Loran
I know how to play the long game. It’s the only way to survive in Blackthorn if you’re not born into teeth and territory.
Eli doesn’t.
He’s still walking around like he can win people with that wide-eyed act and a mouth that doesn’t know when to close. The pack is still in its “he’s shiny and new” phase with him, but that will fade. I’ll make sure of it.
It starts small. Always small.
I drop remarks where they’ll land best. A mutter to a Beta about how I overheard Eli talking about Blackthorn’s market routes and how Ashgrave should look at using them.
A comment to a Delta about how Ronan’s spending more time in his cabin than in the war room. A shrug and a glance, like I’m just making small talk, not standing there with matches in hand, ready to light the fuse.
The trick isn’
