“You brought one of themhere?”
Forest holds his hand up. “They are here on my invitation.”
The woman growls and hurries out of the room with the child.
Evan furrows his brows at me, obviously confused how they can tell I am a vampire from across the room. But I couldn’t explain it even if I tried. It’s just something we know. Something in our coding that recognizes other supes. I gained the sense the moment I was turned.
An older woman with flowing black hair steps out from the pantry carrying a bottle of syrup. She startles when she sees us, sending the bottle skittering across the floor. It crashes into the kitchen island before spinning around in an endless circle.
Her eyes never leave us. “What’s going on?”
Forest gestures to us. “This is Jericho and Evan. I’ve invited them here for breakfast.”
The woman’s eyes widen, and the man near the table fists his hands before snarling and rushing at us. On instinct, I drop my fangs and step closer to Evan, but Forest steps in the way, blocking the shifter from getting to me. A shifter protecting me? That’s a first.
“They arenotour enemy, Neal,” he says in a calm but firm tone.
“You actually trust them?” Neal sneers. “After what they did to our pack?”
Forest doesn’t flinch. “Weallused to trust vampires, did we not? I’m only asking you to trust this one. I believe Jericho can help us. They have information about Foxx.”
Neal shakes his head, ignoring his alpha as he continues to glare at me.
Without warning, an imperceptible force presses against me, making me take a step back. When Forest speaks again, his voice is deeper. “You willnotharm them, and youwillhear them out. All of you. Do I make that clear?”
Jasmine bows her head slightly while Neal’s mouth snaps shut. His eyes still blaze with hate, but when he finally nods, the pressure in the room eases.
The gravity in Forest’s alpha command lingers in the air, daring anyone to disobey. Defying a direct order from an alpha could mean death. Their instincts would never allow it. If it had that effect onme, it must be incredibly powerful. I wasn’t expecting to feel it. I look to Evan, but he seems completely unfazed.
“I’m offering them refuge for the time being, and I expect everyone to be civil,” Forest says.
Jasmine straightens. “What do you mean you’re offering them refuge? You’re not letting them stay here? After what they did to Sasha?”
“And they trespassed on our property!” Neal adds.
Forest raises a hand toward them. “I’ll explain everything in a minute, but as I said, they’ve agreed to help us.”
“We haven’tagreedto anything,” I say, needing to make our terms clear. “We only said we’d hear you out.”
Forest nods. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. But please, everyone. Let’s have breakfast and we can talk while we eat. I’m sure everyone has worked up an appetite after the… rush of this morning.”
A room of panicked eyes drift toward us.
Evan clears his throat. “I’m sorry about the trouble. I had no idea we were in shifter territory when I parked.”
Forest gives us an apologetic smile, then begins a round of introductions. “That’s my sister, Jasmine, and her two children are Rowen and Ivy. You’ve met them already. They should be returning… ah yes, here they are.”
The siblings appear from the side room in fresh clothes and glare at us as they pass. The blood connection explains their shared alphaaura. But with so much alpha blood, it means this is a powerful pack. Not one to mess around with. And certainly not one I can fight on my own. We’re screwed if they decide they don’t trust us.
Forest tips his head at the last person to come out of the room. “You met Jameson Grant, our second in command. He goes by Grant.” We only saw him in wolf form. As a human, Grant towers over us, with broad shoulders and light eyes. “The man in front of you is Neal. His mate, Taren, is the one who left the room with their son, Aster. There are two others in our pack, Red and Sage, but they are gone at the moment. They should be back tomorrow.”
Nine wolves, not counting the child. That’sdefinitelytoo many for me to fight off should this go south. I clench my teeth and give what I hope is a reassuring smile. It’s not easy to do when everything in me is telling me to run.
“Neal, get your mate please. I want everyone present for this.”
Neal stomps out of the room. The rest of us sit around the table, wooden chairs scraping against the hardwood as we all awkwardly find a seat.
Forest takes the chair at the head. “Please, eat,” he says, offering each of us a plate. I shake my head, wrinkling my nose at the food. Even the mixed scents of buttermilk and fried eggs make my stomach clench.
