Chapter Eight:
Elias

 

It had been three days since Reese’s request — no, his demand — for a meeting, and Elias was only just now preparing to indulge him.

He was no fool. He knew what this was about. He’d spent the past few days making sure to reinforce his efforts, increasing the dissention between and within the werewolf packs. The more dissatisfied they became, the easier they would be to manipulate.

It would, of course, piss off the pack leader he supposedly had an alliance with, but Reese had never understood it wasn’t the deal he thought it was.

Elias held all the cards. What little power the pack leader had was only because he allowed it. Without Elias himself, Reese was nothing, for all that the werewolf seemed oblivious to that fact.

He’d gotten cocky, and it was time to put him back in his place.

Well. It was past time, really, because he’d already begun to set all of this into motion. Only part of it had to do with the fact that Spencer had confessed under only a small amount of duress that Reese had been the one who’d promised to help him get Jace out.

The coward had confessed several interesting things before Elias had tired of asking questions and had locked him away again. He was disgusted that he’d allowed the — double agent seemed like a term for someone far more capable than Spencer Smith — traitor to reach Reese Dorsey without finding out about it.

Elias would be having words with his spies amongst the werewolf packs, though part of him acknowledged Reese might’ve actually planned this alone. It was more likely, given the werewolf barely understood how clandestine activity worked and would’ve flubbed it, but anything could happen.

With that now-marked human of his, it was certainly possible. Whitney’s child had proven to be far more interesting than Elias had imagined. Maybe it was time to reunite them and see what he could find out… and how he could play those two off of one another.

After all, love was one of the most potent weapons in existence, and Elias knew how to wield it like a master.

He doubted Ashton knew his father had been taking the hippest new drug — vampire blood — when he’d been ripped apart by a werewolf. It was impressive, really, what blood could do, for all that he’d regenerated rather thoroughly… even to the point where he had a heartbeat, possessing an unnatural amount of life. Perhaps the blood had had to work overtime to repair and reawaken him and it had simply gone too far?

Elias didn’t know. He didn’t study vampire blood and its effects.

He knew a few things, of course. He knew Spencer, like so many others, was addicted to it. He knew that if someone died with it in their system, there was a good chance they’d live again — not always, but there was a good enough chance. Vampires spawned swiftly enough to be worrisome.

Population control was going to be an issue in the upcoming years, and if he had the chance, he’d make sure the witches understood just how much more swiftly vampires were multiplying. One night, and they could change hundreds.

A witch, though — those took a lifetime to birth and cultivate. Even then, it wasn’t a guarantee that the child would carry power. They’d begun to round up the so-called magicless witches who hadn’t been marked or whose families hadn’t protested their removal, and the experiment of the breeding camps was underway. If they could successfully breed offspring with power despite their own shortcomings, they might have a purpose.

If it worked well enough, he might be able to claim half-witches as well…

But he was getting ahead of himself.

Right now, Elias had to deal with an uppity werewolf.

For all that he’d made Reese wait days for this meeting, he arrived on time to their meeting. The big werewolf was pacing instead of sitting in the perfectly comfortable chair in the living room, his eyes occasionally flicking to where a dozing Jace had been locked in his kennel.

It wasn’t locked for Jace’s sake, of course. His pet had more than proven himself. No, it was all for Reese — a reminder of what he’d attempted to do as well as to keep him from trying something… ill-advised while he was a guest in Elias’s home.

Elias was, as the saying went, protecting the werewolf from himself.

Jace woke as he became aware of Elias’s presence, then his ass wiggled until his makeshift tail wagged. Elias nodded to him in approval, but he didn’t smile.

“It’s about fucking time,” Reese snarled at him, turning on his heel to face him.

Elias blinked, and he wasn’t certain what he was more surprised about — the audacity of the words themselves, or the fact that he’d spoken that way to begin with. “Manners, Mr. Dorsey,” he chided, his voice as mild as his mood wasn’t. “There’s no need to get rude.”

“You made me wait three goddamn days just to get a meeting with you.” Reese was seething, fingers closing and flexing as though he wanted to let them close around something.

Elias had made others wait much longer. Reese was simply an impatient cretin with an inflated sense of self-worth.

“I’m a busy man,” Elias replied. “I’m sure Mr. Smith got you onto my schedule as soon as he could.” As soon as Elias would allow, at least. “Now, are you going to insist upon seeing my quite full calendar, or are we going to discuss why you’re here? Our time together is limited. I’d hate for you to have to wait another three days or more for another meeting.”

“Why are you sabotaging me?” Reese asked, going straight to the point.

Elias hadn’t expected him to, but then, politics had never been this particular werewolf’s game. He arched a brow and took a seat near Jace’s cage, absently reaching for the lock so he could release it. If Reese attempted to get violent with him, he’d have his magic and his guard dog at hand. “Come,” he told Jace in a murmur, directing him to lie at his feet.

Jace brought the pillow Elias had gifted to him, and Elias studied it for a moment. He’d known his ‘wolf would change, but he hadn’t expected the sort of regression that would make him fixate on some object to cuddle. But if all it took to satisfy him was a small throw pillow…

“Elias,” Reese hissed. “I’m not in the mood for your games.”

“And this is why you’ll never succeed as a pack leader,” Elias said sharply. “Sit down, Mr. Dorsey.”

Reese stood in front of a chair, but he didn’t sit.

Elias supposed he thought his height and weight were intimidating or that they might be impressive somehow. He wouldn’t disabuse him of the notion, not this time, but the posturing would quickly become rather old.

