The Full Moon Effect

Chapter 14: An Alliance or More Deceit?

Loyalty is a precious thing,

not everyone can have it.

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"An alliance is supposed to be a good thing," I spoke hesitantly, confused as to the sullen expression Advocate Cervantes wore.

"It would be, if it were genuine," mused Jones. "Alpha Connell may be luring us in under false pretenses. Ulric and his pack could be waiting to slaughter us upon our arrival."

The Advocate nodded. "Alpha Connell called me claiming he needed a fair, unbiased Advocate, which could be true. But if he knows of Advocate Adron's reputation, it could also be just an excuse to maintain the facade of an alliance."

"Plus, what are the odds that a twin would genuinely join a war opposing the other?" Offered Kanaya. "This is their attempt to lure you in like a Venus fly trap."

I narrowed my eyes at her, as if she had made the threat herself. Jones's fingertips slipped under the back of my shirt, the contact a silent warning to not get riled up.

"I told him I would relay the message and get back with him soon—what would you like to do, Alpha Jones?" Asked Advocate Cervantes.

Jones's fingertips pressed into my skin and I looked back at him to find his eyes staring into mine. He was taking my offer of doing things together very seriously, but I was at a loss.

"If Alpha Connell wants us to come to him, but all of you think it's a trap..." I muttered, trying to verbally untangle the knots of yarn in my head. "Why don't we do what Advocate Cervantes originally suggested we do for Castor? Meet him in a neutral territory?"

Jones nodded, but added his own addendums when he called Alpha Connell back: only he and his Luna were to meet Jones and I.

Alpha Connell sighed, "There are many reasons I can't leave my territory; I apologize, I know how this must look. Believe me, Alpha Jones and Luna Tara, I am completely against my brother's war on you, and tried to talk him out of it myself, but my father's claws have sunk too deep into him for him to be persuaded by anything less than a need to prove himself. But while I can't leave my territory completely, I can meet you at the border, the one furthest from Ulric's. I'll bring Asena, and only Asena, if that helps my case. You can bring as many wolves as you'd like, in fact, I encourage you too. I think you'll need them once your scent drifts over to Ulric's territory."

"We'll think it over and let you know by the end of the day," said Jones, before ending the call and turning to me. "What do you think?"

I had left the comfort of his lap to pace again. "It's without a doubt Leyton pulling the strings behind Ulric. Connell's description of the lengths Ulric would go to impress Leyton...he's a dead ringer for Castor."

"Which Leyton would have known and fed the information to his sons," said Kanaya, her tone in disbelief we would consider Connell anything other than a liar.

Jones pondered this for a moment before turning to me. "I can see if we could muster up a temporary alliance between our pack and the pack on the far side of Connell's land. If they could back us if something went wrong, that would be the only way I would be at ease taking this risk."

"Unless that pack is already bought out by Connell and Ulric," suggested Kanaya, leaning forward in her seat. "That's what I would do; buy up those lots as I passed go."

"Not everyone is like you," I snapped.

There was something immensely satisfying about seeing Kanaya scowl. Maybe she felt the same and that's why she pushed me so often.