“You will be kin first.”
“I’m lycan first.” She didn’t care how powerful Varu might be, she wouldn’t tell him what he wanted to hear if it wasn’t the truth.
He considered her then gave a slow smile. It did little to make him less intimidating, but she felt acceptance all the same. “Lycan first. A berserker who is loyal to family. And we are your family.” He looked at Kraft and gave a satisfied nod. “We accept you, Riley. And I will speak with your uncle tomorrow. We’ll extend a non-aggression pact with the Crimson Claw.”
“He’ll be stoked.” She grinned. “Can you make sure to tell him that a lot of this is thanks to Max?”
“That’s not a lie. I’ve spoken with your cousin quite a bit. He’ll be an excellent leader when your uncle steps down. And it was his help that cleaned up the tainted Wildridge pack.”
She frowned. “They’re no more.” Sad but necessary, they’d wiped the Wildridge wolves from existence. No longer a pack, those wolves innocent of allying with a sorcerer had been absorbed into other packs. The rogue sorcerers working with Sebastian had been rounded up and taken care of by the Rainier guild.
“Should I be sorry you lost one of your suitors?”
Max had killed Fredrick and Mark with prejudice, his new powers of aggression and strength awe-inspiring. To his credit, he’d issued them a challenge and fought them both at the same time. They lost and died, admitted henchmen for Sebastian Castle and Julian Wildridge, whom they had yet to locate.
But that was up to her alpha. She’d earned a little time off.
Varu stood and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m proud to have you join us.”
“Thank you, Varu.” She paused. “But I’m still not going to bow to you.”
He frowned. “Nobody else does. Why would you?”
“Rolf said...” She’d get that tricky draugr back.
Kraft laughed. “What did I tell you about believing anything he says?”
Varu bit back a smile and tightened his hand on her shoulder. She felt a well of power, and an odd recognition.
He nodded. “Yes, I feel that. Welcome, sister.”
She and Kraft stared after him when he left. “Sister?”
After a few quiet moments, Kraft cleared his throat. “I, ah, learned a few things you might want to know.”
“Oh?”
“But first, a gift from Hirpus,” Hecate said as she walked through the door, wearing her crone form, her skin a pale cream, her eyes warm with wisdom.
So much for privacy. Riley knew she’d have to get used to spending her time both here and at Noblewood. But fortunately, Mormo had a buttload of power, and he’d agreed to make her a gate pass. So she’d be able to gate between home—heroldhome—and her new one whenever she needed to.
That had made her uncle accept her new mated status a lot more easily. Not losing access to herandgetting a kickass group of new allies. There would be no question anymore as to who ruled the lycans in their region.
It had also made her new relationship a lot easier to handle. Heck, she hadn’t known Kraft that long at all, and she had a whole new life to look forward to.
“I’m sorry, a gift?” Riley asked.
Hecate nodded.
The artifact had already gone back to the pack, delivered by Max. Apparently, Hecate had already gotten what she needed. Not one, buttwoBloode Stones. Riley never would have guessed they’d been buried in that dirty little statue.
Hecate cleared her throat.
A moment later, a form shimmered into existence. A tall, muscular woman dressed in furs and covered in tattoos from her neck down to her toes, with a few runes painted under each eye, stared at Riley.
“This is her, eh?” The female sounded wolfish and had a feral presence Riley would never mistake for any but her patron goddess.
“Hirpus?” she whispered, in awe.
