Mason


    | admired my brother’s determination, and | was right there along with him. Of the two of us, though, | figured | was the one with


    a little bit more...finesse.


    When | stood up, Jacques grumbled, but Melina shot him a look. He quieted down. Mchi leaned back


    in his chair with a wry smile. He flicked his fingers at me for permission to speak.


    “Ancient as shole,” Xander muttered through the mind link.


    “Everyone, Xander has made some good points. So has Mchi.” | paused. “Sorry, man. Consider it diplomacy,” | added through


    the link. To everyone else, | said, “It’s been clear to both of us that Brightsky does, in fact, have a superb security system. But


    any system is only as good as its updates. And nothing is without w. My brother’s concern about striking hard at the town of


    Standard is about the innocents who live there. Neither one of us is willing to have that on our conscienees, and | doubt any of


    you want that, either.”


    Mchi shrugged. “Life is short.”


    “Not for vampires,” | told him. “And since the rest of us only have as much life as we’re granted, it seems


    particrly cruel to steal that from people who''ve done nothing to harm you.”


    | wasn’t sure | was getting through, but at least the vampire looked ufortable. Jacques didn’t, but


    most of the others were nodding and looking thoughtful.


    “Anything we do through fear is bound toe back to bite us twice as hard. That’s why it makes more sense for us to gather


    more information before acting.


    Are we all in agreement on that?” | looked around the table.


    “Generally, the leadership council takes action items to a vote,” Jacques said in a bitter voice. “Not that I''d expect Alphas to get


    why having everyone’s input is important.”


    “So much for everyone being weed here at Brightsky,” Xander retorted with half a snarl. “You talk a big talk about how


    everyone''s got a ce here, but it turns out, the only ce you want us to have is underBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    your heel.”


    | put my hand on my brother’s shoulder to stop him from leaping across the table and probably tearing out that jackwad’s throat.


    “Bro. We just talked about not bringing down violence where it wasn’t warranted,” | thought to him.


    “Key word being unwarranted,” Xander thought back, but he stayed in his seat.


    “You know, | think it might behoove all of us to consider some inclusivity training,” piped up a small, clear


    voice from the end of the table opposite Mchi.


    “Begging all of your pardons, but wolves have been rare here in Brightsky, and it seems like at least some of you are holding


    onto some..erm...well, I’m just saying that it''s nice to have some differing viewpoints.”


    We all turned to look at the young wolf who’d been speaking. | wasn’t sure of her name or even if I’d ever seen her around, but


    nobody else looked affronted that she’d spoken.


    “You make good points, Goldie. You can head themittee.” Mchi nodded at her. He turned back to


    me and Xander. “So, how do you suggest going about this? What should | call it? A reconnaissance mission?”


    “How much do you trust your sources?” Xander asked him.


    “As much as | trust any source,” Mchi said. “Which is to say, only after they’ve proven themselves.”


    “And they have?” | ask him.


    “Any trusted source can turn out to be untrustworthy,” Melina said smoothly. “Your closest friend can turn


    on you at any point.”


    “| bet she’s a joy to be mated to,” Xander thought to me.


    Aloud, | replied to Melina, “Fine. Then send someone new into the town to act as a backup source. Have


    them all observe the new arrivals. Set up fresh surveince. You can do that, right?”


    “Of course we can.” Mchi snapped his fingers.


    “We''ll send a dozen or so of the spiders.”


    Xander coughed. “The what?”


    “Envian spiders are intelligent, empathic, telepathic, and psychokic,” Jacques said with a sneer.


    “We''ve had them observing you two since you got here.”


    “And tell me, what have you discovered about us?” | kept my voice neutral even though now | was the one


    who wanted to jump across the table and throttle him.


    “Pr ick,” Xander judged through the link.


    “Major,” | agreed.


    Jacques shrugged but didn’t say anything else. | ignored him and sat back down. Melina leaned to whisper something in his ear


    that made him frown.


    “Send the spiders,” | agreed.


    “I''ll go,” said the young wolf, Goldie. “I''ve never been to Standard. | don’t know any of the sources, and I’m willing to bet they


    don’t know me.”


    | looked to Mchi for confirmation of this. When he nodded, | smiled at her. She ducked her head in


    embarrassment but smiled back after a minute.


    “Just get pictures for now, Goldie. You should be able to get photos of every resident, not just the new


    ones.


    Bring them back here for identification. We can start there,” | told her.


    “And what happens if you recognize someone?” Jacques demanded.


    “If we do, then we''ll go from there,” | promised. “And if there’s proven danger, | promise you, we''ll do


    whatever is necessary to protect the enve.”