Page 57 of Cruel Revenge
“There have always been humans who hated the supernatural after the werewolves revealed themselves. Small, fringe groups that are generally watched by the werewolves and managed. Callahan pulled Tribunal resources for it regularly,” Hasan added. “They’ll have a bump after this, a boost in their numbers, but we’ll manage them and the general populace.”
“You make it sound easy,” I said, shaking my head.
“Here are the important details. We need to prove the witch you killed is both supernatural themself and was a criminal. That means you killed a bad guy. Humans are easy. Give them a real bad guy. They like those.” Zuri held up one finger. “Next, we remind the world that you have helped raise Carey for the last five plus years and are about to be her stepmother, and you’ve been her legal guardian for many of those years. She’s someone you love and care for in the absence of her biological mother, who abandoned her as an infant. Heath is giving me permission to drag that bitch through the mud.” Zuri smiled viciously as a second finger came up.
I tightened my grip as I drove.
Good. That bitch deserves it.
“Then we start paying settlements to whoever was injured during your chase. The police officers, the locals. Everyone. We set up a fund, probably several million dollars. Everyone in the family will have to chip in, or it will bankrupt you. It’s fine. This happened to save Carey; we’re not going to leave you with the cost. We’re going to pay medical bills, replace vehicles, and fix property damage. We take on the expenses ourselves. I’ll manage that, and when it’s time for me to go, Niko and Teaganwill step in. The pack. Carey is their Alpha’s daughter. If we fund it, they can manage it.”
“Heath… agreed to this?”
“Of course,” Zuri said, tilting her head to the side. “Why wouldn’t he?”
“I just…”He won’t talk to me.
“He still loves you,” Zuri promised me softly. “He’s going to help in every way he can. He’s just as scared for Carey as you are.”
I nodded. I knew all that. I remembered what Hasan said. He was right. Heath now needed to be as stable as possible for all the werewolves under his control. It wasn’t just his son or the small pack he had. If he truly lost it, he could go to the NAWC and mobilize every werewolf in the country. It would be chaos. Blood would run in major cities all over America, and possibly beyond if he reached out and bent those Alphas to his will as well.
It was better that my fragile hold on my own control wasn’t weakening his own.
The restaurant came into view, and I had momentary déjà vu. Carey wasn’t in the passenger’s seat this time, though.
I parked in the back, ignoring the small group of journalists camping across the street in a parking lot. I recognized Beth’s car and a few BSA vehicles after a moment.
“How are you two going to manage?” I asked the ancients in my backseat.
“They won’t remember our faces,” Subira said with a smile.
“And all the cameras?”
“Jacky, we’re not the people to worry about,” she said, showing teeth in her smile.
I nodded and started to get out of the SUV, Zuri moving a little faster than me. Immediately, three nearby BSA agents started talking into their mics, saying my name. Beth camestorming out of the restaurant’s back door as Zuri and I approached.
“Jacky! What the fuck is all this?” she demanded, fiery.
“Someone attacked Carey and me and kidnapped her,” I answered.
“You killed someone! You know we have to take you into questioning, right?”
“No, you don’t,” Heath snapped from across the parking lot, standing beside his truck. “Don’t play games tonight. No one is going anywhere tonight. We’re here to finish our investigation of this place now that we have everyone we need. You and yours can get out of the way.”
“Heath, you know we need to tell the public that the potential danger is off the street. You’re lucky the press doesn’t know either of you is here.”
“They will if you keep yelling,” Zuri said in a hiss. “I’m taking on all public relations tonight. We need to manage this.”
“We’re beyond being managed, ma’am,” another agent retorted, standing right behind Beth. “We’re in charge now.”
“No one, and I do meanno one,takes control of the werecat ruling family,” Zuri said, her words thunderous like Subira’s could be. Her words shook my bones. “I am going to give you our official statement. Put me in front of a camera if you must, but you will not take my sister anywhere. We will do what we have to, then we will go.”
“Better listen to her,” Heath warned, his cool tone sending shivers down my spine.
Zuri started walking past them, and I stepped to follow her.
“Jacky, talk some sense into them. You know this is beyond?—”
