"Only after we follow their rules." She hated that she couldn't read anything about him. "Their rules limited us to following human laws without consideration that the people they're patrolling aren't human."

"We've heard about the rogue you've recovered from the last crime scene."

His meaning was clear. Pack wouldn't concern themselves with the welfare of an average rogue. He was asking about his son. "Jamie is safe and recovering. The rest of my team is investigating the incident."

He gave a nod and moved away without an ounce of emotion. He held everything so close to his chest, she couldn't make heads or tails of him.

As he moved through the crowd, he was joined by four others. The room fell silent. Donaldson seated himself at the center of the dais. The others claimed their spots in an orchestrated move that they all appeared to sit as one. "Welcome to the conclave. We will begin with the petitions. We ask all the alphas to stand and present their claims first."

Raven was astounded at just how few alphas stood. Less than fifteen people rose, and only a handful of them were female. These were the upper crust of the pack.

She anticipated a display of power, and there were a few that showed off. Those were not the ones that worried her. It was the ones she couldn't sense anything from that she needed to watch.

Taggert gave her a nudge.

Showtime.

She took her cue and rose. A murmur swept through the room.

"Objection." Vivian didn't show her normal smirk, though Raven could almost feel the smugness pour off her.

If Raven thought her presence had shocked anyone, an uproar now shook the room. Everyone spoke at once, but she refused to back down like some pup. She would not allow this woman to discredit her without a fight. Raven faced the council as they were the ones she needed to convince. "I ask permission to organize a pack."

"We received no official paperwork for your request." This was from the large male at the end with graying hair. A wolf if she had to guess, a position he earned by removing his predecessor in a challenge no doubt. Even at the distance, his displeasure beat at her shields, trying to get her to back down.

Raven wouldn't be dismissed by the mangy old wolf so easily. Now that they were questioning her right to form her own pack, she realized how badly she wanted this. It may have started against her will, but they were hers now. "That's why I'm here. I want to petition for my position."

"And what about your position as Region?"

Raven nodded her head at him. "As you are aware, a Region is an elected position. I did not campaign for it. I was offered the job after the fact."

"And you've accepted it without our consent." The vampire at the other end of the table spoke. She expected a quintessential vampire. Instead, he looked no older than a teenager.

Vibrant and alive.

Human.

Maybe that's what made him the scariest.

"Not at first. I waited. Delayed. But a murder case takes precedence. Shifters were being killed. That is not acceptable."

"Rogues." The older wolf shook his head, dismissing her protest.

"And as of last night, pack as well. Four murders that we know of so far and more will die unless someone can stop them."

"You."

She nodded to Donaldson. "Me."

"She is not claimed. She has no consort. If she'd survived this long on her own, she deserves the chance." The male who spoke was slender, but not thin. All of him was pure muscle. His pose was lazy, but there was no doubt he saw everything. A cat of some sort if she had to guess, but he wasn't the same breed as Durant. "Let her stay but double the fine."

The lone female studied at her a full minute before responding. "I agree. She is too rare."

The wolf scowled, not so easily put off. "What about territory?"

No one wanted to lose territory to another alpha. To her. Her mind raced for answers. She wouldn't lose her men now that she had two votes. "I have no desire to claim more than what's already mine. The land I own and the government parcel behind it are mine."

Someone in the crowd stood in protest. "That's public land."

Raven scanned the crowd, her gaze resting a second on Randolph. Malice shown in his eyes. If she lost the vote, any ephemeral protection would be gone and he would come for her. It brought home how much more she had to lose.

Swallowing hard, she tore her eyes away and found the man who'd spoken. Instead of avoiding her gaze, he defied her and refused to back down. "You talk like a normal. Pack has no public land. It's mine."

The man narrowed his eyes at the slur. A snarl curled his lips, revealing a hint of fang at her insult.

Then Donaldson spoke. "She's right. The land is unclaimed. And more importantly, none of the alphas will need to make concessions."

