Alpha Supreme held the meeting at his private lodging.
Rows of cars were parked outside, and the moment Ethan stepped out, he knew there were at least fifty Lycans inside the mansion.
"Fancy," Vincent whistled "I wonder what they selected for the food course."
"Do you ever think of something other than food?" Victoria rolled her eyes
"I think about my car." He said in a duh tone
"We're the last ones here." Tyler said, gaze flickering over the parking
Someone took the keys, and Vincent gave the boy a thousand instructions regarding his car. The front hall was big enough to hold an assembly. Groups of people stood near tables, light chatter and clinking of glasses.
At the very end of the hall, the Alpha and Luna Supreme stood.
Tyler had seen them before, but Vincent and Victoria hadn't. They both stopped short.
"Tenth hell," Vincent swore "She looks just like—
"I know," Ethan grimaced
One of the reasons he felt queasy coming to meetings that weren't mandatory was this.
Their Luna Supreme looked like a splitting image of his dead sister-in-law.
It didn't help that the Alpha Supreme was as serious and dispassionate as his dead brother.
Seeing them wasn't the exactly elevating.
Which was exactly why he needed to come more often. It was a weakness he loathed.
"Come," Ethan started towards them "It's rude not to greet our hosts."
Victoria sighed, lacing an arm through Tyler's "Let's get this over with."
They made their way through the wave of guests, and Alpha Supreme turned his attention to them.
"Alpha Supreme," Ethan bowed his head, voice light
"Alpha Parks," Alpha supreme nodded at his party "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come."
"My apologies," Ethan smiled "There were some urgent matters I needed to take care of."
Like finding a very specific goat to slaughter for a very strange ritual.
And sadly, fail at it. For now.
"More urgent than our party?" Luna Supreme raised a brow, but there was amusement in her tone
"I am here, aren't I?" His smile was polite
"And very late," Elise crossed her arms, then sighed "It doesn't get better than that, I suppose."
The greetings continued a while longer, before Ethan and his team excused themselves.
"Lyon is glaring at you," Tyler told him, straight faced as ever
Ethan darted a quick glance towards the older Alpha. He was glaring daggers at them.
"He's going to snitch," Victoria said
"He's got nothing to say," Vincent rolled his eyes, then grinned wickedly "Lets go probe him for fun."
"Gladly," Ethan said "But first, let's greet the few others who don't hate us."
"You guys go ahead," Victoria said "We'll check the premises."
She turned, taking Tyler with her. Not moments later, Ethan could hear her laughing.
"They do know that we know, right?" Vincent said
"Let them have it," Ethan said, searching for familiar faces in the hall
His gaze met another's and Ethan cursed under his breath. He'd just turned on his heel, ready to drag Vincent with him when someone called.
"Alpha Parks, you seem to be in a hurry."
Too late. Ethan stifled a sigh as he turned.
Alpha Joseph and his mate stood before them, beautiful and threatening at once.
He liked Alpha Joseph, since he was one of the few people in the council who didn't want him dead, but the timing could've been better.
"Are you avoiding us, Ethan?" Luna Penelope narrowed her eyes a notch
"Of course not," Ethan took her hand and brushed a kiss to her knuckles "Better surrender than be hunted down."
She smiled, and to someone who hadn't known her for a lifetime, it would seem pleased. But before Penelope had found her mate, she'd been a part of their pack, and Ethan knew that expression was more inquisitive than delighted.
Penelope turned to Vincent "Gamma, I heard all of you made a trip to Alpha Texan's pack."
And there it was. Likely everyone knew of that trip— somehow, everyone in the Supreme Council knew everything— and now whoever didn't hate him expected an explanation.
He really needed to get out more often.
"We did, Luna," Vincent nodded, somber for once "Alpha Texan was most hospitable."
"Strange timing," Alpha Joseph said to Ethan "Already trying to acquaint yourself with the new Alpha?"
"Can you blame me?" Ethan didn't deny it
"You know," Penelope said, a gleam in her eyes "I've heard you're planning an alliance. Alpha Texan does have two daughters."
Ethan was not proud of the pinch of pain that managed to show on his face "Everyone keeps reminding me."
"Out with it then," Penelope said "Are you getting engaged?"
"Alpha, Luna, if you'd excuse us," Vincent said "We should find the rest of our inner circle. Catch you later?"
He didn't wait for an answer before he started forward, Ethan did exactly the same.
Behind him, he heard Alpha Joseph mutter something to Penelope along the lines of getting an answer later, laughter in his tone.
Ethan should've expected Penelope to find him sooner or later. Despite her very permanent habit of making him into a child, Ethan rather liked her. She knew many of his secrets and could find several reasons to resent him if she wanted.
After all, he'd killed her father.
…