“You’re always welcome to walk my woods,” the Outcast says formally, though he’s not doing a great job of hiding his frustration.
I settle my gaze on the third shifter. He’s bearded like Grinder, but slimmer and pale skinned. Gray eyes, I think. A predator of some kind in his beast form, but not a wolf. Not really wanting to play dominance games, but feeling forced to make it clear that I’m not the Outcast’s to command, I address him. “We haven’t met,” I say evenly. “Yet you stand against me.”
“Reed is a lieutenant of the Outcast,” the Outcast says. “He stands with me, not against you.”
Reed as a club name seems oddly simple, but it might speak to his beast more than his position in the club. I grin at the Outcast, totally calling him on his bullshit. “Bellamy is under my protection. I shouldn’t have to repeat that.”
Grinder looks to the Outcast sharply, as if that’s news to him.
The Outcast half-heartedly raises one hand, but placating his lieutenant, not me. “Precious was distressed —”
“I told you, Uncle.” Presh presses up against me, barely raising her voice. “And … you … you would have locked me up too. You tried, even. You even tried to keep me from … from my soul-bound mate.”
The almost-whispered accusation hits the Outcast like an actual blow. His shoulders stiffen, absorbing it. It’s also the first time I’ve heard Presh acknowledge the bond between her and DeVille.
“And I belong to Zaya, too,” Presh adds unnecessarily.
“What?” Grinder asks, speaking before I can.
The Outcast shakes his head. “Once you clarified —”
“DeVille was sick for days!” Presh cries. “The sabertooth went crazy. He told you that Zaya commanded him to stay with me, like … like … a blessing, even. That we would be safe together. DeVille told you … he told you that we belong to each other.”
“I will not have my decisions countermanded by children,” the Outcast says. “Or dictated by …” His attention shifts to me as he rapidly rethinks what he was about to say. “This is a delicate balance, Zaya —”
“Conduit,” I say, correcting him.
He clenches his teeth, inhaling and then nodding to acknowledge my correction. “The previous Conduit allowed me to —”
“I’m not your soul-bound mate, Ari,” I say. “Rejected bonds or not. I harbor no guilt you can exploit, or lingering feelings that —”
“How dare you,” the Outcast snarls. “You’re just a child yourself. You know nothing of what came before —”
“Outcast,” Grinder snaps, trying to redirect his club president. Unsuccessfully.
“This is my territory. You’ve already taken my chosen heirs for your own, fine. But I won’t have awry walking free, rampaging through my lands …”
Presh shifts away from me slightly. DeVille instantly reaches for her. “No,” she says to him quietly. “Let me stand on my own. Just for a moment.”
DeVille clenches his fists. But he withdraws, swallowing harshly.
Presh just stands there, slightly apart from us and holding the Outcast’s gaze. With her eyes now clearly purple and her essence shifting restlessly around her. No audible words pass between them.
The Outcast takes a deep breath as if to speak. But then his eyes widen, peering at something over our heads.
The cu-sith steps through the boundary wards at the top of the driveway. Reck always had free passage to come and go, so it’s an easy guess that the beast figured out how to tap into that. But the Outcast looks momentarily horrified.
Grinder’s gaze falls on me, looking for any concern I might be showing. He relaxes at whatever he reads in my expression. Reed stumbles back, though, calling forth his essence in anticipation of transforming into his own beast.
The cu-sith silently pads up behind us, pausing only when his chest is pressed against my back and his head is above my own. Presh reaches a shaking hand for the beast’s shoulder, then buries her fingers in his thick green fur. DeVille takes the opportunity to shift closer to the young awry.
“All of Oso’s children are tied to me,” I say to the Outcast. Or maybe it’s an outright claiming voiced to the universe in general. “By the universe or through some connection that still existed between Oso and Disa.” I tilt my head, as if a thought has just occurred to me. “I wonder, Ari, if the same holds true for your children. Twins, yes? Is that why you’ve kept them away whenever I might drop in for a visit?”
Almost shaking in frustrated rage, the Outcast opens his mouth. Then his gaze shifts up to the cu-sith, and he closes it.
“What did you think would happen when Disa died?” I ask, almost kindly.
He closes his eyes for a moment, then whispers, “I assumed I’d go before her.”
