Title: Survival Instinct

By: Every Me Every You

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lucas Cortez, Paige Winterbourne or Savannah Levine, nor do I own the Cortez Corporation or anything else Kelley Armstrong created in her Women of the Otherworld novels. All props go to her and her incredibly creative mind.

Pairings: Lucas / Paige

Spoilers: Bits from Stolen (only in that you need to know about the council) all the way up to Waking the Witch but not a whole lot of either. This is my speculation on an ending to Spellbound, told entirely from Lucas' POV. I have no advanced knowledge and in that, this is all just guess work and my predilection for Lucas shining through…God…I'm sounding like him now!

Rating: K+

Like most decisions worth their weight, the choice I had made this morning had not been an easy one, nor had it been one that any of my loved ones were likely to concur with. I had been forced to make the choice that would best benefit the community of supernaturals in its entirety. It would not be fair in the slightest to choose myself over the wellbeing of an entire community, no matter how much punishment I was about to incur from my closest family and friends.

It wasn't the first time I had encountered such a decision. Distancing myself from my future role in my own family's Cabal and choosing to argue against the Cabals and their abuses had been the first strike. My father had initially been appalled and then been welcoming of what he had believed to be a spark of adolescent rebellion, one that, to him, showed that I was capable of being a much stronger leader than he had ever previously realized. After all, a leader had his own ideas, his own thoughts and inclinations, and knew when to pursue those goals. To my father, my rebellion had just provided him with greater incentive to anoint me as Crown Prince to his throne. Still, I had earned even greater ire from my brothers and, in my rebellion, struck out into a dangerous life where I could accept no help from my father willingly, be it money or protection.

The second decision in my life to hold this much weight hadn't truly been my decision. Helping Paige fight the Nast Cabal in her efforts to retain custody of Savannah, her ward, had been an easy choice. Falling in love with Paige had happened before I'd even had the opportunity to argue myself out of the idea. Barely a week spent in her company and I was ready to cart her and Savannah off with me wherever I was headed. Barely 6 months and I was buying a house and listening to Paige's off-handed jokes about not being a quiet and submissive future wife with the spark of hope and longing in my heart.

The decision had come with introducing her into my world, letting her see exactly what my father expected of me and bringing her into a world where her status as Witch was open to far more ridicule and prejudice than it would have been even if she had openly proclaimed herself so in a room full of humans. Sorcerers hated Witches by rote. And here I was, from the most powerful family of Sorcerers proclaiming not only a Witch as my future wife, but protecting the daughter of another Witch and another Sorcerer, a rival Sorcerer, as though she were my daughter. The decision had not been met with a celebration or even with understanding, but with a vague, tight and frustrated tolerance.

Because of the name on my birth certificate. Because I was Lucas Cortez. They would forgive. They would protect. Because my father said so. But those days were gone. Being Lucas Cortez had never been easy. My morals hadn't allowed it to be so and neither had my father. This time, everything I had built up in my fight against my family united, coalescing into my largest most current adversary.

Or, in other words, as Paige would say, 'Those choices had nothing on this one. They were just the beginning. This one is a doozy."

I smiled at the sound of Paige's voice in my head. I knew it would always be there, informing me of her sentiments and teasing me lightly. Ever present in my mind in that same light tone even if what I was about to do stood a large chance at earning her hate and distrust.

I could try to lie to her. I could keep this secret. I'd have support in keeping this secret and falsehoods came second nature to me. But I had promised her that I would never lie to her again a long time ago and I hadn't since.

I glanced up at the doors of the chosen venue for the supernatural council meeting. Then I moved my gaze over to Troy, my father's bodyguard standing next to me, his steel blue eyes observing me, concerned. Troy was a good man.

"It's ok, Lucas," he smiled reassuringly, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "They'll understand. It's for the good of everyone involved."

More than anything I wanted that to be true, despite how wrong I knew he was.

With only one more deep breath to strengthen myself, I cast an unlock spell on the door and pushed it open. The movement was meant to be quiet and unobtrusive, but in a room as rife with paranoia as this one had become all eyes turned instantly to me.

I was surprised at the sheer volume of the crowd. This was not the turn out for an everyday council meeting. This was a war room, an attempt at strategic planning being used to thwart the new threat – a war, led by self-hating supernaturals determined to wipe their very own races from existence. The council mainstays were there, representatives as usual, but others had been brought into the fold.

Elena, Clayton and Jeremy had brought the majority of the newly grown werewolf pack with them. Cassandra and Aaron had brought Zoe Tanaka as well as other vampires that were not normally in attendance. Jamie had brought Finn and presumably Eve and Kristof, who were likely in touch somehow. Kenneth, the group's Shaman was surrounded by several people I had yet to meet and now, probably never would. Hope had surprisingly brought the clairvoyant Rhys Smith. Robert and Adam Vasic sat nearby, Adam especially close to Savannah, guarding her valiantly after the loss of her powers but looking vaguely guilty while doing so. It occurred to me that somebody should tell him that Paige and I knew of his feelings for her and trusted him with her, but it also occurred to me that it may not be my place anymore after today.

