Leaders of the Pack Ch. 02

"I'm counting on it," Cullen smiled back. As they rounded a corner at the top of the main stairwell, Cullen spotted Cadifor. He stood with several larger men and still managed to appear head and shoulders over them as he argued vehemently for some point that Cullen couldn't hear.

Cadifor growled angrily as Cullen approached. "You can't seriously believe they're telling us the truth. At the very least they're holding back information if not outright lying."

"We've not been given any reason to doubt their veracity to date," came a superior tone. The man speaking was tall and thin, lanky, with curly dark hair and glazed green eyes. He almost sounded bored with the conversation, in sharp contrast to Cadifor's vehemence.

"By virtue of being the human federal government I have reason to doubt not only their veracity," Cadifor responded with mocking emphasis, "but their motivation, intent, and appearance. The only reason I've ever worked with them is out of necessity. And in each of those instances I watched my back carefully. I have no doubt that they would turn on us in an instant if they believed it to their advantage or that they had any hope of coming out of the confrontation in a superior standing."

A pale fat man with sausage-like fingers wrapped around an overly elegant goblet nodded and added. "Although I tend to agree, Cadifor, I don't believe we have sufficient cause to move at this point." Cadifor started to respond but the man held up his hand, stopping the interruption. "I'm not saying that is how I'll vote," he continued, staring hard at the snide looking curly haired man who had spoken before. "I'm only reserving judgment until the last of our information comes in. We're still waiting on some people."

"Not to mention the Circle has yet to add their voice to the mix." The fourth man speaking had a voice much deeper than appeared appropriate for a man his size. "I don't personally like the way they hold their information until they believe we've nothing more to tell them. I'm not comfortable always being the first to 'share'."

That seemed to be a comment that everyone standing there could agree on. Cadifor sighed heavily. "It's their way. I don't believe they're trying to assert any kind of position. They've always felt it necessary to have all the facts before speaking."

The curly haired man couldn't help but add, "Some might think it only intelligent to consider all information before jumping to loudly vocalized opinions."

Cadifor glared openly at the man and turned to Cullen. "I don't believe you've all met Arnauk." He gestured to the curly haired man first, subtly telling Cullen that this was one he needed to remember. "Kyran Jerrard." Then he turned to a man standing in the shadows who had not spoken. "Donnchadh Balfour." The man nodded respectfully at Cullen but remained silent. "Rollo Ganger," Cadifor said gesturing to the fat man. "And Festus Quirinus," he finished with the deep voiced lycan. "If I had a second it would be Arnauk," Cadifor said to the other men. The comment earned Cullen a more measuring consideration from the group of Councilmen.

"I've heard of you Arnauk." The man with the sausage fingers said with a strange grin.

"We've all heard of Arnauk, Rollo," Kyran seethed, rolling his eyes. "It's hard to miss a lycan who mates a druid cross breed."

Cullen stood a bit taller at the obvious derision in the man's comment. "I consider myself lucky to have found a match in such a powerful woman."

Although, in and of itself, Cullen's comment wasn't overtly confrontational, the fact that he had responded at all to a Councilman was more than could be said for most lycans. Keith shifted uncomfortably.

Cadifor stood a bit taller in silent support as Kyran and Cullen stared coldly at each other. "He's been spending too much time in your company Cadifor."

"I take that as compliment," Cullen responded, never breaking eye contact with Kyran. Just when the men were thinking they would never be able to leave the hallway because neither Cullen nor Kyran were willing to be the first to break eye contact, nearly all the cell phones in the building went off at once.

Pulling out his cell Cadifor read the simple text, "Nora Senach dead. Meeting delayed."