“Can’t argue with that logic,” Bryn said. She shifted into wolf form, pinning Mason and dousing his face in long, slobbering licks.
“Ack!” Mason shouted. “You win! You win!”
“Hey!” Ethan ran up to us, breathless and bleeding from a deep scratch on his cheek. “There you are!”
Connor clasped his arm. “Good to see you.”
“Likewise,” Ethan said, giving Adne a one-armed hug. He turned to Nev. “She’s not fighting. I couldn’t find her.”
“I was worried about that,” Nev said.
“Who?” Adne asked.
“Sabine,” Ethan said, his face bleak. “She’s not among the Banes here.”
Mason and Bryn stopped wrestling. Bryn shifted forms, giving me a somber glance at the mention of Sabine’s absence.
“Neither is Emile,” Stephen said. “I can smell him a mile away. They must be inside.”
I glanced at the dark manor, unable to make out any sign of light within. “In Rowan Estate?”
Ren tested the air. “Efron and Lumine are nearby.”
“And they don’t take part in the real fighting,” Mason said. “Ever.”
“The information we received said you’d be sending a small group in with the Scion to finish this,” my father said.
Connor nodded. “That would be us.”
“With your permission I’d like to join you.”
“You don’t want to oversee your pack?” Connor asked.
“They’re in good hands.” My father gestured to Nev. “He and Ethan planned this strike. He’s the one who should continue to lead it.”
Nev shifted forms and barked his approval.
“I’ll stick with Nev,” Mason said, looking at me. “If that’s all right.”
“Go with him.” I nodded. “And keep an eye out for Ansel and Tess.”
“You know I will,” Mason said with a wink. In the next moment the two wolves howled and dashed to join the fight.
My father looked at me sharply. “Your brother is here?”
“Not fighting,” I said. “He’s helping Searchers tend the wounded. He’ll be safe enough.” I hope.
“I wouldn’t have left him.” Bryn threw my father a guilty look. “But I thought we needed all the fighters we could spare.”
“Of course,” he said. “You belong with your pack.”
My father shot an inquiring look at Connor. “Well?”
“You don’t need to ask,” Connor said. “Another alpha would be a great help.”
“Good. I owe Emile a personal visit,” my father said. “One that’s been a long time coming.”
“Those are the best kind of visits,” Ethan said. “I have one in mind myself.”
Connor grunted. “Then let’s not keep anyone waiting.”
My father, Ren, Bryn, and I slid into our wolf forms, taking up positions like sentinels around the three Searchers and Shay as we stalked along the north wall of the manor.
“The side door will bring us into the kitchen,” Shay said. “We’ll be on the back side of the house. We can make our way to the library from there.”
My skin crawled beneath my fur. That meant we’d be slinking through the halls of Rowan Estate, passing all of those horrible paintings and ghastly statues. Any of which could come alive should Bosque Mar already be waiting for us.
I could still hear the battle raging at our backs, but as we approached the far end of Rowan Estate, the sounds of war seemed to be swallowed up by the walls of the manor. The immense building cut us off from the conflict, separating us from enemy and ally alike. Though I’d known it had always been the plan, I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I realized our small party would face the horrors on our own.
“There’s the door.” Shay strode forward and I saw the dark shape bloom within the shadows.
I barked at the same moment Connor shouted, “Shay! On your right!”
Shay had his swords ready as the wraith attacked. But it wasn’t only the wraith that was moving. From around the back of the manor four wolves appeared, bearing down on us in a storm of fangs and furious howls.
The first wolf leapt, knocking Connor down. Adne pivoted, her steel whip flying out. The wolf squealed as sharpened steel tips lodged in its body. It yelped again when Ethan’s crossbow bolts thunked into its flank. The wolf twisted, trying to pull the bolts out. Its final cry died in a gurgle as Connor plunged his dagger into its chest.
My father had thrown himself into the second wolf. They were tumbling across the ground, snarling and tearing at each other. A few feet away Ren was facing off with the other two wolves. None of the three had attacked, but instead they all stared at each other, bristling, filling the air with low, threatening growls. Bryn and I stalked up to flank Ren.
My pulse buzzed through my veins as I realized why he’d hesitated. Dax and Fey glared at their former alpha. Their muzzles twisted in frustrated, furious snarls.
Don’t do this. Ren’s mind opened to all of us. We shouldn’t fight.
I ran to his side. Listen to Ren. Please.
Why? Dax ignored me, barking at Ren. So we can bow down to your bitch too?
Don’t ever talk about her that way. Ren took a menacing step forward. You know nothing about what’s going on here.
Really? Fey sniffed the air disdainfully. I think you’re just afraid to be the alpha you should be. You’re weak.
You’re an idiot, Fey. Bryn snarled.
At least I don’t let Calla think for me. Fey glanced at Ren and Bryn. You’re both weak. Her muscles quivered.
Fey, don’t! I braced myself. But she was already lunging.
I was ready when she slammed into me, but the force of her leap sent us sprawling through the snow. Bryn rushed after us, sinking her teeth into Fey’s side. Snapping jaws and savage growls told me that Ren and Dax were fighting alongside us.
Our best fighters. I remembered what Ren had said about Dax and Fey. Like attracts like. But now their skill in combat was working against us. We were their alphas, but would we be able to best them?
I rolled to my feet. Fey was faster. She landed on my back, sinking her teeth into my shoulder. Ignoring the pain, I bucked hard, flipping us over so she slammed into the ground beneath my weight. Bryn leapt at her, crushing Fey into the snow. Fey twisted and kicked up, sending Bryn flying.