Each time a new alpha petitioned for alpha status, the current alphas lost land. They all ruled with heavy and sometimes brutal hands to keep what was theirs. Public land had always been sacred. Now that she'd claimed a large portion, the rest of it was up for grabs around the state. It gave the shifters a bigger prize to focus on other than her.

The vampire smiled. "Your land borders both the clan and magic practitioners. It is a delicate strip to own."

"And we have all lived there in peace for years." He wouldn't be appeased that easily, and Raven needed one more vote. "But if you prefer, we can choose an intermediary."

He revealed fangs when he smiled this time. "Who would you suggest? One of your shifters?"

Raven wasn't sure if he was repulsed or eager to taste whomever she selected. "Actually, one of your own. Rylan Pryor." May he forgive her for thrusting him back into his old life.

Rylan rose to his feet and met her gaze with an impassive expression. "I accept."

The vampire stilled, taken by surprise. "Then the clan approves your petition as well."

Donaldson nodded. "Congratulations. Be-"

"Objection." Vivian was now openly scowling. "I demand proof. She was not born pack. She's a were, not a pure breed."

A growl rumbled from Dominic at the blatant insult. Even the rest of the room fell silent. Ignoring the woman, Raven remained standing and waited for the council to decide.

They were clearly not pleased at having their decision challenge, but Vivian seemed blind to the danger.

"What is this proof?" Raven whispered the question to Taggert.

"You must demonstrate that you're an alpha, strong enough to hold your own and protect what's yours."

Donaldson let the silence stretch as he stared at Vivian. Only when she sat, jerked down by her husband, did she finally lower her gaze.

Silence stretched for a minute more, the air growing heavy, when Donaldson continued. "Do we have a volunteer?"

Chapter Twenty-six.

Durant's golden eyes met hers as he threaded his way through the crowd to reach her side. A show of support. Taggert whispered toward her. "No one in your pack or the challenging pack is eligible to perform the test."

The thought of another alpha challenging her woke her wolf. If Raven allowed her to show, granted her any freedom, they would be considered weak. Thankfully, her power remained dormant, possibly sensing nothing would get her killed faster.

A man rose to his feet after only a slight pause. He was older, his hair mostly white. Though shorter, he had a strong build suitable to shifters. Then she spotted someone familiar sitting at his table. The youngest carpenter, the same one who'd come to her rescue a few days ago.

Though the alpha appeared congenial, he hadn't become an alpha for being nice.

"He doesn't have a female alpha for his pack. This way, he can get the first close look at you without competition." London was assessing the other man even as he spoke. "He's also one of the oldest alphas here."

Oldest meant more powerful. Would that make the challenge easier or harder?

"Acceptable." Donaldson stood, a slight frown between his eyes. "Please step forward."

She passed through the tables unmolested. Vivian sat with her arms crossed, clearly pleased at the turn of events. Raven refused to give into the need to rip out her throat.

Not yet, anyway.

She stopped only when she came face to face with her challenger. "What are the rules of the test?"

"No rules. The test is simple. All you need to do is call my wolf." The voice was gruff as he watched her. She detected no antagonism from him, a nice change for once.

But simple would not be the word Raven would've chosen. She'd spent so much time denying her animals and locking them away, she had no clue how to use her wolf to call his. She'd done it before to protect her pack but that had been with her power.

Despite all of the training in the last few days, the only way to call to her animal was by physical contract. "May I touch you?"

A light scowl creased his face. "Yes."

She could tell he wasn't happy, but conceded to her request. Talking a deep breath, she placed her palm over his heart. The heat he kicked off nearly burned. Instinct said he was canine, but what stunned her was that she couldn't sense his wolf at all.

Then the particulars of this test came home to her. He was an alpha. The more alphas there were, the less land and power they would have. His job was to prevent her from achieving her goal.

The touch of another male, an alpha outside of her pack, lured out her own wolf. The beast was inquisitive in whom Raven had allowed so close, but not dumb to blindly charge forward without gauging the threat.

