Page 8 of The Bear's Fated Mate
“One step at a time. I agree. The best part about this, you realize, is that they’re not going to know what hit them once the dust settles. And if we do things right, we’ll be able to tie up all the loose ends and there will be no going back. No way to fight what is clearly in all of our best interests.”
Whoever she was talking to said something that caused Crystal to laugh, a warm, happy sound that seemed somewhat out of place considering the rest of the conversation.
“Yes, I’m being careful. It’s risky, but it’ll be worth it. And then all the… Of course. I’ll meet you in our usual spot. Watch your back.”
The sound of a phone being laid on the desk and her sister pacing the room to settle into her chair were enough to jar Lara from her stillness.
She pulled a pencil from her notebook and deliberately tossed it back down the hallway to make it seem as if she were only now rounding the corner. Lara shifted her feet with increasing pressure as she took her time approaching the office door.
She wasn’t the only one with wolf hearing, and until she had more time to ponder it, she didn’t want Crystal knowing the cryptic conversation had been overheard.
Lara pasted on a bland expression before stepping into the room and squarely meeting her sister’s powerful gaze. “Alpha.”
Crystal snorted. “What have you done?”
“Nothing.” Lara folded her arms over her chest, her notepad pressing against the crisp cotton of her security shirt. The one emblazed with the Midnight Inc. security logo. “Suspicious much?”
“Only when you come in here and call me Alpha instead of your usual less than hierarchy-based ‘Yo, butthead. How’s it hanging?’”
Lara lifted her gaze to the ceiling briefly before grinning wide enough to show teeth. “I figured I’d use my best manners since I have a favour to ask.”
Crystal rolled her chair away enough to lean back and place her feet on the surface of her desk. “Oh, you’re trying to suck up. I approve. Please.” She gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “Make yourself comfortable while you grovel.”
Mentally, Lara rapidly ran through options. She had a real request for Crystal, a minor one that she wanted to discuss, but in light of the conversation she’d overheard, it might be good to take better advantage of this opportunity.
Maybe being upfront and blunt would help. It’s not as if Crystal expected Lara to fawn all over her in the first place.
Which was good, because Lara didn’t fawn.
“I wanted you to know I’ve completed the security review for Midnight Inc. and modernized the few places we had problems. Overall, we’re in excellent shape.”
Crystal nodded, her gaze hard and assessing. “Done already? Impressive.”
“There’s no wasted time when you know what needs to be done. We’ll need minimal upgrades in the future.” Lara placed her notepad on the table, leaning forward in the chair to rest her elbows on her knees. Making every part of her body language powerful and determined, yet not challenging. “I’m ready to become more involved in the pack.”
The corners of Crystal’s lips curled up slightly. “So eager. I thought when you left town six years ago, you were ready to abandon the Orion pack for good.”
“I was eighteen and looking forward to college. I was even more excited to get out from under the watchful eyes offiveolder matriarchs,” Lara drawled. “If you remember, everyone was still living at home. You, Auntie, and all three of our sisters.”
Crystal snorted. “Oh God, yeah. I’ll give you that one. Since taking over after Mom and Dad abdicated, I’ve only had to deal with Auntie Amethyst hanging over my shoulder and making comments. Things like ‘Oh,that’sa curious way to deal with the situation,’ and the extremely judgmental ‘interesting,’ and the worst of the lot—”
“That low pitchedhmmmshe does that just screams disapproval, but you can’t call her on it because she didn’t really say anything?” Lara suggested.
Crystal’s eyes blazed. “I hate that fucking noise.”
The two of them laughed spontaneously, and hope rose in Lara’s gut.Thiswas what she remembered. The good times. The connection.
The sensation of nearly equal power. She’d never pushed it, but something inside had always told her that she was strong enough to be Alpha if she wanted it.
Of course we could. Power might be fun,her wolf said with a lazy stretch, flexing her claws.
Fun? A whole lot of work.
At eighteen, she hadn’t wanted that kind of responsibility. Now, she’d take it if necessary. She’d do what needed to be done.
Cryptic conversations aside, Lara had always admired her sister…until the rumours had begun. Their parents had left town shortly before Lara’s seventeenth birthday, but Crystal had already been in charge for years by that time. Lara had looked to Crystal and Auntie Amethyst for guidance in the rare moments she, as a head-strong teenager, had felt the need for advice.
Now what she wanted more than anything was for all of Midnight Inc.’s dealings to be on the up and up. For the Orion pack to be a rock-solid part of the Yellowknife community.
