“If it involves Tenia, then itismy business,” she said coolly.
“Myanin, Jacque won’t let Jen kill him,” Lilly said. She looked over at Tenia, and Peri saw the affection the warlock queen had for the fae. “It’s good to see you, Tenia. And I can’t wait to get to talk to your son.”
“I’m sure the feeling will be mutual once—” Tenia’s words froze, and then she cursed. “Really? Another one? How many crazy ass wolves do you have in this pack?”
Peri turned back to Skender, Jen, and Myanin to see that Zara had joined the fray. The girl was too short to reach the djinn’s throat, so Zara held a dagger against Myanin’s chest, directly over her heart.
Peri looked around until she found Wadim. “Seriously?” Peri asked him. “I’m gone for a couple of months and your mate goes from sweet, but sassy, to stabby twin of Jen?”
“That should totally go on a shirt,” Heather said. “I’ve heard that Wadim likes to wear hilarious shirts. That would be perfect for him.”
“Maybe not the best time for fashion advice,” Anna told Heather.
Heather snorted. “Dude, I have no clue what’s going on, so I get to pass out fashion advice like it’s candy. Granted, you will all look like idiots if you take it because, you know”—she pointed at her eyes and then sang—“blind.”
Peri shook her head. Things were going to hell in a handbasket, and yet the healers still found time to verbally spar. Some things never change.
“Zara,” Wadim called to his mate. “That dagger was for emergency use only, remember?”
“I think this qualifies as an emergency. I love you, history-boy, but nobody gets to kill Jen. She provides too much entertainment and makes all the rest of us seem normal.” Zara didn’t move an inch.
“She’s not wrong,” Jacque agreed.
Peri shot her a look. “Not helping.”
The alpha female shrugged. “What? You know we’ve all wanted to kill her at one point or another, but for some reason, we don’t. Zara has a sound argument for why, like a cockroach, Jen manages to survive.”
Peri pinched the bridge of her nose and forced herself to refrain from simply flashing to the Canadian pack mansion with Tenia and Torion and leaving the rest of them to sort it out on their own.
“Even if Myanin manages to cut my throat,” Jen said, “I will have Skender’s throat torn out before I’m dead. So in my demise, he finds his as well.” She leaned down closer to Skender, causing Myanin’s knife to dig even deeper. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t rip out your throat where you lay,” the beta female snarled.
Skender’s eyes flicked over to his mate and his son. Peri saw a glassy sheen of tears. He looked back at Jen and said, “I can’t.”
“Right answer.” Jen’s nails phased to wolf claws.
Bloody hell! Jen reallywasgoing to kill him. Peri was about to bind the three women when a small voice yelled.
“WAIT!”
Peri turned to look down at Torion. Tears streamed down his small face. He must have been terrified.
Peri looked back at Jen. The female’s head turned to see where the voice came from. Her eyes widened when they landed on Torion. Myanin’s eyes were still locked on Jen, and Zara still held her dagger on the djinn.
“Who are you?” Jen asked, her voice menacing.
Peri released her magical hold on Torion, though she kept Tenia bound. She had no doubt Skender’s mate would attempt to kill Jen the second she was free. This fight didn’t need another participant.
Torion, the brave boy he’d proven himself to be since Peri had known him, walked forward until he stood a foot from Jen and his adoptive father.
“I am Torion,” he said, his voice slightly shaky. He held his head high and pulled his shoulders back before continuing. “I am Skender’s son. Tenia, my mother”—he turned and pointed to her—“is Skender’s true mate.”
Jen’s eyes narrowed. A casual observer might have thought the child’s words didn’t affect her. But Peri saw the slightest hint of shock in her eyes. “Why should I care, Terrance? Your mother is no one to me. You are a child with another T name, and already you get on my nerves. And your so-called father is a backstabbing turncoat whose crimes are punishable by death.”
“Jen, you remember that a not-quite-sane djinn is holding a sharp object at your throat, right?” Jacque asked. The alpha female had moved closer and now stood only a few feet from the bizarre kill-or-be-killed pack of women.
“I expect you to avenge me, Jacque. You know I’ll haunt you for the rest of your existence if you don’t. Now, quit distracting me.”
“I know who he is,” Torion said, pointing at Skender. “And I know what he’s done.”