But there was a barrier, like a hazy mist, that prevented her from reaching his animal. Every time her wolf neared, he whirled away into the ether, dark particles of him swirling around to reform a few feet away.

After the second time, Raven didn't give chase. Her wolf wouldn't catch him that way. There must be some alpha power crap that she was supposed to know.

It took a concentrated effort to call back her wolf. She knew of only one way to proceed. Though reluctant to call upon her power, she would do whatever was needed before conceding defeat. Then she remembered how Aaron knew where his pack was before they'd been visible. The first time it'd happened was at his home, the second when his mother arrived on the day of the picnic.

Instead of focusing on his wolf, she studied the energy around him. It immediately branched off in a dozen directions. She followed the fork, and her mind immediately shot in the direction of the nearest connection.

And shoved in front of a young wolf. Young, but dangerous, if the sudden display of fangs was any indication. At the presence of the animal, her own charged forward and snarled. Confused by the sudden change, the wolf backed away, a whine caught in his throat.

Raven sensed that she could grab control of this young beast if she wanted. A fast way to get herself killed. She carefully retreated. She turned to see at least sixty-some threads connecting the alpha all over the city and further.

The process was fascinating. Could this be an alpha trait? A response to blood being exchanged? Raven reached for the power, rubbing the unusual texture of it between her fingers.

Suddenly yanked from the other world, Raven dropped back into her own mind with a nasty thump that left her stomach reeling.

The alpha knocked her hand away from his chest, his wolf in complete control. Raven stood her ground, unsure if this was part of the test or not. She feared she might have made a tactile error and done something that should've been impossible.

A snarl rose from the alpha.

He grabbed for her throat, the intent to kill her clear in his yellow eyes.

And encountered her necklace. Silver warmed her skin. The alpha inhaled sharply and jerked away, coming back to his human self.

A flush filled his face, his breathing rough as he struggled for control. He reached out, lifting his hands in the universal show that he meant no harm. The palm of one hand was latticed with welts. Though she sensed wariness, she didn't feel any immediate threat. Funny, since just seconds ago he'd tried to kill her. Raven gave him a nod of permission, and he slowly tugged aside the collar of her jacket.

The silver necklace Jackson had given her gleamed in the dark lighting of the club like a splash of stars.

Someone gave a low whistle, and a hum of awe filled the room.

"There's your proof." Vivian rose with a triumphant smile and faced the council. "I demand that she be taken into custody."

Donaldson gazed impassively at the alpha who'd performed the test. "What say you on your findings?"

"She's an alpha. I'm not sure of her beast, but with some training, she could hold a large pack." He dipped his head toward her in a sign of respect, but circled around her so they wouldn't accidently touch when he walked back toward his table.

Not that she blamed him.

When most people touched her, they only made that mistake once. She had no idea how she'd passed, what he'd learned, but her secret was safe for now.

"You must be wrong." Vivian glared at Raven.

People quieted, and the alpha halted.

Kevin rose to his feet at his mate's side and forcefully pushed her down in her seat. He'd finally had enough. "We apologize and accept the council's decision."

The other alpha pinned Vivian to the spot until she paled and lowered her eye in deference, maybe realizing for the first time what she'd done.

"Accepted." The alpha growled the words, clearly not pleased at being challenged. He settled into his seated, never once taking his attention from Vivian.

Donaldson showed no reaction to the tension crawling through the club. It was a full minute before he spoke. "Your petition has been granted and dually recorded. Let the conclave begin."

With that, talk sprang up again like excited chatter monkeys. Half of it was directed at Raven, the other half at Vivian.

People rose from their tables and began to mingle, while others went before the conclave to be heard. Raven turned to find Durant before her, his face pale and set.

Then he embraced her for the whole room to witness. "They would have killed you."

His whispered words made her shiver. The nerves she held at bay churned through her stomach at everything that could've gone wrong.