Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

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“Did they learn something from my mother?” My throat went tight at the idea that my mother was being used as a tool for the High Council…again. And again, without her knowledge.

Stella shook her head. “They’re seeing through her eyes, but something inside her is fighting them. Even though she doesn’t know about the third eye, her own strength and desire to stand on the side of right is working to obscure what they do see. They’re not blocked. She’s just refusing to look at things that she unconsciously senses would help them.”

“We should just tell her what’s going on,” Mason said in a clipped tone. “Enough of this bu lls hit with people keeping secrets.”

“We can tell her, but only once we’ve made sure the High Council is set in their path. I can’t stop them if

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we don’t know what they’re planning,” Stella said sharply. Her tone softened. “Sorry, Abba. But it’s just not that easy.”

My brother’s expression went tight, but he nodded.

“She’s going to feel betrayed when she finds out that she’s been the High Council’s spy, but it’s going to be worse when she realizes that we knew and just let her continue.”

“There’s no help for it,” Stella said. “If Gabriela becomes aware of the third eye, that will alert the

High Council that she knows. They’ll change their course, leaving us all blind. I’ve seen the ways this can go, Abba. Please, you must trust me.”

Mason got up to pace. “I want to, Stella, but all of this is pretty hard to swallow.”

“I know,” she said with a sadness in her voice. “Believe me, I wish we could all just live without worrying

about this.”

“We can,” I said firmly. “Once we destroy the High Council. So how do we do that?”

“What have you seen?” Lanie asked.

Stella closed her eyes for a moment, her expression twisting. She opened her eyes. “Since they can’t direct her to look at the things they want to see, they’re getting frustrated. Because Gabriela is unconsciously

avoiding anything that would truly help them lay an attack, they’re seeing only bits and pieces of what they want information about. They’ve decided to finally just act.”

“What do they intend to do?” I asked.

“They’re going to force a…well, kind of a back surge,” Stella explained. “From the portal town. They’ve been

somehow accessing the power supplies in Standard, and they’re planning to reverse the input back through all

the lines. All the way back here, to Brightsky.”

Zane gathered the empty plates from all of us and took them to the kitchenette. He put them in the sink with a clatter. He turned, his hands in fists at his hips.

“The b astards are going to kill every enclavian spider in the place,” he said in a hard, angry voice. His wolf flashed in his eyes, and his lip curled as a growl escaped him.

Stella nodded. “That’s the plan.”

Lanie let out a soft moan. “Those poor things. They’re intelligent! And empathic! It’s not like they’re going to kill a bunch of mindless bugs. They’re planning to sla ughter an entire society!”

“You really think the High Council gives a f uck about that, Lanie?” Mason said in a bitter snarl.

She shook her head. “No. They care about nothing but themselves and their quest for power. But we can’t let them do this. It’s wrong.”

“Everything they do is wrong,” I bit out around my own growl. My wolf paced, rising. “I used to be so dam ned proud to be the Constantine Alpha, but now, all can think about is how ashamed I am to take any part in wolf society. So long as the High Council is in charge-“.

“We’re going to stop them,” my brother cut in. “It isn’t wolf-kind that’s the problem, but a few power- hungry as sholes who think they’ve got the right to decide for everyone else how to live.”

“Or die,” Zane said furiously.

Stella held out her hands, palms up. Small, sparkling orbs glittered, a soft glow emanating from them. They vanished after a few seconds, leaving behind a calming, soothing sensation. We were all still upset, so

she hadn’t taken that away. But I, at least, had a much better sense of clarity and understanding.

“Once they reverse that power surge, the backflow kills the spiders. That leaves Brightsky without all

utilities,” I said. “Lights, heating and cooling, water supply. Everything will shut down.”

“We’ll be completely at their mercy.” Lanie’s voice sounded strained.

“Brightsky has to have auxiliary backup sources, doesn’t it?” Zane asked Xander. “Generators of some

kind? Solar sources, thermal, whatever?”

My brother snorted under his breath. “That would make sense, wouldn’t it?”

“Standard controls every secondary source of power that Brightsky can utilize,” Stella said. “Their

generators are set up only to provide emergency services, though, not to send power back to Brightsky.

When the spiders die, Standard’s going to lose power, too. But they’ll have their backup generators. The High Council’s plan is that a team from Brightsky will have to go to Standard so they can re-rig the power

supply. When Brightsky is vulnerable, the High Council will attack.”