“I can’t succeed when someone’s causing trouble for me,” Reese said, staring down at Elias from across the room.

“I’m not sabotaging you,” Elias said. It wasn’t exactly a lie. Reese’s incompetence did plenty, and sabotage wasn’t the goal of his little experiment. It was simply a fun side effect — to a point. If Reese was removed from power by his pack, Elias would have to deal with the headache of pushing yet another pack leader under his thumb.

The werewolf scoffed. “So my ‘wolves suddenly lost their minds for no reason right after you ended up as Elder?”

Elias shrugged. “Your ‘wolves are your concern,” he said. “You’re their pack leader, are you not?”

It was polite to pretend Reese wasn’t simply a puppet.

“They’re saying we were used as cannon fodder during the Takeover,” Reese said, his voice steely. “Is it true?”

Oh, the poor fool. Did he think anyone would simply come out and say yes? The ‘wolf’s grasp on politics should’ve improved, but he was the same oblivious creature he’d been when they’d first met.

Elias gave him a scornful look. “What does that have to do with your pack being unruly? Even if I was going to hinder you, do you think I’d spread a rumor that could potentially bring harm to my kind?”

Some of the wind dropped from Reese’s overblown sails. “Someone’s poking around and causing trouble,” he said stubbornly all the same. “And all of this just happened to—”

“To what, Reese?” Elias asked, his voice dripping with honey as he spoke. He leaned forward, his voice pitched low. “To happen after you nearly committed treason?”

Reese paled, which was an interesting sight. “I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said stiffly.

“Of course you haven’t,” Elias told him, his voice patronizing. “You’ve been such a good citizen.”

“Stop mocking me,” Reese snapped.

“Stop accusing me of interfering with your pack,” Elias retorted. “If I wanted you removed from power, you already would’ve been. You’re the most useless, ineffectual leader I’ve seen. Even Patrick was better at holding the pack together than you are.”

Reese snarled, balling up his hands into fists. “Don’t you fucking mention him!”

Jace sat up abruptly then got to all fours. He let out a low growl, settling himself in front of Elias like he really was a guard dog.

A cold smile spread across Elias’s lips. “Don’t tell me what to do,” he stated, knowing Jace’s behavior would make his words that much more effective. “That’s the only warning you’ll get, Reese Dorsey. Now sit down and shut up so you can listen for once.”

Jace started, glancing up at him, but Elias didn’t meet his gaze. Nor did he soothe his pet, who went back to staring at Reese.

Reese slowly sank into the seat he’d been standing in front of, looking more apprehensive.

As he should’ve been! Very few could claim they’d pushed Elias Ivers this far, and of them… Well, Reese ought to be grateful Elias wanted him where he was instead of on the floor beside Jace.

“I don’t care what kind of discord your pack is experiencing,” Elias told Reese matter-of-factly. “That’s your concern. Deal with it.”

Reese sputtered, going red in the face.

Elias went on, “And while you settle your pack down, you’re going to do something for me.”

“Don’t you think you’re already asking enough?” Reese asked, gripping the arms of the chair.

“What do I ask of you?” Elias countered. “For you to run your pack, as any pack leader ought to do. That’s all. It’s hardly my fault you can’t even do that right.”

Reese’s eyes narrowed, but it wasn’t as though the big bad ‘wolf could argue. He’d yet to pull the pack together under his leadership, and now that Elias was poking the hornet’s nest, it wouldn’t happen.

Oh, Elias might end up getting stung at some point, but such was the chance one took when playing at this level. The sooner the ‘wolf packs devolved into utter chaos, the sooner the werewolf Elders would be too busy to get in his way.

“So what is it you want me to do, Elder?” Reese asked, his voice heavy with loathing, for all that he couldn’t outright say no — and they both knew it. The ‘wolf had paid a heavy price for Elias’s help, and he’d only compounded upon that as time had gone on.

He owed Elias his life — and the life of his human… as far as he knew. Reese didn’t know about the deal Elias had with Ashton’s father, and that was hardly something he needed to know. If Reese thought he was protecting Ashton, it was better for Elias.

“Remember who could break you,” Elias said softly. “I think you’ve forgotten just why you’re in this role. Don’t force me to resort to common threats again.”

From the way Reese looked at him, Elias was even more certain he was right.

Elias smiled, though it lacked humor, and he patted Jace on top of the head. “You see, this is why you never should’ve been a pack leader. You’re too short-sighted. I shouldn’t have to remind you of what you owe me. But since you’re clearly lacking in the memory department as well…”

He trailed off, giving Reese an opening, but the ‘wolf didn’t take it.

“You killed your own pack members,” Elias stated quietly. “Had I not stepped forward, you’d have been held responsible. You almost certainly would’ve been put to death.” Perhaps he was exaggerating his role in keeping Reese out of trouble, but the werewolf didn’t need to know that any more than he needed to know about Whitney’s deals. “You know pack law better than I do. And…”

Elias’s gaze trailed down to Reese’s neck, where a necklace bearing a smooth gemstone hung.

“Don’t forget you owe me other debts.”

Reese gnashed his teeth, yanking the necklace over his head and offering it out to Elias. “Then take it back. I don’t want to be your dog. You already have one of those.”

Jace went still, but Elias was pleased. This was one of the reasons his pet had come around to him. His own kind acted like he’d been less than nothing once he’d been sacrificed.

Elias chuckled. “It doesn’t work that way, Reese. We aren’t children. You made a deal… and you’re going to need that charm before the end, I imagine. You need some sort of advantage over your pack members.”

Reluctantly, Reese put the necklace back on.

“Now. As I said, I have a task for you.”