“Ack!” Mason shouted. “You win! You win!”
“Hey!” Ethan ran up to us, breathless and bleeding from a deep scratch on his cheek. “There you are!”
Connor clasped his arm. “Good to see you.”
“Likewise,” Ethan said, giving Adne a one-armed hug. He turned to Nev. “She’s not fighting. I couldn’t find her.”
“I was worried about that,” Nev said.
“Who?” Adne asked.
“Sabine,” Ethan said, his face bleak. “She’s not among the Banes here.”
Mason and Bryn stopped wrestling. Bryn shifted forms, giving me a somber glance at the mention of Sabine’s absence.
“Neither is Emile,” Stephen said. “I can smell him a mile away. They must be inside.”
I glanced at the dark manor, unable to make out any sign of light within. “In Rowan Estate?”
Ren tested the air. “Efron and Lumine are nearby.”
“And they don’t take part in the real fighting,” Mason said. “Ever.”
“The information we received said you’d be sending a small group in with the Scion to finish this,” my father said.
Connor nodded. “That would be us.”
“With your permission I’d like to join you.”
“You don’t want to oversee your pack?” Connor asked.
“They’re in good hands.” My father gestured to Nev. “He and Ethan planned this strike. He’s the one who should continue to lead it.”
Nev shifted forms and barked his approval.
“I’ll stick with Nev,” Mason said, looking at me. “If that’s all right.”
“Go with him.” I nodded. “And keep an eye out for Ansel and Tess.”
“You know I will,” Mason said with a wink. In the next moment the two wolves howled and dashed to join the fight.
My father looked at me sharply. “Your brother is here?”
“Not fighting,” I said. “He’s helping Searchers tend the wounded. He’ll be safe enough.” I hope.
“I wouldn’t have left him.” Bryn threw my father a guilty look. “But I thought we needed all the fighters we could spare.”
“Of course,” he said. “You belong with your pack.”
My father shot an inquiring look at Connor. “Well?”
“You don’t need to ask,” Connor said. “Another alpha would be a great help.”
“Good. I owe Emile a personal visit,” my father said. “One that’s been a long time coming.”
“Those are the best kind of visits,” Ethan said. “I have one in mind myself.”
Connor grunted. “Then let’s not keep anyone waiting.”
My father, Ren, Bryn, and I slid into our wolf forms, taking up positions like sentinels around the three Searchers and Shay as we stalked along the north wall of the manor.
“The side door will bring us into the kitchen,” Shay said. “We’ll be on the back side of the house. We can make our way to the library from there.”
My skin crawled beneath my fur. That meant we’d be slinking through the halls of Rowan Estate, passing all of those horrible paintings and ghastly statues. Any of which could come alive should Bosque Mar already be waiting for us.
I could still hear the battle raging at our backs, but as we approached the far end of Rowan Estate, the sounds of war seemed to be swallowed up by the walls of the manor. The immense building cut us off from the conflict, separating us from enemy and ally alike. Though I’d known it had always been the plan, I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I realized our small party would face the horrors on our own.
“There’s the door.” Shay strode forward and I saw the dark shape bloom within the shadows.
I barked at the same moment Connor shouted, “Shay! On your right!”
Shay had his swords ready as the wraith attacked. But it wasn’t only the wraith that was moving. From around the back of the manor four wolves appeared, bearing down on us in a storm of fangs and furious howls.
The first wolf leapt, knocking Connor down. Adne pivoted, her steel whip flying out. The wolf squealed as sharpened steel tips lodged in its body. It yelped again when Ethan’s crossbow bolts thunked into its flank. The wolf twisted, trying to pull the bolts out. Its final cry died in a gurgle as Connor plunged his dagger into its chest.
My father had thrown himself into the second wolf. They were tumbling across the ground, snarling and tearing at each other. A few feet away Ren was facing off with the other two wolves. None of the three had attacked, but instead they all stared at each other, bristling, filling the air with low, threatening growls. Bryn and I stalked up to flank Ren.
My pulse buzzed through my veins as I realized why he’d hesitated. Dax and Fey glared at their former alpha. Their muzzles twisted in frustrated, furious snarls.
Don’t do this. Ren’s mind opened to all of us. We shouldn’t fight.
I ran to his side. Listen to Ren. Please.
Why? Dax ignored me, barking at Ren. So we can bow down to your bitch too?
Don’t ever talk about her that way. Ren took a menacing step forward. You know nothing about what’s going on here.
Really? Fey sniffed the air disdainfully. I think you’re just afraid to be the alpha you should be. You’re weak.
You’re an idiot, Fey. Bryn snarled.
At least I don’t let Calla think for me. Fey glanced at Ren and Bryn. You’re both weak. Her muscles quivered.
Fey, don’t! I braced myself. But she was already lunging.
I was ready when she slammed into me, but the force of her leap sent us sprawling through the snow. Bryn rushed after us, sinking her teeth into Fey’s side. Snapping jaws and savage growls told me that Ren and Dax were fighting alongside us.
Our best fighters. I remembered what Ren had said about Dax and Fey. Like attracts like. But now their skill in combat was working against us. We were their alphas, but would we be able to best them?
I rolled to my feet. Fey was faster. She landed on my back, sinking her teeth into my shoulder. Ignoring the pain, I bucked hard, flipping us over so she slammed into the ground beneath my weight. Bryn leapt at her, crushing Fey into the snow. Fey twisted and kicked up, sending Bryn flying.
