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I blinked. “What? Like changing the genetic make-up of a Wolf?”
Danyal grimaced and nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised. It would only make sense for them to make humans stronger if they can make the Wolves weaker.”
“Fuck,” I breathed. If that was the case, we couldn’t wait months for the city to be finished. If my father managed to perfect his work—especially with the help of god only knew how many labs around the world—there would be no stopping them. Wolves would be in danger of extinction.
And for that matter, so would humans.
“I’ve already sent my findings to the Council,” Danyal said. “I know General Titus is anxious to get things moving, and I know the other Alphas have been dragging their feet.”
My eyes widened. “Are they?”
Danyal breathed out a sharp puff of air. “My brother’s on the Council. His name is Zane.”
I knew the name. He was the Wolf Kor respected the most. “I didn’t think they were going to fight Kor on wanting to move forward.”
“They aren’t. They’re just more cautious than he is. He’s known for being reckless, and usually that gets the job done, but we’re in a different sort of war now.” Danyal stroked his fingers over his chin. “This might light a fire under them.”
“I hope so. If we have to contend with altered humans and Wolves…”
Danyal nodded. “We’re not going to be able to get anything done here.”
“So Kor’s right. We need the city.”
Danyal’s silence on the matter spoke volumes.
I ran a hand down my face and let out a very soft groan. “I’ve seen this before, you know. The rise and fall of empires—grasping for power between human and Wolf. Even if historians choose to ignore the implications that in some ancient history, Wolves lived out in the open.” He gave me a curious look, one eyebrow raised, and I leaned back in the chair. “One of my colleagues was convinced that your people came about because of the Roman twins, Romulus and Remus—do you know them?”
“Founders of Rome,” Danyal said with an amused lift of his lip.
“There are… quite a few leading scholars in human academia who believe Wolves came about after the twins bred with packmates,” I told him, bracing myself for anger.
Instead, he snorted. “So, defying all laws of genetics?”
I let myself relax a little, shrugging. “It’s the colonial mindset—dehumanize in order to elevate one race or species over another. They’d rather believe two human men mated with animals than accept it was just simply a break in evolution and that Wolves have been among us all along. They teach us that the others are savages,” I spat, hating the word with every fiber of my being. “And the power that comes with it is… devastating.”
Danyal’s voice was very soft. “I know. I lost entire limbs from my family tree in the Holocaust. I’m well aware of the base cruelty of these thinking men.”
I knew he wasn’t just talking about humans anymore. Until Wolves were revealed to society, our histories were so intertwined it was impossible to separate one from the other. And that history told me what was likely to happen. There would be death and destruction—and even if our side won, eventually there would be another grab for power.
The cycle would continue.
Again and again.
“It’s still worth fighting for,” Danyal said, as though he could read my mind. He steepled his fingers together, resting his elbows on the desk, and his own Omega eyes met mine. “Please don’t give up.”
I thought about Kor, felt a pulse of him in the bond. He wasn’t actively thinking about me right then, but I could still feel him simmering under my skin. “I have no plans to give up. I want to help where I can. I’m not a fighter and I’m not a strategic thinker, but…”
“I think you need to give yourself more credit,” he interrupted with a small grin. “Your knowledge and expertise will be needed in the coming days.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The pressure of it was heavy, but knowing that I was the Head Alpha’s mate, and knowing that I might be of actual use to him, took some of the weight off my shoulders.
* * *
I received a message from Kor asking me to come down to the Council building after my appointment with Danyal, so I made the walk over, profoundly aware of the guard on me. The Wolves were more subtle than humans, but I could still feel their presence. I wanted to be comforted, but something wasn’t sitting right. I didn’t think the man who shot me had been acting alone, but so far, he still wasn’t speaking, and Orion hadn’t had any success in turning up anyone else he was working with.
There had to be a better system, but I couldn’t come up with one. I doubted anyone would be able to until the Council had more information on how far the knowledge of the resistance had spread. And that could take months—which I wasn’t sure we had.
The walk was nice though, even if it was deep in the caves, and I let myself into the building. It seemed the receptionist had been informed of my arrival because all she did was wave her hand to an elevator, which was sitting open.
