Ethan hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with the implications of what Lana had discovered. Grabbing his phone, he dialed the number for the Oak Lake Pack's Alpha.
"I will see that she is put in the dungeon myself," Darren said, bowing to Ethan before leaving his office. His departure left a heavy silence in the room, broken only by the insistent ringing of the phone.
As the phone rang, Lana paced back and forth, her thoughts a whirlwind of worry and anger. How could Janet betray them like this? What would happen to Kasia? Each unanswered ring felt like an eternity, amplifying her anxiety.
Finally, the call connected, and Kenneth's voice filled the room. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to call," he said, his tone dripping with satisfaction.
"Kenneth," Ethan growled, his grip on the phone tightening. "What have you done?"
"Nothing more than necessary," Kenneth replied smugly, his voice oozing with arrogance.
Ethan's jaw clenched as he tried to maintain his composure. "Why are you answering the phone and not the Alpha of Oak Lake Pack?" he demanded, his voice stern and authoritative.
"Ah, that would be because I am now the Alpha of Oak Lake Pack," Kenneth replied smugly, his words sending a chill down Ethan's spine.
"Not without my permission, you're not," Ethan shot back, his voice steely.
Kenneth laughed with a cold, cruel sound that echoed through the room. "I am the Rogue Alpha. You have no authority over me, Ethan."
"Where are the Alpha and Luna of Oak Lake Pack?" Ethan demanded, struggling to keep his fury in check.
"Let's just say they're... indisposed at the moment," Kenneth's voice dripped with malice. "You should be thanking me, really. I'm taking care of loose ends."
"Loose ends?" Ethan's eyes blazed with fury. "Those were innocent lives you've toyed with!"
"If it weren't for your meddling, the fate of Oak Lake Pack would have been for Garrett's pack," Kenneth explained, his tone annoyingly nonchalant.
Ethan's eyes darkened with rage. "So you were the ones who poisoned their water source?"
"Of course," Kenneth admitted calmly. "After the humiliation that I suffered, I had no intention of allowing Lily to live. But things have changed. There is another with blessed blood."
Ethan growled low in his throat, struggling to restrain himself. "You will stay away from Kasia."
"How can you even be possessive of her when you betrayed the mate bond and allowed another she-wolf to mark over Kasia's mark?" Kenneth mocked.
Ethan's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his voice. "How do you know about that?"
"Let's just say you have made a lot of enemies. Many of my allies would love to see you fall," Kenneth replied cryptically. "But I won't let that happen unless I get what I want."
"Are you making demands, you old fool? Do you really think I would bargain with a mass murderer, a traitor to his own kind?" Ethan snapped, his patience wearing thin.
"Careful, Ethan," Kenneth taunted. "You wouldn't want to make any hasty decisions that would put your pack in danger, would you?"
"What do you want?" Ethan inquired through gritted teeth, his frustration mounting.
"In good faith, I'll bring you the head of the female that has bewitched you," Kenneth said. "I, of course, know how it is to be at the whims of a scorned woman."
The idea of Aimee being hand-delivered for punishment was tempting, but Aimee would get what she deserved in due time. Ethan cleared his throat and repeated, "What do you want?"
"Straight to the point, I see. The offer will still be on the table. A favor for a favor," Kenneth continued.
"I don't want anything from you, Kenneth; I just want you to die. For too long, you've been a stain on our people's reputation. Alpha Garrett may not have been able to take your head, but I will not make the same mistakes," Ethan said.
"That sounds like a threat, Ethan," Kenneth mocked. His continued disrespect by not calling him Alpha was like nails on a chalkboard.
"It is a promise, Kenneth," Ethan stated. "Did you pick up this phone just to taunt me, or are you finally going to tell me what you want?"
"A proper mate," Kenneth said simply. "The Moon Goddess made a mistake, and now she has finally fixed it."
"The Moon Goddess does not make mistakes. You killed your mate for power. You do not deserve another," Ethan accused, his voice dripping with venom.
"No," Kenneth insisted, unfazed by the accusation. "As I stated, the Moon Goddess corrected her mistake by revealing another blessed blood female."
"You're delusional," Ethan said, his voice a mix of anger and disgust.
"Bring Kasia to Oak Lake Pack within three days," Kenneth demanded, "or I will kill off another pack." The call disconnected abruptly, leaving Ethan seething with anger. He slammed the phone down on the table, shattering it into pieces.
"What are we going to do?" Lily asked anxiously, her voice trembling with fear.
"With or without Kenneth's threats, we cannot ignore the danger that our people are in," Ethan said, his voice heavy with the weight of his responsibility. "I hate to admit that we need help." Many of the packs had suffered from rogue attacks, and Ethan knew he needed to rely on an outside party for assistance.
"What are you thinking?" Garrett asked, his eyes full of concern.
"Lord Amdis," Ethan replied, his gaze steady. "We're not going to call him. We're going to pay him a visit."
"You can't just show up at his doorstep. He will see that as an act of violence," Garrett advised.
"He has taken my mate. He should be expecting my appearance," Ethan responded.
"You're not going to give Kasia to Kenneth, are you?" Lily muttered.
"Absolutely not, but that old man is nothing but consistent. Ethan growled, "We will use his blind lust for power to lure out the rest of our enemies and drown them all like the rats that they are."