“What do you mean it’s not for sale anymore!”

Fidgeting with the chain connecting his wallet to his jeans, Carl curled his fingers around it so he wouldn’t be tempted to dig claws into the red faced and blustering Asa, who was currently throwing a tantrum like a child. Some Alpha, Carl thought, narrowing his eyes at his brother-in-law. If it wasn’t for the money and power he’d inherited the little weasel would have been nothing but a peon in the pride. Instead he was the leader, and Carl was forced to listen to his yowled complaints, at least for now. When Asa slammed his fist on his desk, he sent a cup of pens toppling, while coffee splashed over the edge of his mug. The bitter brew left a stain on several papers before Asa snatched them up and shook them, sending moisture splattering against Carl’s cheek.

“I said what I said,” Carl replied, letting the hint of a hiss creep through. “The land was sold and plans were filed with the county for a settlement to be built.”

“Who the hell builds a settlement way out there?”

“New Pride, that’s who. They call themselves Persephone’s Pride. That’s all I’ve learned so far. They’re secretive too, filled out all the paperwork as an LLC so it’s impossible to know who’s behind it all. They’ve already begun stringing miles of fence and putting up signs to discourage trespassing. Unique ones too. They say trespassers will be disemboweled and eaten.”

“Well,” Asa grumbled as he settled back in his chair and began blotting at the spots on his desk. “I guess you’ll have to be careful not to wind up dead.”

“And how, exactly do you propose I go about getting on their lands without an invitation?”

“That isn’t my problem nor my concern. I assigned you to do a task and I expect it to be done. The future of this pride depends on the minerals and precious metals that lay out there beneath that land, you know this.”

Oh, Carl did know it, just like he knew none of this would be necessary if Asa hadn’t been siphoning funds from the pride’s coffers for years to support his lavish lifestyle. This whole office was a testament to Asa’s greed, from the antique mahogany desk to the opulent artwork that adorned every wall. The lion was as greedy as any Carl had ever seen, which was exactly why he’d married into the family. His own ambitions had left him clawing for a spot as Asa’s right-hand man, though he hated the tasks he was assigned.

Under Carl’s rule they would have had the land back when they first discovered the old maps and surveying reports in the Chihuahuan’s Pride’s archives. How Asa had gotten his hands on them when so much of the pride’s assets had been seized by human authorities, Carl hadn’t been made privy too.

The bastard.

Most days Asa was blind to Carl’s skulking about poking into things, after all, that was how he used Carl’s talents best. A chameleon, he was lion who was used to going unnoticed, even while stirring the pot and positioning key pieces and players exactly where Asa wanted them.

Lately though, Carl had caught the other lion giving him the side eye, like he was waiting for Carl to step out of line.

As if.

He’d never be stupid enough to do so where Asa could find out about it.  “I’ll figure it out.”

“I expect no less.

“Just know that it might take some time,” Carl said. “I’ll have to arrange contracts to deliver there, that way they’ll get used to seeing me around the pride lands, it’s the only way I’ll have free reign to wander around and see what I can learn.”

“How much time are we talking?” Asa hissed.  

“I don’t know!” Carl said. “I won’t have an answer to that until I can get out there. I’m not going to waltz onto their property and put myself in a position to get dead. Besides, drought season is coming. Wouldn’t it be smarter to wait until after they’ve weathered their first summer? If shit’s as harsh as the old almanacks are predicting, then they’ll be begging to sell it at a loss by the time the season is through.”

When Asa’s eyes narrowed, Carl knew his words had fallen on deaf years. The barrel-chested lion shoved his rolling chair back from the desk with such force that it slammed into the wall behind him as he leapt to his feet.

“Do you see this wall?” Asa asked as he strode towards the series of maps that had been pinned across its surface for the past six months. “Every triangle on it represents a potential vein of either sapphires, garnets, or gold. Who knows what other minerals lie untapped out there. A veritable fortune laying beneath sagebrush and gritty dirt. I am not willing to chance some upstart pride finding it and using those riches to further cement their hold on the land! That property is my destiny, do you hear me!”

With each word he jabbed his finger towards the largest map, denting and crinkling its surface. The whole house could not doubt hear every word Asa was speaking. Carl wondered how scarce the rest of their family members had made themselves.

His own wife would be out in the garden, patiently tending to the numerous flowers she loved. It was the only thing she devoted any real attention to, which was fine with Carl, he’d never wanted to deal with annoyances like cubs and household duties. He brought her plants from every corner of the country, always carefully watered, and tended to over the course of his long runs. They made her happy, and as long as she was content, she didn’t notice the schemes he and her brother cooked up.

And she was certain not to notice the day creeping closer when Carl looked to take her brother out.  The higher a lion was, the further he had to fall before he hit rock bottom. Carl knew that if played his cards right, the maps and millions in precious metals, in addition to the very mansion they were standing in, would soon be his.