Zane âOrion is targeting hybrids?â | asked. âHow do you know?âLanie was a hybrid.
| suddenly remembered the night heâd attacked her. Was that why?
âBecause both of our mates were hybrids,â Gregory said, sitting back in his chair again.
â| thought they were a dying breed,â Xander said, repeating the words Rhiannon had said to us a couple of nights ago.
âThey are,â Lucas confirmed. âOur mates were some of the few left in this region.â
This wasnât making any f ucking sense.
âHow did you just so happen to get mated to two of the last remaining hybrids in this region?â | asked suspiciously.
Awicked smirk curled onto Gregory's lips. âIt wasnât by chance,â he said. âRemember when | said Orion has the Council in his pocket?â
| looked at Xander. Was he saying what | thought he was saying?
âHe had the Elders rig the mating ceremony?â Xander asked.
Lucas pointed at Xander. âBingo.â
âBut...why?â | asked.
âThatâs what we're trying to figure out,â Gregory said, | rolled my eyes.
âWe just paid you off, and this is all you can f ucking tell us?â | spat.
Gregory held up his hands. âHold on, hold on, Iâm not done. | didnât tell you the best part: We were promised power if we played the role Orion wanted us to play for him.â
âAnd what role is that exactly?â Xander asked, his eyes boring into Gregoryâs like lasers.
âThe bad guys,â Gregory growled. âHe tapped us for his little scheme because we looked like the type of wolves who'd murder their mates. And | guess it worked. You two bought it, anyway.â
| studied Gregory closely. Was he bu Ilsh itting us? He didnât seem smart enough, and yet, this whole scheme was almost too outrageous to believe.
Orion was paying off the two roughest wolves in Constantine to mate with hybrids so he could kidnap them and do what exactly?
âWe donât know what heâs trying to do with the hybrids,â Lucas said, as if he could read my mind. âUntil L Why the hell had Xander agreed to let them take a mate again? Did that mean theyâd be matched with another she-wolf whoâd end up in Orionâs clutches?
âSurely you have theories, though?â Xander said, pouring them each another healthy glass of whiskey.
Smart. Keep them talking.
They each downed the glass with another huge single gulp.
âMaybe heâs using them to make hybrid babies, or maybe he just really hates bloodsuckers, | donât knowâ
| took the bottle from Xander and poured my own glass. | tossed it back, wincing as it burned my throat.
âIf heâs paying you off, then why come to us and tell us everything? Arenât you worried he'll retaliate?â |
asked.
âNah, heâs already broken his promises. We donât owe him s hit,â Luc as âs words were starting to slur.
âYou see,â Gregory said, gesturing drunkenly. âOrion promised us protection from you, Xander if we went through with his plan.
Which is why we were so pi ssed when you declared that we couldnât mate anymore. We asked for Orionâs help getting out of it, but he ignored us like we were f ucking street garbageâ
âHence the little scene at Aliceâs death announcement,â Lucas said. âOops.â
| winced at the mention of Aliceâs name and that horrible day.
âOops?â Xander said, stepping closer to Gregory, his eyes flashing dangerously, âYou almost turned our whole f ucking pack against us.â
Thatâs why we're here now,â Lucas shrugged. âConsider this making it up to you.â
| scoffed. âSure.â
âThereâs one more thing,â Gregory said, leaning close again, his voice dropping low. Xander and | shared a look of disgust before kneeling down to hear him better. âOrionâs not working alone. He has-â
But Gregory was cut off by the sound of the front door crashing open, and multiple sets of footsteps running inside.
âWhat the. | said.
Suddenly, a whole group of men in black robes poured into the great room.
Four of them were holding back Maxim and Monroe, whose faces were twisted with anger.
âWhat the f uck is going on here?â Xander demanded.
A flash of white swept through the crowd of black robes. Gustav.
âBy order of the Council,â he announced, his voice echoing around the room, âYou and Xander are under arrest.â
217