While they argue, I take in my first real glance of the ruins around us, the air rushing from my lungs. “Fuck,” I breathe, gaze traveling over the dozens of bodies strewn amidst the rubble. “Did you… Are they…?”
“Dead?” Arson pouts, sheathing his blade. “No. I had a great plan, too. Swoop in, kill everybody, rescue the love of my life, and she’d be so happy, she’d let me eat her out as a reward.” He huffs. “But I was outvoted.”
Ledger looks between Bell’s bruised face and my disheveled state, anger flashing in his eyes. “I changed my mind. Murder is back on the table.”
Arson’s face lights up, but I hurry to cut him off.
“Hold on, you don’t understand. They’re not enemies, they’re Bellamy’s family. Other mimics.”
Ledger tugs me against his chest, hand stroking possessively down my spine. “That doesn’t mean they’re not a threat. Theytook youfrom us,” he growls, eyes practically glowing as his access to his wolf returns. “As far as I’m concerned, they can all burn in Hell.”
“They were trying to save us,” Bellamy says softly, glancing at his grandmother studying our group curiously. “They thought we were in trouble. That you're dangerous.”
“So they aren’t completely stupid, just suicidal enough to steal a shifter’s mate. Noted,” he says coldly.
Bellamy shakes his head numbly, looking at all the fallen bodies as if he’s just now realizing what the guys are capable of. “How’d you even get past the barrier?”
Myles half-heartedly raises his hand. “I sort of… broke it.”
Sick of being ignored, Elder Naomi demands, “How in the Fates’ name is that even possible? That barrier has kept us hidden for centuries.”
Myles shrugs. “I hate to tell you, but it really wasn’t that hard.”
Lips pressed in a thin line and brows drawn menacingly, Elder Naomi looks like she's ready to blow a gasket, gesturing at the destruction and dozens of unconscious bodies surrounding us. “Thisisexactlywhy we have rules in place about who we take in, Bellamy. Now, what are you going to do to fix it?”
Stiffening, Bell replies, “Bring up the fact that the barrier was so easily shattered and our security taken down by three men who were cut off from their powers in front of the council, and that we’re damn lucky my bondmates showed restraint. Because if they actually wanted to kill or capture us? We wouldn’t have stood a chance. Make a plan to put better security measures inplace, then find out if you’ll give me enough time to pack my things and train one of my men how to navigate my computer system before kicking me out alongside them.”
She narrows her eyes, no doubt running countless scenarios through her head before eventually sighing. “I’m not kicking my own grandson out of his home for having bondmates that care enough to fight for him. Not to mention Everestclearlydoesn't know the first thing about being a mimic. Any other situation, that mistake coming out of a shift would have gotten her killed. So… stay. Please. At least long enough to teach your mate how to defend herself.”
Ledger immediately scoops me off my feet, clutching me to his chest. “With all due respect, ma’am? Go fuck yourself.” Giving a harsh glare at the furious men surrounding her, Ledger gives them his back despite their weapons trained on him, stepping over the rubble.
“Actually… that isn’t a completely terrible idea. Maybe,” I bite my lip, torn. “Maybe we should consider her offer to stick around for a few more days.”
Myles scowls. “Why on earth would we do that?”
Ledger bristles. “Theykidnappedyou. Like hell are we staying here!”
Anxious, I wet my lips and rush out, “I know we can’t stay long; we left before I got a chance to sign the contract, and I really do want to get things rolling as soon as possible. But… Naomi makes a valid point. I don’t know shit about being a mimic, and that puts usallat risk. We’ve been trying to figure things out on our own in secret, but here? Bell could show me how to use my abilities without us being afraid that someone will see or overhear. If I really am in as much danger as everyone’s worried about, then I should know how to protect myself.”
“We’llprotect you,” Ledger protests.
Gently, I remind him, “I was already kidnapped once before we had any idea what hit us. We’reluckyit was Bellamy’s family trying to ‘rescue’ us, and not someone worse. One of them was able to impersonate Bellamy; what if someone else impersonates you? You have to sleep sometime. And use the bathroom. Logistically, we can’t be around each other every second of every day. At some point I’ll be alone, or there will be an opportunity for an imposter to infiltrate our ranks. Wouldn’t you rather I knew how to defend myself than sit around hoping you’ll come save me before it’s too late?”
Ledger curses, scrubbing a hand over the scruff on his jaw, holding me tighter against him.
“She’s right.” Myles looks like he bit a lemon, but lets logic outweigh his feelings on the matter. “We have no idea how to train a mimic. We can stick around for a few days so Bell can give her a crash course without us having to constantly look over our shoulders, then go home. But if anyone tries anything, we say fuck it and leave.”
Ledger looks two seconds away from hogtying our entire bond group and single-handedly dragging us home until we come to our senses. “It’s too risky.”
Arson stares hard at the ground, using his crutch to nudge a piece of rubble into a crack. “What if someone here knows who her parents are?”
My chest tightens. I hadn’t even considered that. Do I evenwantto know? God, what if they’rehere?
As my anxiety ratchets up, Ledger buries his nose in the crook of my neck, taking a few deep inhales. His entire body vibrates like he’s fighting off the desire to shift… but he doesn’t leave, either.
Naomi addresses Bell. “You’ll need to put those boys on your team through a refresher course so they don’t lead anyone else back to our doorstep in the future. But these three…” she eyesMyles, Arson, and Ledger clinically before eventually nodding to herself. “They broke through our wards like child's play; they could be a real asset to our community. Could you imagine having a shadow demon on the retrieval team? A wolf of his caliber patrolling our borders?” She purses her lips. “And the mage clearly knows what he’s doing with wards. If he could rebuild the one he broke stronger than before, that’d only benefit us.”
I side-eye Bellamy’s grandma, not liking how she immediately jumped to using the guys. Sure, I get where she’s coming from. They came in as a notable threat, and as soon as they found me and Bell, they instantly stopped their attack. Catch more flies with honey, and all that jazz. Hell, if I’m being honest with myself, I even respect the fact she’s being up front about using them.
