Chapter 130

Grace

How dare that slimy son of a bitch call me now?

I tossed my phone across the room, snarling. "Fenris and the patent that he's somehow got stalled is what!"

Charles smiled. "I'm not worried about the patent going through, especially now that Blood Moon has had to turn tail and run. What else?"

I huffed. "Why does it matter?"

"You said you wouldn't run," Charles said. "Yet you're so deadset on this not working out. I'm trying to figure out why."

I pursed my lips. "There's no way the pack could reach a multi-billion dollar GDP in eleven months. We were barely hitting a couple hundred thousand before."

Charles tilted his head. "Without Wolfe Medical?"

"Yes."

Charles frowned. "Why is Wolfe Medical excluded?"

"It's the business of the alpha's family. It's not subject to taxes inside Mooncrest." I gestured vaguely. "It's got something to do with the way it was established."

Amira's brow furrowed, and she typed something.

"Could you change that?" Charles asked. "So that Wolfe Medical is a part of the Mooncrest economy properly? Where would that get you?"

"Another couple hundred thousand, maybe," I said. "But I don't think so."

"Before the drug or after?"

I blinked. "Before."

"So taxes and you need more business inside of Mooncrest?"

"Yes."

"That would come from more people. More tourists? More business owners of different types."

"Yes," I said. "It's all connected and all impossible. Mooncrest isn't..."

I sighed, letting my head fall back. "Mooncrest doesn't have that kind of draw. Most of the businesses that are here are related, somehow, to Wolfe Medical: pharmacies and all that. We don't have anything else."

Charles hummed. "Is that because you can't, or you just don't?"

I scoffed. "You think that eleven months is enough time to what? Establish enough businesses to increase our GDP by that much? You're insane! Even if we opened exports, expanded the territory out to the border, and somehow convinced the Inter-Species Federal Bank to give us an account, we'd still have to draw enough people here to do that or build up people within the territory to open businesses, and get through and Inter-Pack Police audit which could take months."

Charles smiled. His eyes twinkled as Amira kept typing.

"Humor me," Charles said. "What would it mean for Mooncrest to be a Senate-level territory?"

I shook my head. "It'd be... a turn of history for the pack. We'd have access to more resources, more connections, and we'd have a chance to influence policy across the States." I turned, looking up at an old map of Mooncrest.

In truth, it could change everything. A Senate spot guaranteed a wide reach. It would lower the taxes Mooncrest had to pay to the Treasury as a portion of the pack's income would be considered compensation for me as Senator as separate from being alpha. It would allow us to use that money for more things inside the pack, but more than that, when Gabriel got his seat, we could make major changes.

"There are only six territories in the Senate so far," I said softly. "Having one-eighth of a sway on the President, knowing that Gabriel and I would agree on a lot, thus making it one-fourth, could mean a lot."

"There are certain classes of laws that require 3/4ths to pass rather than the standard majority, as I recall," Charles said gently.

I chuckled a little. "My father... never mentioned it, but he said all the time if Senator Archon had an ally, we'd be living a different life... And I know that had he been a Senator... a lot of things would be different." My lips twitched. "We'd be the first targets of Blood Moon to be on the Senate aside from Silver Eclipse."

I shook my head. "Expanding the territory would mean annexing every territory from here to the border and in most directions, maybe even taking in some of the neutral territory, knowing that some of the neighboring packs are anti-lycan entirely..."

I swallowed, imagining it. "We'd have to negotiate with the nearest territories about the land and resources... I'd have to find a way to even get the people of Mooncrest to want to start businesses, real businesses, and develop them... I guess we could cultivate farmland, and that would lower our imports, but..."

I turned back to look at Charles, who was grinning at me. He stood and pulled me close, kissing me gently.

"It sounds a lot like you have at least the beginnings of a plan," Charles whispered against my lips. "So, I think it's time for you to stop saying it's impossible."

My eyes widened as I stared up at him. "But..."

"No one is saying you have to do this alone," he smiled. "Not even coming up with a plan, but the people of Mooncrest listened to you and believed you when you said you wanted a better future for them. I think in your heart of hearts, you believe it too."

He bumped our noses. "Think about it. I'm going to shower."

I bit my lip. "And then?"

He smirked. "I figured you might want to see Eason if possible."

I clutched his arm. "What do you mean, if possible?"

"I had him taken to the Enforcer Base's Hospital."

"I--" I shut my mouth, forcing down what I wanted to say. We'd had that conversation already, and knowing that Eason wasn't just a lycan but had magical abilities made it even clearer that he should be at a magical hospital, even if I wanted him nearer.

Charles kissed my forehead. "George... and Ethan are with him."

I set my jaw. He poked my forehead.

"You'll get wrinkles."

My jaw dropped. "Charles!"

He chuckled. "He's still restrained. We're looking into getting a coven together to get the curse off him, but he wanted to spend his last moments with Eason if possible, and since he doesn't exactly fall under werewolf jurisdiction, we didn't bother to leave him in Mooncrest."

"What do you mean? I thought--" I blinked. "He's half-witch... The Mixed Blood Laws."

Charles nodded. "He was being treated too, and he's under surveillance, but there isn't much to charge him under Lycan Law as soon as it's proven that he's under a deadly compulsion."

I swallowed and nodded. "I want to see him if I can."

"Fair warning," Charles said. "He's... in bad shape."

I bit my lip and nodded, letting him head into the bathroom as Amira stopped typing.

I swallowed, listening to my phone ringing and knowing that it was probably Fenris. I got up and crossed the room to grab it and almost laughed as I answered.

"Still alive," I said.

Gabriel chuckled. "So I saw... Hell of a fillibuster, Grace. How are you?"

I sank into a seat. "I've signed myself up... for the impossible, and no one else seems to think it's impossible."

"Because it's not." Gabriel chuckled. "You looked like you were going to kill over at the podium. You're going to get some rest, right?"

"I'll try. Is there any chance you could... squeeze me in on a mentorship calendar?"

He chuckled. "Get things calm there, and we'll set it up."

My lips twitched. "Thanks, Gabriel. I appreciate it."

I hung up, feeling a little better, as another message came through from him stating that there was a supply truck heading towards Mooncrest from Silver Eclipse.

I looked over at Amira as she closed Eason's laptop and grabbed her bag.

"You're leaving?"

She grinned. "I've got my own private show waiting for me. I'll see you in the morning, Senator Prospect Wolfe."

My stomach jolted at the address as she grinned at me.

"And for what it's worth... You were a total badass today, and you deserve whatever is happening in the shower right now." She wiggled her eyebrows and headed out the door. "Have a good night!"

I blinked and set my phone down. My heart quickened as heat pooled in my stomach, and an ache settled between my thighs at the thought of him naked, wet--he was probably already hard. Was he thinking of me? Was the adrenaline crash responsible, or was it just because I hadn't seen him all day? I didn't even bother to knock. The shower door was open, and Charles was standing under the water. His eyes glowed, and he smirked at me. He didn't move, letting me look at him.

Every hard edge of him seemed carved out of marble, and I wanted him. I wanted him more than I could say. It was like a deep clawing need that didn't care what made sense or the fact that my kids could wake up at any minute.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come," he held out his hand, coaxing me into the shower with him. "Think you can keep quiet?"

I bit my lip. "Maybe."

He smirked and pulled me close, pressing the hot length of his arousal against my stomach before sealing our mouths together in a searing kiss.