“I don’t thank you all enough,” I said, trying not to reveal how emotional this moment had made me. “I know everything is pretty fucked up, and there’s a lot of danger out there still, but I’m so blessed to have you all as a pack. It’s a fortune I never saw coming, but I want you all to know, I’m not running from it any longer. I don’t care about the consequences; I am choosing you all. I am choosing and claiming this pac?—”
Kellan grabbed the side of my chair and yanked me right into his side. He dropped his head into my shoulder and nuzzled along my skin. “Baby, we’re the fucking fortunate ones. You’re a gift and a blessing, and I don’t care who we have to kill, we’re going to make sure this world is safe for you.”
Hunter’s chest rumbled. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. Now stop drooling all over Emme. She needs to finish her food.” He leaned over and dragged my chair back into its spot, and while Kellan pouted, he let me go without an argument.
I spent the next ten minutes eating everything my hands touched, and by the time I was done, I was sure they’d have to roll me out of here.
“Florence has dessert still to come,” Slade said, taking a sip of his drink. “Don’t run away, Snow.”
I shook my head. “Not only are my legs dead from training today, but my pants are also too tight for me to walk… let alone run.”
Slade’s gaze slid from my face and down to where the rest of my body was hidden by the table. “You’re wearing sweats.”
“Exactly,” I said, and I couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. “That’s how much I ate. Enough to makesweatstight.”
Hunter changed the subject before Slade could get more in depth about the current sweatpants’ situation. “Okay, we need to discuss what our plans are moving forward with Fletcher, Blaine, and the witches of Termaine.”
The lighthearted atmosphere vanished quickly, leaving behind a more somber and serious air. “What about our plan for Talon?” I asked.
Hunter’s expression didn’t fill me with confidence. “Talon is a complicated situation, so for now he remains where he is. Slade’s monitoring him, and we’ll figure it out eventually. I hope he can be used to our advantage.”
“Only time will tell,” Slade added, and that was all they’d say on the matter.
With more pressing issues to deal with, I decided to let it slide. For now.
“According to Talon, Fletcher is recruiting more witches to his cause,” Slade continued, “and while we took out a chunk of his shifters during that attack in Silver City, he has many more where they came from too. He’s been planning this attack for years, and he’s a patient bastard.”
“Did we confirm Blaine’s mother was an omega?” I asked, unsure why it was important but I needed to know nonetheless.
Slade nodded. “Yeah, I think I tracked her down from a missing shifter report that was filed about a year before Blaine was born. It lines up.”
My stomach lurched, and I hoped like hell I didn’t vomit up all that delicious food. “He deliberately stole an omega from her family or pack, impregnated her, then killed her.”
How the fuck was this real life?
No one spoke for many seconds, all of us locked in the horror of what had happened. The tension had my stomach whirling once more.
“I’m so fucking glad that when the council found you, Em,” Finley finally said, his expression flat, “you were brought here to us. Imagine ifthat fuckgot his hands on you. I can’t…”
He trailed off with a slightly green tinge to his skin now too.
“I’d have ended up like my mom and Blaine’s,” I finished for him. “Used and abused, then thrown away once my power was spent. And there will be more like them. I’m sure of it.”
Hunter slammed his glass on the table. “It will never fucking happen. We will kill them all before they touch you again. Whatever it takes.”
“When’s our meeting with the witches?” Finley asked as he leaned forward to meet Hunter’s gaze. “We need magical help. We need spells to ensure that Emme remains safe, no matter what Fletcher or the Termaine witches throw at us.”
Hunter nodded slowly, as if he couldn’t help but agree. “Jewels is arranging for any loyal witches to join us and meet with the Alpha Council next week. In the end, unless they want to fall to the Termaine coven’s rule, they need to take our side. In Fletcher’s new future, witches will be underhiswitches’ command. Goodbye freedom and unfettered power.”
“Once we have magic on our side, we can ferret out these fucks,” Kellan said, “since they’re cowards and want to hide behind a witch’s skirt. I say we take the battle to them. I’m sick of sitting back and waiting for them to come.”
I agreed with him, and hoped theloyalwitches did too, so they’d help us track Fletcher’s safe house.
It was a better plan than releasing Talon and following him all the way home.
I might not trust witches and their motivations, but with a common enemy, there had to be a way we could all work together. Otherwise, we’d be crushed in this coming war.
CHAPTER 27
