“Rorik?” Sorrel mumbled. “Youarealive...”
Rorik didn’t pause at his statement. He just loped up to Sorrel and pulled him into a one-armed hug. Their white fur mixed together—Rorik’s dense and thick, Sorrel’s fluffy and thin.
“Foolish pup. You think a dragon could kill me?” Rorik mumbled teasingly.
Sorrel’s round eyes darted back and forth between us. He looked like he’d seen a ghost—which was probably how Rorik felt when he found outIwas alive.
“I don’t understand,” Sorrel whispered, shaking his head. “The clan alphas told us you died on your mission...”
“They lied,” Rorik said bluntly. “They’ve lied to us for a very long time.”
The surrounding omegas moved closer to Rorik, as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. Their bond with him was strong. Seeing Rorik not only alive and well, but happier and healthier than ever, awakened a seed of doubt in them. When they glanced back at the clan alphas, they did so with wary eyes. For the first time since arriving, the knot of dread twisting in my chest slowly began to unravel.
Behind the crowd, Sheba growled under her breath, but Knox remained silent.
“Well, Sorrel?” Viol prompted. “Believe Poppy now?”
My brother’s fur fell flat. He resembled a pup caught out in the rain, drenched and tired. “I... I don’t know,” he admitted weakly. “I’m confused. And scared.”
I pressed up against him. My heart filled with hope when he didn’t flinch or pull away. “It’s okay. I’m here to help you, remember? We all are.”
“The dragons make me nervous,” Sorrel whispered in my ear. With the surface layer of anger stripped away, he sounded more like the brother I remembered.
“I know. But I promise they’re good people.”
Since Rorik stood nearby, he couldn’t help but overhear. “Would you like to meet my mate?” he asked.
Sorrel’s eyes flashed with unease, but then he nodded.
Rorik shot a knowing glance over his shoulder at Saffron, who shifted to human form and bounded over with a friendlysmile. As he caught up with Rorik, the blond alpha slipped an affectionate arm around his bear’s shoulders.
“Hi! Nice to meet you,” Saffron greeted.
Sorrel’s hackles rose for a second before smoothing. “H... hello.”
The other omegas stared in awe as Sorrel interacted with the dragon, who was now a grinning human with an obvious love for Rorik. They saw Saffron for who he was: a stranger, yes, but a normal shifter, just like them.
I was deeply relieved that Jade had disobeyed Viol’s request. I’d been gone from the tundra for so long that I may as well have been a ghost in the clan’s eyes, but Rorik was not. They’d grown up with him, trusted him. Even though Rorik’s failure was supposed to inspire contempt, it clearly didn’t. I could imagine the omegas’ grief when the alphas lied and said Rorik had died on his mission. That lie had been their downfall. Now Rorik’s presence was a blessing—and I think it was slowly turning the tides.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Sheba backing away with a frustrated snarl. Control was rapidly slipping from her grasp, if she still had any at all.
As Sorrel spoke with Rorik and Saffron, Viol strode to my side and arched his neck down in a comforting nuzzle. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to share a quiet moment of relief with my mate.
“The clan alphas are losing their grip,” Viol murmured in my ear.
I sensed it, too. “Yes,” I whispered back.
“What should we do? Want me to chase ‘em off?”
I turned to see the state of them. The two bears stood away from the omegas, as if separated by an invisible barrier. Sheba bristled with frustration as the clan crumbled around her, butKnox remained withdrawn. Neither of them appeared willing to fight for the remaining scraps of the tundra clan.
“I don’t know if that’s necessary,” I admitted. “All the omegas know they’re liars now. And I think the fact that we showed up with dragon reinforcements spooked Sheba halfway out of her fur. I doubt she can regain her old authority.”
“But what about the omegas?” Viol asked, casting a concerned look at the small crowd.
“Jade must have a plan,” I assured. “He wouldn’t show up without one.”
That mollified my mate. “That’s true,” Viol murmured, then snorted fondly. “That snake always has a few tricks up his sleeve.”
