Jordan partially turned to block his path. “G. We have to talk.”
“I’m aware. We’re going to get into warm clothing, pack up, and then you and I will have that chat.” Garrett stared at the feline shifter leader without blinking. Oh, Jordan had known him as a kid, but those times were over. At the moment, Garrett was a representative of the Realm and most likely its future king. It was time he acted like it, even if he had to kill one of his oldest friends. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”
Then he turned and strode away, carrying a female who didn’t belong in his arms but whom he wouldn’t release.
Even if she was the enemy.
* * * *
Katie Smith-Pride waited until Garrett and Sam had walked out of the camp before kicking her mate in the ankle.
“Ow.” Jordan jumped back, turning to face her, his light brown eyes going dark. “What the hell?”
“I’d do worse, but I have a sleeping toddler in my arms,” she muttered quietly, meeting his gaze directly. “It’s time for a family meeting.” She let out a high-pitched whistle and strode away from the river toward the center of their camp, where they wouldn’t be interrupted.
Jordan’s long-suffering sigh followed her, but so did he.
She reached the quiet oasis and ducked inside a tent to put Lark in bed. The child was sleeping peacefully after his dunking in the river. Lions didn’t like water, and he’d never shown any interest before, so she hadn’t imagined the kid would jump right in. Of course, he was her child, so it shouldn’t be a surprise.
When she emerged from the tent, her family was waiting. Jordan still stood in his jeans, with his torso bare and his hair hanging around his shoulders. Despite being mated for decades, her mouth watered. The male had some very cut muscles in his torso and arms—sleek and powerful. Right now, the pissed-off expression in his eyes only aroused her more.
Their twin girls flanked him, both dressed in shorts and tank tops, looking like human females out for fun. Sidney had long golden hair with flowers woven through it, which looked strange next to the long-range rifle slung over her slim shoulders. Her eyes were a mellow tawny and her frame petite like Katie’s, but she could throw a roundhouse kick better than anybody Katie had ever trained. Amusement was evident on her face, making her freckles appear to dance.
Her twin looked anything but amused. At nearly six feet tall, Samantha had her mother’s deep brown eyes and her father’s thick, sandy-blond hair. Her face was free of freckles, and an intriguing dimple twinkled in her left cheek when she was amused, which was rarely. Her weapon was still held in her arms, pointed at the ground. “I had a clear shot at Kayrs,” she said quietly.
Katie straightened to her full height. “As of right now, we’re no longer thinking of war with the Realm. In addition, we’re going to realign with them. Today.”
Sidney grinned, Sammy frowned, and Jordan showed absolutely no reaction.
Not good. Definitely not good. Katie looked beyond them to the three enforcers spread out to guard the family while still taking part in the discussion. Or at least listening to it. If anybody gave an opinion, it’d be Baye, but even he was silent. “The showdown with the Kurjans and their Cyst faction is coming soon. I can smell it on the wind, and so can all of you. The Realm will need us.”
Jordan’s chin lowered. “The Seven fucked with the laws of physics when they fused their torsos in that stupid ritual. Demons and fairies can’t even teleport any longer because of them, and now shifter kids, including mine, are having visions of past events. Shifters look to the future, not the damn past.”
Katie shrugged. “As I’m neither a demon nor a fairy, I don’t really care. Plus, Lark and the other children will be fine. We’ll figure this out. The final ritual when Ulric returns to this world will happen, Jordan. Let’s be on the right side when it does.” She had dreams sometimes of the freakishly scary leader of the Cyst nation, and she wanted all the allies she could get before he returned home to do whatever it was he had planned. She couldn’t see the full picture, but it wasn’t good for anybody.
She went for the kill. “Please, Jordan. Trust me.”
Jordan Pride was generally a mellow mountain lion…until he was poked. Currently, he felt as if the entire fucking universe was poking him. Seeing his kid almost drown in the river had shaken him more than he wanted to admit, even though he would’ve gotten to the kid. But that brave little human had risked her life for him.
If she was a brave little human. Or even human. “Garrett doesn’t even know who he’s sleeping with,” Jordan growled. “Why should we trust his judgment?”
“You’re not,” his mate returned, her pert nose in the air. In her light blue shift, she looked fragile, and yet she could fight with the best of them. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he loved her more today than he had when they’d first mated. “You’re trusting the Realm and everyone in it.” She sighed. “Come on, Jordan. We made our big statement by withdrawing years ago. Now it’s time to regroup. Right, girls?”
“Yes,” Sidney said, just as Samantha said, “No.”
He couldn’t help but smile. His girls were opposites until it came to family, and then they were always on the same page. It was hard to believe they’d been in his life for nearly three decades. Oh, for mountain lions, they were young. Even so, he’d made sure they were deadly. He’d need to start training Lark soon.
Noah whistled quietly. Kayrs was back. That was quick.
Jordan leaned over and kissed his mate on her nose. “I’ll take your opinion under advisement.” While he respected Katie and the rest of his team, he was the alpha of the feline nation, and the decision would be his. His word was law, and it would do them all good to remember that salient fact. So he turned and strode toward the river again, noting that his twins slipped off silently to take positions in the trees.
Hopefully, Sammy wouldn’t shoot Garrett.
Katie stayed behind with Lark, and Noah remained to guard them while his other two enforcers kept at a distance to intervene if necessary. It’d be pointless to tell any of them that Jordan was twice as dangerous as any other mountain lion and could handle anything. Plus, the twins liked shooting from trees, and they deserved some fun.
Garrett met him alone, no weapons visible on his body.
Jordan paused close to him. “No weapons? Is that a sign of respect or arrogance?”
