Arden looked at Baz. He slipped his hand into hers, and they followed Fern back to Main Street.
At the store that had become their informal meeting place, Declan, Lexie, and Maida were gathered out front. They were talking, but as Baz approached, hand in hand with Arden, the chatter hushed.
“You wanted me, you got me,” Baz said, looking from one to another of the faces of his cousins, friends, family—clan. Lexie looked guilty, Declan angry, Maida merely confused. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on?” Declan repeated. He jabbed a finger at Arden. “She’s been lying to us, that’s what’s going on.”
Baz’s hand tightened on Arden’s. He felt her fingers go stiff in his. “Hold on just a minute. What are you talking about?”
Declan looked at Lexie. For the first time Baz could remember, his daredevil, happy-go-lucky cousin seemed unsure of herself. With everyone staring at her, Lexie spoke up. “Arden, I’m sorry.” She held out her hand. “Is this yours?”
She was holding a small, dark object. Arden stared at it. Baz didn’t realize until Arden took it that it was a folded-up flip phone. It was damp and there was a leaf stuck to it.
Arden hesitated, then wiped it on her jacket and put it in her pocket, her mouth a flat line. “Which one of you followed me?” Her gaze went back and forth between Lexie and Declan.
“Me,” Lexie said. She dropped her gaze as if ashamed, then met Arden’s thundercloud eyes. “I just wanted to know where you were going. I know you met someone down at the road. Tell us what’s going on, please; I’m sure no one will be mad about it.”
“That’s not all, is it?” Declan demanded. “Go on, tell them the rest of what you saw and heard. Tell them what we’ve learned.”
“You do it, if you’re so sure of yourself,” Lexie snapped.
“Fine then, I will.” Declan stepped forward to face Baz head on. “After Lexie saw your girlfriend talking with some guy on the road, some guy who hadpictures of us, we decided to test out our shiny new internet connection by seeing what we could find out about her online.”
Arden was still as if she had turned into a statue. Baz didn’t dare look at her. He was furious. “You snooped on her behind her back?”
“Why not? She hasn’t exactly been telling us the truth about herself. She hasn’t told usanything.” Declan’s normally restrained body language was sharp and angry, gesturing as he talked. “We found her. Her name’s Arden Hamilton. She’s married, Baz. She’s the wife of that Senator Grant Hamilton who keeps trying to pass anti-shifter bills. She’s been involved with anti-shifter groups in the past.”
Arden didn’t say anything, staring at Declan, white to the lips.
“You had no right,” Baz snarled.
“Shehad no right! If she’s got nothing to hide, why hasn’t she told us anything about herself? What about this Senator Hamilton, Baz? Are you dating a married woman?”
“I’m not!” Arden snapped. It came out high-pitched and cracked in the middle. She swallowed. “I’m—divorced. At least I thought I was. He’s my ex.”
“What do you mean, you thought you were?” Lexie asked quietly.
“The paperwork wasn’t filed correctly.” Arden didn’t look at any of them, including Baz, whose stomach felt like a stone—anger and, now, baffled hurt churning inside him. “I’m going to fix it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t mean it to come outlike this. But it’s not like you all have told me the entire truth, either!”
“What does that mean?” Fern asked, her soft voice full of emotion. Fern had always hated it when people fought around her.
Arden gave Declan a direct glare. “Do you want to know what that meeting was about? Grant is trying to blackmail me with pictures ofyou, Declan. Of you, shifted. I don’t know what other secrets the group of you are keeping from me, but?—”
Declan let out a snarl, somehow inhuman-sounding, and Arden shrank back. Baz’s personally conflicted feelings were washed away in a tide of defensive fury. He stepped between Arden and his cousin.
“Don’t you dare threaten her, Declan. Don’t youdare.”
“Really? You’re defending her in spite of all of this?” Declan’s normally dark eyes were hot gold, nearly glowing. “I’m done, Baz. I challenge you for alpha of the clan.”
BAZ
“I accept your challenge,”Baz growled.
Declan’s words hit him like a hammer blow, but at the same time, this had been coming for a long time between them. Since they were kids, probably.
And Declan bringing Arden into it made it impossible for Baz to refuse.
Baz let out a low growl, and Declan hissed, a sound no human throat could make.
