Kiss Of The Alpha : A YA Paranormal Romance

Chapter 187: Chapter 187

Heather

I’d seen the footage yesterday, but that didn’t it any easier to watch now.

"We can’t undo what’s been seen. We’ve been discussing what our next step should be for the last twenty-four hours, and Cosette advised us to bring in a human element before we come to a final decision. As someone who was once human, but is now of our world, we’re hoping you can provide some insight."

Everyone was shouting at once. The room got so loud, I couldn’t distinguish one voice from another. It was as if the air was suddenly thick and hot to breathe in. I reached up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, but noticed my hands were shaking and hid them under the table.

This was part of the vision. It’s happening... I said to Brent.

Even if this part is happening, it doesn’t mean the rest will. I haven’t had an Orangina or broken any kind of bottle, right? So the visions aren’t necessarily connected.

That made me feel a little better, but not much. I’d rather have nothing from the visions happen.

"Some of those here want to go back." Donovan’s commanding voice brought me back to the discussion. "They want to pretend this didn’t happen. Cover it up."

Everyone looked at me like I had some magic answer. I pressed my hands against my thighs as I thought. "I don’t think that will work. I mean, humans aren’t stupid. The video speaks for itself."

"I still think we could play it off as a hoax." The Canadian pack leader—Joseph’s dad—spoke up. "My son is a huge movie fan, and the effects they have these days are amazing."

"What do you think?" Donovan said. "Can we make this disappear? Will humans believe it’s some sort of a stunt?"

I looked back at the news. The footage was a little grainy, but not that grainy. "This is just my opinion..." I wasn’t sure why it mattered what I thought, but I guessed I was the only human—or former human—they had access to.

"Go ahead, chica," Muraco’s voice came through the speaker. "They need to hear what you think. That is why you’re here."

I cleared my throat. "I think it’s too big. The cops had families. I guess Cosette could wipe their minds and whatnot, but it’s too much. So many people saw it on TV or knew people who were personally affected by it.

It’s already too late too get rid of the video. Once it’s online, it lives forever. And you want to come out to the humans eventually, right?"

"Aye," Donovan said.

"So say you somehow manage to cover it all up. You find every human that saw the witches drop dead at the movies and the Whataburger, and every person that was in contact with the cops. The rest of the humans buy the story that this was just a well-constructed hoax. It becomes a legend. And then, five years down the line? Ten years? You decide you want to go public. This will come back. They’ll realize you lied to them. That you tricked them. Why should they trust you then?"

"But would you not say this already looks bad?" Lisabetta’s accent gave her words a pleasant sing-song sound, even with the hard subject matter. "We burned many homes and disposed of bodies. It is bad, no?"

I couldn’t deny that. "It’s bad."

"See?" She threw her hands in the air. "You see? This is why we must cover it up. She agrees."

"She didn’t say that," Jackson said.

"You think we should cover it up, no?" Lisabetta’s command brushed against my skin, but I shook it off.

What do I do? I asked Brent. She’s doesn’t want my real opinion. She wants me to agree with her.

Tell the truth. That’s all you can do.

Yeah, but the truth was going to get one of the Seven pissed at me. "I don’t know."

She growled.

Brent reached over to hold my shaking hand. Lisabetta was making me nervous. More so than other members of the Seven I’d met. "I know that’s not what you want to hear, but you could make the case either way. The only fact I know is that this mess—" I waved to the TV. "Humans won’t forget this. Maybe we can outlive them, but you’d need to wait at least another... I don’t know fifty, seventy years, maybe more before coming out. And with today’s technology, it’ll only be a matter of time before another video crops up. What then? Another cover up?" I paused. "I’m not sure what your plans were, but you’d have to wait a long time and make sure nothing else happens between now and then, or else this cover-up will come back to bite us. And it won’t be pretty."

"She is biased." Lisabetta wrinkled her face with a look of disgust. "Her father has spoken with her."

What was she talking about?

"Heather," Donovan said. "Have you spoken to your father in the last day?"

"No." I winced. I probably should’ve checked in with him. "Not since we left the compound."

"See. She doesn’t smell like a lie," Mr. Langdon said. "And before you say that she could be hiding her scent, she doesn’t know how. She’s too new."

At this, everyone started talking at once again. The voices rose until Donovan slammed his hand on the table. "Enough. We’ve delayed too long already. What we need is someone to talk to the press. It can’t be me or Presley. We shifted on camera, makin’ us one of the monsters. But we have to make a statement—one way or the other—and we have to decide on that right now. The crowd at the gates is growing restless, and I’m not sure how much longer we can peaceably hold them off before they break in." He paused. "So we vote. Those in favor of not covering up this incident, say aye."

A chorus of ayes answered. Only three of the alphas—the Canadian, French, and Eastern European ones—and Lisabetta stayed silent.

"Right. That settles it. Thank you, for your thoughts,

Heather. We’d been evenly divided until now."

Wow. I’d actually helped? "Of course." This hadn’t been so bad.

"Now, we just need to decide which of us is going to speak to the press."

"I will do it," Lisabetta said.

"No," Muraco’s voice fuzzed through the speaker. "You were against this. You’ll paint us in a bad light."

She growled. "I would not. I am insulted that you would say such a thing, Muraco. After all this time?" She tilted her chin up in the air. "Not only am I one of the Seven, but since I do not agree with this plan, I’m the only one who would say what was necessary and no more."

Yikes. That seems like a bad idea.

Agreed. But I’m not going to be the one to tell her.

Me neither. You think if we keep quiet, they’ll forget we’re here. Or better yet—do you think we could sneak out?

I wish. We’d better stay until we’re dismissed.

So, I settled back in my chair and waited. The voices rose, and once again it was too much. I couldn’t pick out the voices when everyone was so loud. I tried to focus on what was going on, but after a few minutes I gave up.

And then someone kicked me.

I glanced around the table, and Cosette motioned to me, nodding her head to the side.

What, I mouthed the word.

She nodded her head to the side twice. More sharply this time.

I don’t understand, I mouthed. What the hell was the side nod about?

The room stopped.

Mr. Langdon’s voice cut above the din. "Yes, Heather. Do you have something to add?"

My heart sped up. Nope. This was from my vision.

And I definitely had nothing to add.

I shook my head, keeping my mouth firmly shut.

Cosette kicked me again. Harder this time. She nodded her head, and it was then that I realized she was motioning toward the TV.

I sat up.

You do it, she mouthed at me. She kicked me again, and pain radiated up my leg. If she kicked me one more time, she was going to get a taste of her own medicine.

She pointed at me again, and before I could think, words were rolling out of my mouth. "I could do it?"

I froze. Suddenly everyone was staring.

Motherfucker! I screamed through our bond. I didn’t actually suggest that, did I?

His heart was racing. You did. I can’t believe you just offered that up. There was more than a hint of growl to his voice, and I didn’t need to be able to feel his emotions to know he was pissed off.

It was Cosette’s fault! She kicked me and then her nodding. And then she pointed... And everyone was looking at me. I can get out of this, right?

"I think that’s a fine idea," Donovan said with a big grin. The glint in his eye made me think I’d just been royally played. They’d set me up. He’d wanted me to volunteer all along.

A chorus of "I agree" and "yes" and "seconded" rang through the room.

All except the three alphas and Lisabetta.

I sighed. What had I gotten myself into?

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