Infinity Unleashed by Sedona Venez

Council, but I can’t guarantee they’ll agree to sever the pact.” He turned to look at her. “In truth, it’s not something I believe is in the best interest of my clan or Others.”
    She stood and walked over to him. “Leave the convincing to me.”
    Cortez yanked her close. Kara blinked. Confused and suspicious. Her eyes looked for tricks, but all she saw was rare emotion in his eyes before he kissed her hard and fast. She moaned as their tongues dueled and hands moved fast, hungry and desperate. Cortez pulled back, pressing his lips against her neck. She tensed before running her hands through his silky hair, briefly enjoying the pleasure of his smell and touch before grabbing his hair roughly, yanking him away.
    Roughly, he grabbed her face between his hands. “Would it be so bad to stay by my side as my consort?”
    “And then what?” She hissed. “We pretend the evil man you are doesn’t exist? I’m no saint, but I’m not a cold-blooded killer either… not anymore.”
    He snarled before grabbing the back of her neck, holding her immobile. “I’m not going to change, Kara. Even for you.”
    She closed her eyes briefly, pushing down all of the regrets, hope, and frustration. It would never work between them. “Did I ever ask you to change?”
    “This is me. Take or leave it,” he barked.
    She blinked back the unexpected tears. “I have to leave it, Cortez. My daughter and Valkyries need me. You don’t.”
    “You’d be surprised about what I need,” he responded with a husky voice.
    Her heart stopped, her love for him fighting its way to the surface before she buried it with brute force. “We both have needs, but yours don’t matter.” Not anymore.
    He grabbed her hand roughly, making sure to graze his canines against it while kissing it. “Well, that’s a damn shame.” He pushed her away roughly. “Well, let the circus begin…” He pulled out his cell and began dialing.

CHAPTER 7
    New York… Friday
     
    The ringing of Boulder’s cell echoed throughout the vehicle. He jammed his finger against the speaker button. “Yeah?”
    “We’ve got a problem,” Kara hissed. “Cortez just called the Other Council.”
    “And?”
    “There’s some internal fighting about having the meeting today.”
    “We’re running out of time.” Boulder punched the gas. Traffic blurred. “The meeting has to happen today.”
    “I didn’t say it was over. I’m fucking working on it. I’ll be over when I’m done,” she barked before clicking off.
    “Shit.” He was already on edge. His hands clenched the steering wheel, feeling the duelling Alpha energy—his and Torch’s—choking the air.
    “I don’t trust her,” Torch mumbled.
    “I don’t trust Kara either.”
    Torch looked at him pointedly. “I’m talking about Infinity.”
    His jaw clenched. “She hasn’t given you a reason not to trust her.”
    “Yet.”
    Boulder sighed tiredly. The rift over Infinity threatened to destroy everything they’d built. As friends and owners of Channing and Vigari Corporation, they had a lifetime of history that formed a brother-like bond. It sealed their stability, and breaking that bond wasn’t a decision he took lightly. He also didn’t take lightly to declaring war against the Degrassi pride. He knew it risked angering Glen and the High Council. It was suicide to go against them, especially given what he now knew about his real parents.
    But right now, none of that mattered. It didn’t matter the illusion of a perfect and privileged life his adoptive parents had created was a house of sand, an illusion that quickly disappeared when rogues assassinated them. Nothing mattered after that. He went from a cocky teen living a privileged life to a rebellious orphan living on the New York streets. It was rough and very dangerous. There were days he didn’t think he’d survive. But everything changed when he met Torch, an orphan just like him, and instantly, they formed a bond and beat the odds by