Meeting tonight with the London god pack. Challenge ring a possibility.
“Everything all right?” Nadine asked.
“Situation normal,” Patrick muttered.
Nadine’s smile was knife-sharp and too-knowing from shared experiences. “All fucked-up.”
8
“How the fuckis the Savoy neutral ground?” Patrick asked as Jono navigated the car through evening London traffic. Patrick had swapped out his suit for his usual jeans, T-shirt, and leather jacket with its cold charms activated instead of heat. He had a feeling his outfit wouldn’t pass muster with hotel staff.
“Why are you asking me? I haven’t been in London for years,” Jono said.
“Conducting pack business isn’t usually done so publicly, but the London god pack alphas were adamant about meeting at the Beaufort Bar,” Sage said from the back seat.
Patrick rested his elbow against the window to prop up his head. “That’s a lot of literal human shields they could end up using if things go bad.”
“Do you think things will?” Wade asked. He had a box of Jaffa Cakes in hand, another in his lap, and was steadily eating his way through them. The sound of him chewing hadn’t stopped since they got in the car.
Sage’s expression became grim in the rearview mirror. “It’s a possibility we have to accept. Their dire wasn’t pleased about being forced to agree to the meeting. I think it’s safe to say his alphas will feel the same way.”
Patrick’s gaze drifted over the winding view of the Thames at night and the way some of the more well-known London landmarks glowed against the night sky. It was just the four of them for the meeting, with Nadine handling the needs of the WSA while Patrick turned his attention toward his pack. He trusted her to keep the WSA from asking too many questions about his absence, but knew he’d have to face them all again tomorrow.
Showing up bruised would definitely have them asking questions.
“Tom didn’t know what you three were when we met with him at the pub yesterday,” Jono said.
Patrick turned his head fractionally to look at him. “Meaning?”
“He thinks you’re human. Depending on what the god pack has heard about New York, they may not know you’re a mage, Sage is a weretiger, and Wade is a dragon.”
“We aren’t giving up Wade’s form unless we’re backed into a corner.”
“Didn’t you tell me not to shift mass while we were in London?” Wade asked.
“We’ll make an exception if it looks like we’re losing the fight.”
“We won’t lose,” Jono said, sounding way too confident for Patrick’s liking.
Patrick snorted. “Let’s operate under the assumption they know everything public about us and we don’t know jack shit about them. If we’re going in blind, let’s be prepared for anything.”
Sage leaned forward between the seats. “If they demand a fight in the challenge ring, will you agree to it?”
Patrick opened his mouth to saynowhen Jono beat him to it with the wrong fucking answer.
“Yes,” Jono said, sounding calm even if the steering wheel creaked beneath his grip.
Patrick jerked his head around to stare at Jono. “Excuse me?”
“If things are as messy as we think they are, then refusing to fight won’t get us very far. We need the right to stay in London.” Jono turned his head to glance at Patrick, his wolf-bright blue eyes flashing from reflected streetlights. “Youneed that right, Pat.”
Sage sat back with a sigh. “He’s not wrong.”
Patrick stared at Jono. “You aren’t fighting them.”
Jono turned his attention back to the road. “Neither are you.”
“Iwill be fighting them if they insist on deciding things in the challenge ring. That’s my responsibility as dire,” Sage said.
