familiar skin. "Those of you who have families or dependents, please get with your captain and give him names, ages, and occupations. I'll do my best to get them moved here. I don't want to keep you separated from your loved ones. We may have to use temporary housing until your salaries are established." I saw several looks of relief. The Blood Oaths were meant to guarantee their loyalty, nothing else. "You and your families are a part of my tribe now. I'll give a list of positions I'll need filled to Corey. He'll help to match the occupations of your spouses and families to any jobs I have."
Corey gave out the day's orders and met Ushna, Gregori, and me in my office to make plans for our growing numbers. The room felt a little small with all four of us there. Gregori took the love seat by the door, lounging comfortably. I sat behind the desk, with Ushna and Corey in the only other chairs in the room. It felt as if we were outgrowing everything quickly.
"Where are we going to get the money for the temporary housing and salaries?" Ushna asked, and I knew he wasn't going to like my solution.
"My inheritance." I waited for the fallout.
"No." Ushna scowled, shaking his head. "You will not use your inheritance for this."
I raised my brows at him. "That would be my choice. We certainly cannot support a tribe on our salaries."
"Why can't you use the king's treasury?" I think Corey was trying to divert the argument everyone could feel brewing.
"There are several reasons. One, I'm not a king. Two, I don't know if there is a treasury any more or how to access it. Three, my brother is in line to the throne which means this tribe is my responsibility alone. Besides, am I the only one who remembers that I told the council to stick it? I can't imagine them rushing in to help me any time soon."
Ushna crossed his arms and stared at me. I knew he wanted to contradict me, but he knew my points were valid. "I don't like it," he groused. "You're of royal blood and look at how you've been treated."
There was something more here with Ushna I was missing. This wasn't about money. "Ushna, speak your mind. I may be of the royal line, but it doesn't mean the council has to kowtow to my wishes after I've threatened to kill anyone they send here without my express permission. They have ruled the Lycans for a very long time, and I don't see them giving up their power because of who I am. You know I'm right. Please tell me what is wrong. I can't read your mind."
Ushna flicked a look at Corey, weighing whether or not he'd reveal what was bothering him in front of the captain of the guard. "All my life I've watched while you've been disregarded, ignored. You were invisible to them. I watched as you made suggestions to Nathan and Theodore. They took the acclaim for it, and not once did they or anyone else recognize your contributions. Half the ideas that came from Theo were yours. Nathan doubled your family's estates after consulting with you and none of it went to your inheritance. You made the Enkidu Tribe what it is today and you got nothing out of it."
I watched Ushna struggle with the anger he felt on my behalf. He hadn't said anything when I was with Theo. Not until now, when he felt I was again being taken advantage of. I glanced over at Corey and he briefly bowed his head before stepping out of the office, Gregori on his heels.
I got up and rounded the desk to straddle the lap of my lover. Goddess, I loved being able to call him that. "Ushna." He looked at me with those bi-colored emeraldbrown eyes with such fierce emotion, and I drank the look in, a responding heat swirling through my blood and pooling low in my groin. "As a part of the Janick household, it's my duty to help my brother keep it strong. As the partner of an alpha, my duty was to the welfare of the tribe." I ran my fingers through his blue-black hair, relishing the feel of it. "Those of us who truly serve don't do it for accolades, but out of the desire, the need to be of use. I didn't
Corey gave out the day's orders and met Ushna, Gregori, and me in my office to make plans for our growing numbers. The room felt a little small with all four of us there. Gregori took the love seat by the door, lounging comfortably. I sat behind the desk, with Ushna and Corey in the only other chairs in the room. It felt as if we were outgrowing everything quickly.
"Where are we going to get the money for the temporary housing and salaries?" Ushna asked, and I knew he wasn't going to like my solution.
"My inheritance." I waited for the fallout.
"No." Ushna scowled, shaking his head. "You will not use your inheritance for this."
I raised my brows at him. "That would be my choice. We certainly cannot support a tribe on our salaries."
"Why can't you use the king's treasury?" I think Corey was trying to divert the argument everyone could feel brewing.
"There are several reasons. One, I'm not a king. Two, I don't know if there is a treasury any more or how to access it. Three, my brother is in line to the throne which means this tribe is my responsibility alone. Besides, am I the only one who remembers that I told the council to stick it? I can't imagine them rushing in to help me any time soon."
Ushna crossed his arms and stared at me. I knew he wanted to contradict me, but he knew my points were valid. "I don't like it," he groused. "You're of royal blood and look at how you've been treated."
There was something more here with Ushna I was missing. This wasn't about money. "Ushna, speak your mind. I may be of the royal line, but it doesn't mean the council has to kowtow to my wishes after I've threatened to kill anyone they send here without my express permission. They have ruled the Lycans for a very long time, and I don't see them giving up their power because of who I am. You know I'm right. Please tell me what is wrong. I can't read your mind."
Ushna flicked a look at Corey, weighing whether or not he'd reveal what was bothering him in front of the captain of the guard. "All my life I've watched while you've been disregarded, ignored. You were invisible to them. I watched as you made suggestions to Nathan and Theodore. They took the acclaim for it, and not once did they or anyone else recognize your contributions. Half the ideas that came from Theo were yours. Nathan doubled your family's estates after consulting with you and none of it went to your inheritance. You made the Enkidu Tribe what it is today and you got nothing out of it."
I watched Ushna struggle with the anger he felt on my behalf. He hadn't said anything when I was with Theo. Not until now, when he felt I was again being taken advantage of. I glanced over at Corey and he briefly bowed his head before stepping out of the office, Gregori on his heels.
I got up and rounded the desk to straddle the lap of my lover. Goddess, I loved being able to call him that. "Ushna." He looked at me with those bi-colored emeraldbrown eyes with such fierce emotion, and I drank the look in, a responding heat swirling through my blood and pooling low in my groin. "As a part of the Janick household, it's my duty to help my brother keep it strong. As the partner of an alpha, my duty was to the welfare of the tribe." I ran my fingers through his blue-black hair, relishing the feel of it. "Those of us who truly serve don't do it for accolades, but out of the desire, the need to be of use. I didn't
Similar Books
