive fire, a smug expression on his face.

He was like a more punchable version of Xander.

Hank gestured to the other logs and we all took seats around the flames.

and you two don’t have the same authority here as you do in Constantine.”

Xander and | nodded, waiting to see what he would say next.

“| used to serve as a mediator for the Council,” he continued, “and when | saw what was happening on the street, well, | guess |

just couldn't leave it alone.”

| glanced at Xander with a raised eyebrow.

There was definitely a story there.

“We were out of line earlier. It wasn’t necessary to make a scene,” Xander apologized.

Mason looked up, a hint of surprise shining in his eyes. As if he hadn’t expected Xander to admit to any wrongdoing.

He looked away and tossed a twig into the fire, the leaping flames glittering in his dark eyes.

“Mason, why don’t you start,” Hank said, taking a sip from a Thermos | hadn’t noticed before.

“So, Xander, where is dear old Dad?” Mason asked bitterly. “I would’ve thought you'd bring him as backup.”

Xander scoffed and remained silent for a moment, then said, “I’m the Alpha now, and this is between us.”

Mason growled, low and gravelly.

“| know you're the f ucking Alpha,” he said.

Hank cut in. “If this is going to work, you both need to respect each other, regardless of how you are feeling. It won't go anywhere if you just needle each other.”

| knew Xander didn’t want to admit to having the same feelings as Mason, so | decided to force the issue for him.

“Xander’s as mad and resentful of Orion are, Mason,” | said.

as you “F ucking traitor,” Xander said with a hint of bite.

| looked over at him and shrugged.

Mason barked out a humorless laugh. “Oh, is he?” He turned his piercing gaze on Xander. “Well, at least you had him in your life.

At least he knew you f ucking existed.”

“Yeah, | did have him in my life, and you know what he gave me?” Xander asked. “Lies, lies, and more lies. He lied to me, to my mother, to Zane, to you probably and now we're all dealing with the fallout of his secrets.”

| shook my head. “Everyone is, considering what he did to end the Great Wars.”

“Don't f ucking remind me,” Xander spat.

“I'm not your enemy, here,” | silently reminded Xander “So what the f uck do you want with me?” Mason asked. “What are you doing here exactly?”

“| don’t know,” Xander answered. “If I’m being honest, | hadn’t thought that through. | was told you were anina sround and annabing upth nnuseful unline at the natharina, an if stanarina for an attack Orion told me you were here and urged me to find you.”

There was silence while Mason digested that information, nodding as he thought.

“Is that what you were doing, Mason?” Hank questioned.

Mason opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again a second later.

“Yes. Absolutely.”