But… what did that have to do with the stone? And what could Galyna be keeping from the rest of us?
A throat clearing pulled our attention toward Gael, his arm wrapped possessively around his pregnant mate.
“We need a plan if we’re going to the castle. Has Cristian reported in with an update on the castle’s condition? It was a burned-out husk last I saw. Not fit for our mates to stay in.”
“Splitting up is not an option,” Lucien all but snarled, pulling Olivia tightly into his side as if someone might try to snatch her.
Gael raised both hands in a peacekeeping gesture. “I have no more desire to leave my pregnant mate than you do your new one. I was only suggesting we make alternate sleeping arrangements, and Cristian knows everyone and everywhere on Caelestis pack lands.”
Lucien, looking somewhat appeased, stayed quiet.
“He sent me some updates earlier this week,” Reed interjected. “It’s still burned, most of it is unusable, but they’ve been working on the family wing first. It’s been cleaned, and while most of the original furniture wasn’t salvageable, they’ve got new furniture in most of the wing. If I tell him we’re coming in the morning, I’m sure they can get enough rooms opened up for those of us who are going.”
“Cristian has always been the determined sort,” Dirge said with a grin.
“But who’s going?” Leigh asked, scanning the gathered crowd with apprehension in every line of her body. “It’s bad enough that the Blackwater pack has been basically running itself for months, but Lucien and Oli just took over the Hungarian pack. We can’t necessarily take them away, but we can’t leave them alone and unprotected either. There’s still tension in the pack, and Oli’s marked.”
All heads turned to Lucien and me. I turned to face my Alpha, dreading the question I knew he was about to ask me. To stay and watch over our pack as second and watch my mate walk away on the verge of going into heat.
I couldn’t do that, though. I couldn’t let her walk away. I couldn’t let her go knowing she was about to need me.
My gaze sharpened, and I knew my wolf was peering out of my eyes, giving away my tenuous grasp on my control.
“Easy, man. Nobody’s going to make a decision until we’re all in agreement.” He laid a hand on my shoulder, and my wolf calmed at his promise. Sometimes I forgot that this was a good Alpha, one who cared about his pack’s needs. But even I could see no good solution to this problem.
Lucien turned back to the group, keeping his hand on my shoulder. “Normally, I would ask Valens to stand here in my stead as second of the Hungarian pack.”
I tensed. My wolf snarling in my chest meant I couldn’t help it, but Lucien squeezed my shoulder, urging me to keep my calm.
“But in this case, I agree, our leadership is too new to abandon our duties. Olivia and I need to stay and cement the bonds between Packs Blackwater and Hungary. I would like to send Valens in my stead, to represent our pack.”
All the breath whooshed out of my chest. I could stay with Elodie, and that was the most important thing.
Reed tugged at the cuff of his shirtsleeve, agitated by all the talk of splitting up. “So we’re splitting the maidens? Or are they both going to stay here and let Gael and Leigh stay too?”
No, no, no, no…
“We’ll have to split up,” Galyna answered. “All the females need protection, and Brielle has to go with the stone. I can ask the priestesses to send another maiden to stay here temporarily until we figure out what’s going on with the stone.”
A long-drawn-out conversation ensued, but in the end, it was decided. Olivia, Lucien, Reed, Fiona, and Galyna would stay here and keep working on the diplomacy between our packs, as well as with other packs from around the world. The rest of us—including the very pregnant Leigh, who seemed less than enthused about more travel—were going to secure the Pack Caelestis castle and figure out what was attacking the stone.
By the time I crawled into my bed that night after packing a duffel bag, it was late, but I still couldn’t seem to fall asleep. When the chirping birds heralded the start of the new day, I rose and grabbed my bag.
Chapter 17
Elodie
For once, I was the first one up to make Galyna a cup of coffee. It was strange. As I poured her coffee into one of the misshapen ceramic mugs I’d come to enjoy during our time in this temporary home, I couldn’t help but feel like it was a parting gift for more than just travel.
My stomach was a giant lead ball rolling around unhinged and wreaking havoc on my insides.
I knocked softly on her door, peace-offering-slash-parting-gift coffee in hand. She pulled it open almost immediately and smiled as she accepted the mug, waving me inside her room. It was tidier than mine, but that was nothing new. She must have been practicing some swordsmanship forms, because her blade was leaning against the bed out of its sheath.
“You ready for the road?” she asked, picking up her sword and sheathing it smoothly.
“Just about. I wanted to say goodbye before I walked down.”
She nodded, and I got the strangest sense she was avoiding my gaze.
