The authority Valentina held was unquestionable; were she not the alpha of the pack the power she embodied would still be just as prominent. In fact, Odessa would argue that were she not the leader of this pack, it wouldn’t take her long to become it. It didn’t take her long the first time. She admired that level of confidence, care to detail, and action. It made Valentina an easy leader to follow; it was not the person you trusted, but the actions. Her actions betrayed a pattern a pack could trust. Odessa could work easily within that.
“He’s certainly more concerned with our goings on than most, yes.” Odessa sat in one smooth, controlled movement, only unevenly shifting her weight to get comfortable once seated. She rested on hand on each arm of the chair and focused her attention again on Valentina. “I’ll let him know. He needs to trust what he needs to know, he will.” Odessa sighed, “A Grimaldi, but I’m not sure which one. I’m certain I’ve met her before, but not on her own. I was most likely focused on one of her kin rather than her.” Odessa nodded, “She felt…powerful, but not directed. Young.” She leaned back into the chair just slightly, never fully relaxing when talking business, “Youth and power always put me on edge.”
If you asked Valentina herself, she’d say she was the perfect leader. But she knew well enough that there were plenty of things she could do to be better, power be damned. Well, not damned ---that was what she was after, in the end, but she had almost as much desire to bring her supporters to power alongside her. She knew she wasn’t perfect --not in all avenues, anyway-- but she was as close as she could be. Fuck it all if anyone thought differently. Her methods might have been flawed to some, but she got results. That was what was important.
Absently, she waved a hand to dismiss talk of the wolf, content with Odessa’s assessment. As for the witch, she called to mind a young Amber Grimaldi, who she’d spoken to not that long ago, herself. They shared an air of... civility, if nothing else. Valentina was pleasant with her, for the time being, but that could change at the drop of a hat. “I know the one,” she answered with a nod. “Keep your eye on her, if you see her around. I’ll do the same.” There wasn’t much else to be done, at this time, given the treaty between the species. Things were tense, but they always had been. As much as Valentina would have preferred it, she couldn’t go having the girl kidnapped and interrogated on a whim. “If that’s that,” she said, slapping a hand down onto the desk. “I'm starving. Join me?”