I looked to Paige, who had brought some of her fellow witches, those that she had been assisting in learning more about their powers. I looked at her and she looked from me to Troy standing beside me and her head began a slow shake.

I would have been here had I not been called away on business. I would likely never have received the call as a cell phone signal dampener had become a standard part of these meetings in recent years. I would not have obtained that last minute plane ticket to Miami. I would not have spoken to Carlos. I would not have made it in time to enjoy one last conversation with my father.

I would not be doing what I was about to do now.

I cleared my throat. "Please excuse the interruption. May I have a moment of the council's time?" Due respect to afford to the council leader…and to my wife.

Paige stood, green eyes holding an icy challenge I hadn't seen since that first time I'd met her. She had thrown me out of her home that day. Repeatedly. "You may."

I swallowed against the chill that look sent through my veins. This day may very well end in the same manner, but I couldn't let that deter me. The decision had been made and all I could do at this point was inform her and await the backlash.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the supernatural council," I began tentatively, struggling to hold onto my trademark confidence. The repercussions were just too enormous to play down. Or, again, as Paige would say, 'This was just too big!'

Taking a deep breath, I launched into my prepared speech. "Though it is mere conjecture, I am assuming you were discussing our current situation. Supernatural beings are hunting and killing their own and the innocents need protection. Though, as a council, you are stronger than you have been for many years and should not be discounted as insignificant, you are by no means an army. Your challengers, however, are well-trained and well-armed, without morals and without fear. They are zealots willing to die for their cause. An army is what this battle requires."

I stepped to the head of the meeting table, across from Paige and gripped the edge until my knuckles whitened under the strain. An unsteady emotion quaked through me at that moment, reminding me that I wouldn't be where I was without loss. Reminding me that I never would have needed to make this decision if it hadn't been thrust into my lap by the loss of someone I held dearly despite myself.

Once again stealing myself with a deep breath, I could feel the tears spring to my eyes. Tears for what I had lost and what I knew I was about to lose. Tears for the loss of my principals, of all my objections, of my future. Tears for the loss of my father.

Lifting my glasses slightly and pinching the bridge of my nose, I blinked the tears back. But they never left my voice, which now escaped my throat strained and clouded by my grief. I continued my prepared speech, but the more I said, the harder I needed to fight to keep the tears from escaping.

"At 9:30 AM this morning, Benicio Cortez died. At 10 AM this morning, I ascended to the position of CEO of the Cortez Cabal. I can provide you with the resources and the personnel necessary to fight this war. They will answer to me and I will answer to you if you will have me."

I saw Paige look to Savannah in shock. I watched Savannah share a troubled look with Adam and watched that same troubled look make its way around the room, overtaking every inhabitant. Paige shook her head when her glance returned to me, her eyes cold and resolute, her mouth moving in a precise declaration of NO.

I ventured around the table, moving within whispering distance of Paige, but not bothering to lower my voice. What I could be saying to her was truly no secret to anyone in the room. Reaching out, I brushed my fingertips tentatively down her arm. "Don't think I made this decision lightly. I discussed my intentions with Carlos. We agreed that this was necessary for the survival of supernaturals everywhere. I have no intentions towards a corporate takeover. When I am sure we are safe, I will abdicate my position, leaving it to Carlos."

"And who decides when we are all safe?" Paige asked, and it was an intelligent question. She was correct in her distrust of the situation despite how incorrect she was in her distrust of me. "Do you? Does Carlos? Does he kill you when he decides you are done, or do you decide that no protection is quite enough? How does this end, Lucas? How can this end well? You told me you would never…"

My heart lurched. She felt betrayed by my choice and, in truth, so did I. "The council can decide when we are safe, if you think me inadequate to do so accurately." Her eyes blazed at the accusation she thought I was making and I was quick to correct it. "You fear the corruption of power. I am attempting to eradicate that fear by putting as many fail-safes in place as is possible and prudent." I stepped forward, dropping my voice to a whisper now. "I love you, Paige. I would never do something like this if I didn't feel it was completely necessary. Consider my proposal. I will be waiting in the hotel room you booked for the two of us. Please let me know the results of your deliberations and whether or not you will require me to book a hotel room of my own."

The words had sounded colder than I had meant, but I was pretty sure that the tears that were now freely spilling from my eyes countered that effect. I hadn't been able to help it. All that precious control I prided myself in, and despite all my intentions to the contrary, I was about to become a sputtering mess in front of a crowd of people. Paige stared up at me wide eyes, hands shaking as she took mine in hers and studied me for just a moment. I met her gaze, nodded and turned to leave.

I barely got ten steps before Clayton's voice sounded angrily behind me.

"And one of the last few men of principal has fallen." He grumbled after me. I knew he was angry and I knew why. But something about that particular statement coming from Clayton pulled me back together.

I turned, suddenly reassured, and faced my accuser. "This isn't about principals. This is about protecting Paige, Savannah…Adam, you. This is about protecting all of you. About survival. Clayton. You, of all people, should understand that."

With that statement I turned and strode through the doors, leaving the council to their decision.