Chapter 8

"Oh, I heard Nancy finally woke up from her coma," Veronica said as she carefully brushed mascara over her eyelashes in front of the mirror.

"Yeah... seems like this is the perfect time to kill her," Lena muttered under her breath.

She sat in her wheelchair by the wide glass window that overlooked the city skyline. Though still beautiful in her forties, her face had grown pale and frail from the illness that kept her confined. Bitterness clung to her expression like a shadow.

Veronica turned to her mother and joined her at the window, Lena’s favorite spot in the apartment connected to the Schmidt Company building.

"Well, thank goodness we have a good cover-up now," Veronica said. "I overheard Bertolt telling Reinhardt that Lisa is suspicious."

Lena’s head snapped toward her. Her weak eyes flared with curiosity.

"Who is Lisa?" she demanded.

“I’d call her a godsend, a missing piece for our plan,” Veronica said, smiling as she kissed her mother’s hand.

“You’re being fond of her name,” Lena snapped, annoyance showing on her face. “Are you going to tell me who she is, or must I calm down again?”

“Oh, Mother. I’m not refusing.” Veronica’s smile stayed soft. “I just don’t want you getting worked up. Honestly, I don’t know everything about her either. All I know is Bertolt and Reinhardt don’t trust Lisa. We can use that.”

“Oh, okay, if you say so, Vero,” Lena sighed, glancing at her daughter, the one she now trusted with most of her duties since her illness.

“I should get going to the office. See you later, Mom,” Veronica said, leaning down to kiss her mother’s forehead.

*********************

“Hello, Veronica!” Rowan greeted, enthusiasm in his voice.

“Rowan, why are you always this happy?” Veronica muttered, her eyes still fixed on the documents in front of her.

“Vero!” he said with a grin. “After years of peace with the other packs, we’re finally expecting an attack.” He lowered his voice, but the excitement was clear.

Rowan seemed to enjoy the thought of trouble. His rough face made it obvious he’d been in and out of fights many times.

“Zum Teufel! Not again,” Veronica hissed. “What does Reinhardt want from us this time, Rowan?”

“Well, he said we should all stand sentinel and guard Nancy at the hospital, me, you, Johan, and Braun,” Rowan explained, almost smiling as he sank into the soft sofa facing her desk.

“I knew it,” Veronica said sharply. “It’s always the half-blood Schmidts that get sent into danger.”

“What is it, Veronica?” Rowan asked, finally noticing her tone.

“Don’t tell me you think he’s using us as sacrifices again. You always believe that nonsense,” he said.

“You have a thick skull, you know that?” Veronica snapped, glaring at him. “Why do I even expect you to understand?”

“Alright, I don’t have time for your insults,” Rowan said, standing up. “I just came to tell you the Alpha’s orders. Sayonara, half-blooded Schmidt.” He laughed and slammed the door as he left.

“Idiot. Too simple-minded,” Veronica muttered under her breath, her eyes following him out.

“Hello, Braun. The plan has to change a little,” Veronica said into her phone. “Please come to my office, brother.”

A rough voice came through the speaker. “Yes, my Queen.”

A few minutes later, Braun walked in. He was taller and more muscular than Rowan. His eyes were unusually bright, and unlike Rowan’s cheerful energy, Braun carried a calm, reserved aura.

“Hi, sis,” he said, sitting cross-legged on the same sofa Rowan had used earlier.

“We’ve been ordered to stand sentinel and protect Nancy,” Veronica began, her tone serious. “That means we can’t just kill her outright. It would point straight to us and raise suspicion.”

“Is it just you and me, or are Rowan and Johan part of this too?” Braun asked, glancing at his antique golden watch.

“All four of us,” Veronica said, turning her back to him as she stared out the window overlooking the green landscape beyond the compound.

“So, what’s the plan?” Braun asked, his eyes half-closed, calm as ever.

“You’ll lend me your men, Braun,” Veronica said finally, turning to face him.

Braun’s eyes shot toward his sister, his gaze dark and heavy.

“You see, Sister,” he said slowly, “you and I have different plans for dealing with the Schmidts. I gathered my men for my own purpose, not for yours. So, forgive me, but I find it hard to agree to this.”

“Hey, Braun. You need to remember you can’t win an all-out war with the Schmidts,” Veronica said as she closed the distance between them. “They might be stronger, faster, and better fighters. The only way to destroy them is from within. One missing piece has already shown up and that's Lisa Hathaway.”

Braun sat with his eyes closed, listening. Veronica bent slightly toward him; she was tall and sharp-featured, with the kind of beauty and presence common among the Schmidts.

“This is the only way,” she said. “I just need your men to kidnap her. She’s in Ohio, far from Schmidt territory, so it’ll be easier.”

Braun opened his eyes slowly and stared at his sister. “Okay,” he said at last.

“But what if there’s a real attack just like Reinhardt said while we’re doing this?” Braun asked.

Veronica’s eyes flashed. “That works for us too, Braun. We don’t have to be the ones to kill Nancy.”

Braun stood up to leave.

“Well, Veronica,” he said finally, his hand on the doorknob. “I don’t like arguing, but I’ll go along with your plan. Just know this: if it fails, I don’t want any of us dead. We don’t really know who Lisa Hathaway is. You’re moving ahead with little information. I’ll follow your lead, but I’ll never forgive you if Rowan or you end up dead.”

He slammed the door and walked away, his footsteps fading down the hall.