‘The More the Merrier’
Kane’s POV
As the echoes of battle faded, I motioned for my squad to retreat, seething with barely contained rage. Kyle fell into step beside me as we turned away from the palace boundary, heading back to my pack grounds.
The run back was tense. I could feel Kyle watching me, a silent reminder of his intervention. The rage simmered beneath my skin, fueled by the image of Cleopatra bonded to that insipid Alpha, their scents mingling in the air, mocking me. She was meant to be mine after I was done using her.
And as it has come down to this, I would not mind chaining her to the wall in my quarters, forcing her to remember who she truly belonged to—just like the woman I'd shackled in my room for months now, a constant reminder of my control and dominance.
The dark thought brought a twisted sense of satisfaction, enough to let me clear my mind as we reached the pack house. There was work to be done, plans to be solidified. The coronation would be their undoing.
Once at the pack, I found Jack waiting. I hadn’t missed his suspicion earlier, and now I saw the trace of it in his eyes again. Good. He didn’t have to trust me, or like my ways. He only has to obey.
"Send a message," I ordered sharply. "Summon Simone and the Night Wolf Alpha. We’ll need their armies to crush Williams and his pack. Tell them I expect their presence today.”
Jack’s eyes flickered in surprise, but he nodded, disappearing swiftly to carry out the order. I watched him go, my thoughts already turning to the impending meeting. The alliances I’d forged were as fragile as they were powerful, and I knew that trust was a luxury none of us could afford. Still, they needed me as much as I needed them—at least for now.
Several hours later, they arrived, the tension was as thick as I’d anticipated. Simone, his striking form exuding barely restrained power, eyed me with a flicker of disdain. Beside him stood the Night Wolf Alpha, a hulking figure with a deadly calm, a barely veiled warning in his gaze.
Both knew of my past schemes, of the times I had turned my back on them to further my own plans. But today, we had a common enemy, and Kyle, ever my voice of reason, had managed to hold them together.
Simone crossed his arms, his stance challenging. “You’ve got some nerve, Alpha Kane. After what you pulled last time, I should be skinning you alive, not standing here listening to your plans.”
The Night Wolf Alpha grunted in agreement. “He’s right. This alliance is paper-thin, Kane. Convince us why we should trust you again.”
I looked between them, holding my ground. “You don’t have to trust me, only to follow through on our mutual goal. Williams is as much a threat to you as he is to me. If we wait, he’ll grow stronger with Cleopatra by his side. And when he does, it won’t just be my pack he’ll come for—it will be yours too.”
Simone’s gaze narrowed, but I could see the doubt creeping in, the recognition of a shared enemy.
Kyle spoke up then, his voice smooth and persuasive. “If we combine our forces and attack after the coronation, we’ll catch them off guard. Their guards will be distracted, softened by the night’s celebrations. It’s the perfect opportunity to strike.”
The Night Wolf Alpha inclined his head, considering. “And if we succeed, Kane? What then?”
I allowed myself a slight smirk, cold and unyielding. “Once Williams is gone, we divide this entire realm. You each gain a portion, and I reclaim what’s mine. There’s no need for continued hostility. Our differences can be settled once the real threat is eliminated.”
Simone raised a skeptical brow. “And I’m supposed to believe you’ll honor that? That you would restore the honor of my clan and bring us back?”
Kyle interjected, sensing the mounting tension. “This alliance exists solely to bring Williams down. Nothing more, nothing less. Any disputes beyond that can wait. Right now, we have a single, common goal.”
A beat of silence passed, thick with unspoken words. Finally, Simone spoke, his tone wary. “Fine. But if you cross us again, Alpha Kane…”
“Your threats are noted,” I cut him off with a wave of my hand, unbothered. “Now, to the details.”
We gathered around a map of the palace and its surrounding areas, marking the guards' usual rotations and their likely defenses for the coronation night. Kyle explained that after the festivities, the guards would be lax, lulled by the evening’s revelry. We could slip through their defenses, taking advantage of the lowered vigilance.
“We’ll need to hit them hard and fast,” I said, tracing a line along the map where the main entrance lay. “A three-pronged attack: one force will enter from the east, another from the west, and the main squad through the front. Williams won’t know what hit him.”
Simone gave a slow nod, assessing. “And Cleopatra?”
My jaw clenched, a flash of rage surging through me. “Leave her to me. She’s… mine to deal with.”
The Night Wolf Alpha glanced at me with barely disguised contempt. “You think you can handle her? Because I want her dead!”
A cold smile tugged at my lips. “I know her. Every weakness, every flaw. If it comes to it, I’ll do whatever’s necessary to bring her back—or kill her.”
Simone scoffed. “Such a waste. She could be useful if only she weren’t tangled up with that fool Williams.”
“Then we’re all in agreement,” Kyle said smoothly, redirecting the conversation. “The night after the coronation. We’ll regroup here, gather our forces, and strike when they least expect it.”
A murmur of agreement swept through the room, though the air still crackled with unease. Simone and the Night Wolf Alpha might have accepted the plan, but neither of them trusted me entirely—and rightfully so. I’d burn them both to the ground if it meant securing Cleopatra’s loyalty once again.
Just as the meeting drew to a close, a knock sounded at the door. I stiffened, irritation flashing across my face. But before I could dismiss the interruption, Jack stepped in, his face a mask of careful neutrality.
“Alpha Kane,” he said, his voice steady. “There’s someone here who wishes to see you.”
I frowned, exchanging a glance with Kyle. This was an unexpected development.
“Who?” I demanded.
Jack didn’t answer, merely stepped aside to allow the figure to enter. The room fell silent as the door swung open, and in stepped a shadowed figure, their features obscured by the dim light. A slow, devilish grin spread across my face as recognition dawned.
‘The more, the merrier,’ I murmured to myself.
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