“No need with another alpha in the house,” she muttered.
Caitlin opened the book to the first page with the tree of life symbol and placed the pendant next to the drawing. Nothing happened. The page looked exactly the same.
“Well, Paddy was right about this bein’ pretty,” Caitlin said. “But if it’s ‘not for show’ shouldn’t it be doin’ somethin’?”
The doorbell rang before Farren could suggest they try another page, and she took off at a run. If Cade or Liam got there first, they’d scare the piss out of Eli. Or worse. Growl at him and threaten to tear him apart.
Caitlin and Tierney started to follow, but Farren whirled around steps from the door. “No. Ya’ can all wait in the living room. The man didn’t know a damn thing about werewolves until this mornin’. I’m not lettin’ him be ambushed when he might be able to help us.”
Tierney immediately stared down at the hardwood floor. “Ye’re right. I’ll get everyone together.”
Before Caitlin followed him, she inhaled deeply and stirred the air with a light twist of her fingers. “There’s something…familiar about him. His scent. But I don’t know what it is. Ya’ made sure he wasn’t a practitioner, yeah?”
“I’m not that daft,” Farren snapped. “And Paddy said we were to teach him. Go wait with the others.”
Farren’s wolf was ready for a fight. Caitlin must have seen the change in Farren’s eyes, because she held up her hands and backed away. “I’m sorry. I had to ask.”
Caitlin might not be a part of her pack, but by rights, Farren could assert her dominance over everyone in her house except for Cade. The two were equals in strength and bloodline.
Not pausing to acknowledge the apology, Farren covered the last few steps to the door and pulled it open.
Eli stood on the flagstones with his hands in his pockets. In the few hours since she’d last seen him, he must not have had his “kip,” because he looked like he was about to fall over.
“Are ya’ all right?” she asked as she gestured for the man to come in.
“Been a rough afternoon.” He didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t push. Not yet, anyway. Cade and Liam wouldn’t be patient for long. “But I’m here. Ready to be thrown to the wolves. Quite literally, it seems.”
“Oh, stop worryin’. I won’t let them hurt ya’. Theywillgrowl and snap a bit.” She forced a smile, but Eli wasn’t amused if the sound of his teeth grinding together was any indication.
Leading him down the hall, she tried to ignore her pounding heart. This man held some significance in their fight, but there was more to her nervousness than simply wanting to protect Caitlin and Mara from the Thirteen. She just wished she knew why she couldn’t get the man out of her head.
Cade and Liam stood behind their mates who were seated next to one another on one of the leather sofas on either side of the hearth. “Everyone, this is Eli,” Farren said when the two of them were standing in front of the fireplace. “Cade and his mate, Mara. Liam and his Caitlin. And the two wolves in my pack, Tierney and Ewan. Cade and Liam have their own pack based in Seattle, but they’re here until we can make sure Mara’s safe from the Thirteen.”
Eli stared at Farren with such intensity, she almost looked away, but the alpha wolf in her refused to even contemplate showing such weakness. If anything, the animal inside wanted to take control and show Eli exactly who was in charge here.
“From the witches. I don’t understand, Farren. All I know of witches is from theWizard of Oz.In my world, they fly on broomsticks and have warts and black cats.How are these witches going to come after Mara. And why?”
“I’m an elemental,” Mara said. “Did Farren explain what that means?”
“No.” His entire body coiled, tightened, like he was expecting someone to attack him, but Mara only held out a hand and conjured a few drops of water to spin and tumble around over her palm. Next to her, Caitlin flexed her fingers and stirred the air, taking the water from Mara and lifting the drops halfway to the ceiling before they disappeared.
“Shite.” Eli took a step back, but that just sent him hitting the stone mantle.
Dammit. Farren hadn’t realized how she’d unintentionally trapped him. She stood between Eli and the door, and on the other side, Ewan blocked his escape.
Mara picked up her cup of tea, but the baby must have kicked because the saucer tumbled from her grip and landed on the thick floor rug. Eli retrieved it, and when their fingers brushed, Mara shoved the tea cup at Cade and grabbed Eli’s hand, her brows furrowed.
“Oh, my God. You’re...Earth.”
It took a full three seconds for her words to register around the room before chaos took over.
* * *
Eli
The two largest men—Cade and Liam if he remembered correctly—leapt over the couch growling. The woman next to Mara rose and a frigid wind pressed him to the hearth with such force, he wasn’t sure he could move.
And Farren? The shock in her eyes mixed with betrayal, but she stepped between him and the other two male werewolves.
