Savage Urges (The Phoenix Pack, #5)(79)

CHAPTER NINETEEN





Waking to the sound of a fist thumping on Ryan’s bedroom door, Makenna groaned. The male curled around her merely grunted against her nape. The fist didn’t give up, however. “This is the shittiest wake-up call ever,” she grumbled.

Ryan lifted his head and called out, “What?”

“We have a major situation on our hands.” It was Dante.

Ryan sat upright. “Explain.”

“Come take a look at the security monitors in Trey’s office.”

A short time later, Ryan and Makenna entered the crowded office. “What’s going on?” asked Makenna. Moving aside, Dante gestured at the monitors. One look had Makenna blurting, “Fuck.”

“Yes, f*ck,” agreed Tao. “Remy has to be behind this.”

Trick nodded. “He wants the council to think we’re not the right people to be guarding the shelter.”

“Given that there are dozens of extremists outside the security gates, yelling and protesting, I’d say he’d make a good point,” said Makenna. They were all wearing hoods to conceal their faces—most likely hoping to protect their identities from The Movement. Makenna looked at Trey. “I thought you said the extremists wouldn’t come here.”

“Something’s got them so worked up that they don’t care about the danger it’s putting them in.” The Alpha leaned closer to the screens. “What are they shouting?”

Jaime shook her head, worrying her lower lip. “I can’t tell.”

Dante took out his cell phone and keyed in a number. “There’s only one way to find out.” He put the phone to his ear. “Gabe, what is it they’re saying?” Gabe was guarding the gate.

The room was quiet enough for everyone to hear Gabe’s response: “They want ‘the rabid cat.’”

Makenna met Ryan’s gaze as she said, “Dexter.”

“They’re yelling that it belongs in hell and they want to send it there,” added Gabe.

“Hey look, cops have showed up,” said Tao. “Tell me they aren’t part of the protest.”

“They’re trying to move the extremists along,” Gabe told them. “The bastards are blocking the road. Can you see the news crew?”

Makenna cursed. “The council won’t need Remy to tell them about this. They’ll see it for themselves.”

“He hasn’t just done this to persuade the council we can’t protect the shelter,” said Ryan. “He’s trying to block our exit so we can’t get to the meeting.”

Makenna’s spine locked. “I’m not missing it.”

“No, you’re not,” Trey assured her. “There are other ways out of here—hidden exits we have for emergencies. It will slow you down a little, maybe make you a little late for the meeting. But you will get there.”

Taryn turned to Makenna. “I really wanted to be there today but—”

“You need people here in case they somehow manage to get through the gates,” finished Makenna. “I get it.”

“Jaime, Trick, and I will come with you and Ryan,” said Dante. “That means you’ll have enough backup without the pack being defenseless.”

“Is Riley likely to flee with Savannah and Dexter, thinking it will protect them?” Taryn asked Makenna.

Tao frowned. “She won’t flee.” It was more of a “she’d better not flee” statement.

“Riley’s smart,” said Makenna. “She’ll know that running off alone to protect the kids would be much worse than staying in a vast territory where there are lots of places to hide should the unthinkable happen and those f*ckers get inside.”

Taryn released a sigh of relief. “Good. Those kids have wormed their way into my heart.”

Ryan checked the clock on the wall. “Kenna, we have to leave now.”

With a nod, Makenna quickly followed him out of the room, out of the caves, and through the dense forest until they came to a camouflaged building that turned out to be a garage. Claiming one of the four SUVs, Ryan then drove them out of a cleverly concealed exit that was only accessible from the inside of the territory’s perimeter fence.

After a ten-minute drive on a dirt path, they came to the highway. It took twenty more minutes to reach the territory on which the meeting was being held. Bordered by three mountains, the expansive land belonged to one of the council members, Parker Brant, who was known for being fair and impartial. Makenna sure hoped he’d be that today.

The council itself wasn’t exactly “good.” It would do what it had to do to preserve peace—even if that meant ending lives and wiping out packs. That was what made her so nervous. If they thought Remy having possession of the shelter would preserve the peace, they might just grant him what he wanted.

After they parked, four guards escorted them from the SUV to a building that looked like a smaller version of a courthouse. In the reception area, Dawn, Madisyn, and Colton sagged in relief at their arrival.

Madisyn hugged Makenna tight. “For a minute there, I thought you weren’t going to make it.”

“So did I,” said Makenna.

Dawn came forward. “What happened?”