Crimson had been willing to accept death for his disloyalty to the MC. Roark had shown compassion, saying how he may have done the same if someone had taken the one he loved. Truthfully, I think his mate, Kendra, was the reason why he’d shown compassion because there had been murder in Roark’s eyes.
Koroleva had been her feisty self and told Crimson that it was death before dishonor and that he should have told the MC so that they could have handled things. I had kept my mouth shut throughout their meeting for numerous reasons. One, I was an outsider. Two, I wasn’t part of their MC. And three, I wasn’t one to talk about loyalty after what I had done to the Council.
It was hard to not be willing to sacrifice it all for someone you cared about.
“Stop staring unless you plan on fucking mopping with me,” Crimson growled.
“Fuck off,” I snarled back. Crimson flexed as though he was going to challenge me.
“Don’t even think about it… Prospect,” Koroleva said, jumping up from the chair she was sitting in. Crimson’s shoulders slumped and then he went back to mopping.
“Got it, VP,” Crimson huffed. Koroleva turned and winked at me.
“Crimson. Cha–Dorain. Whatever the hell your name is. Both of you in my office,” Roark called out. Crimson and I shared a look before making our way down the hallway and into Roark’s office. Koroleva followed behind us. “Not you, Banshee. I just want to talk to these two.”
“What? Roark, seriously, why–” she complained.
“Not up for discussion. Out,” Roark said firmly with his eyes locked on hers. He was full president/alpha mode.
The ocelot side of me perked up. We both didn’t like Roark’s tone toward our mate.
“Problem?” Roark glared at me. I bit my tongue and shook my head. “Good because I’m the president of this MC. We have a structure. Banshee may be your mate, but she’s my VP. Business is business. Understood?”
As much as I wanted to protest, I didn’t. He was right. An MC was just like a job, and Roark was the boss.
“I’ll be in the shop tweaking my bike,” Koroleva groaned and then closed the door behind her. Roark gestured at the two seats in front of his desk. Crimson and I quickly sat down.
“I’ve given you both a few days,” Roark leaned back in his chair.
“A few days?” Crimson asked before I could.
“Yeah. A few days,” he cracked his knuckles. Crimson tensed in his chair.
Was Roark going to challenge us to a fight? Fighting him would be a death wish for Crimson and me both. Was this how they initiated their prospects? I didn’t have a fucking clue about their MC.
“Dick’s men are still out of the country. I don’t want to do anything on international soil so I want the two of you to send a message to that mother fucker,” Roark seethed. His eyes began to glow a vibrant blue. It was the first time I had seen his shifter side rise. Koroleva had told me Roark’s shifter animal was a gigantic snow leopard but that was all she said.
Roark’s claws extended and dug into the wood desk. White fur covered his knuckles and began to grow up his arms until finally he was fully shifted.
I had never seen a snow leopard his size. He was the size of a fucking tiger if not larger. He paced back and forth behind his desk. His fangs fully extended. He snarled and growled every few paces. He seemed to be fighting internally between his two halves.
Crimson looked at me with wide eyes. He was as scared shitless as I was. I wasn’t sure what to think of the enormous pissed off snow leopard that was now staring in our direction.
Roark took several long deep breaths before he shook away whatever thought he was having. He shifted back to his human form. He sat in his chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest as though nothing had happened.
“I want you both to prove your loyalty to the MC,” he stated calmly.
“I’m not part–” I spoke up.
“You are now unless you object to being a prospect in our MC.” His eyebrow rose. “Do you object?”
“No,” I said without thought.
“Good,” he nodded. “You two come up with a plan on how to do it, but I want at least one of his warehouses burned down and a shipment of his goods taken. Understood?”
“You got it, Prez,” Crimson announced. “What about casualties?”
“I don’t give a fuck about any of them. Whatever happens, happens. I just want to send a message to that motherfucker since apparently, he didn’t take the message the first time when he fucked with my mate,” Roark slammed his fists down on his desk. The wood splintered at the force. “You have twenty-four hours.”
“We’re on it,” Crimson stood up and then looked at me. “You coming?”
I stood then replied to Roark, “We’ll be up before sunup.”
It had taken damn near the gods above to keep Koroleva at the clubhouse. When the group of us had mounted our bikes, she stood by the doorway arguing with Roark. Roark wasn’t budging on the topic. He wanted Crimson and me to prove our loyalty. He didn’t want her influence on any of this.
She had glared at me and then stormed inside the clubhouse slamming the door behind her.
“No kiss goodbye?” I laughed to myself.
“Go kiss your best friend Roark,” Koroleva snarled back.
Talking via our minds was still something we were getting used to. Honestly, it was creepy at times and caught us off guard. Neither of us liked having the other one inside of our head.
“I’m spanking your ass for that when I get back,” I said huskily.
“Promises. Promises,” she sassed back.
“Enough mind talk. Get going,” Roark growled with his finger pointed at me.
“You got it, Prez,” I chuckled before following the others down the driveway and away from the clubhouse.
The ride out to the warehouse compound had been
