It was exactly what Selenka might expect from the most ruthless man she had ever met, but for a single fact. “Something smells off.” Krychek and BlackEdge successfully coexisted in the same region because they took care not to step on one another’s toes. “The payoff isn’t big enough for him to sacrifice his relationship with us.”
That relationship had taken time to build, and while Selenka would probably never actually trust Krychek—and vice versa—they respected one another as adversaries who should not be messed with. “Why this venture? Why not just attempt to mount a hostile takeover of our already established businesses?”
Gregori folded his arms, the tattoos that covered them going taut as his eyes took on a flinty cast. “Maybe he’s decided he doesn’t have to play nice anymore now that he has that black ops squad on his side. The Arrows.”
Selenka could see Krychek unleashing the squad against the pack. If he thought it would be a quick, quiet execution, he had no idea of the strength and ferocity with which Selenka’s wolves would fight. Only . . . Krychek was aware of that truth—he’d also always struck woman and wolf both as a man who’d make it a point to know the other powers in the area—so he had to realize that not only would the wolves howl for blood at an unprovoked attack, so would the other predatory packs.
Krychek was too smart and too politically cutthroat to incite bloodshed in his territory, bloodshed that would suck up his resources at such a critical time. He needed Moscow and the surrounding areas to remain stable, especially now when he was dealing with the aftermath of the deadly psychic infection that had claimed so many lives. BlackEdge had stepped in to help contain the insane violence, as had the StoneWater bears.
All three parties had ended that exhausting, painful, and sad period feeling as if the fragile balance in the region had become far more deeply stable. Krychek kept an eye on the Psy and the humans, while between them, BlackEdge and StoneWater handled the changelings, predatory and nonpredatory.
And yet, what was this business maneuver if not the opening salvo of a silent war? The alpha wolf in Selenka curled its upper lip over its teeth, blood hot. Containing the urge to go for Krychek’s throat took every ounce of her human control. “Can we dig any deeper?” She held up the report, her fingernails painted a vivid pink courtesy of one of the pups who’d waylaid her that morning.
Gregori shook his head, his blond hair tumbled from the wind outside. “We’ve gone as far as we can.”
Which meant the ball was in Selenka’s court. Even a year ago, she’d have taken immediate countermeasures, likely by subverting one of Krychek’s own business interests. However, a year was a long time. As Krychek no doubt kept tabs on the pack, Selenka did the same when it came to him. So she understood that Krychek had changed in a way Selenka didn’t think most people realized.
He had a mate now, and the one time Selenka had seen them together, she’d realized it was a true mating, not a false front. Of course, mated pairs could fuck things up together as easily as those who were single, but no matter what people said about Psy in general and Krychek in particular, a man who had the ability to mate was capable of an intense level of loyalty and commitment.
His relationship with BlackEdge was a cold thing in comparison to the raw fury of a mating, but he’d given Selenka his word that he wouldn’t attempt to encroach on her territory. It was why the pack had never made any aggressive moves against him.
“I’ll talk to him,” she said. “Find out what the fuck is going on.”
And if Krychek wanted a war, she’d give it to him.
* * *
KALEB was still in Venice with the Arrows when he received an urgent message from Silver. “Sir,” his senior aide said, “Selenka Durev is demanding an immediate meeting. She wouldn’t give me details, but her tone makes me believe this is serious.”
“Is BlackEdge showing any signs of aggression?”
“Negative at this point.”
“Monitor the situation. I’ll connect with Selenka.” Walking to the edge of a canal, he made the call. “Selenka,” he said in Russian when she answered. “I received your message.” Even without Silver’s determination, he would’ve known there was a problem: Selenka had the inbuilt arrogance of any predatory alpha, but she never demanded a meeting unless it was necessary. Like him, she was too busy to waste time on petty politicking.
“I need to talk to you,” she replied. “Face-to-face. Can you make the usual spot in a half hour?”
Having already come to the conclusion that there was little further he could do in Venice, Kaleb agreed to the meet, then located Vasic. The other man had been checking up on a sedated Alejandro, who Ivy Jane had apparently managed to put into a natural sleep before the sedatives were administered.