He glances over, red-faced but smiling, and I lift my cup to him. Who would have thought my moody, rogue-averse mate would end up the belle of the preschool ball?
“Your mate is full of surprises,” Mal says, appearing beside me.
“Yeah, he is.”
“Maybe there is hope for the packs after all.”
She’s studying Jasper intently, as if she’s thinking something through.
“Of course,” she continues, “I have a feeling you will be instrumental in bringing about the necessary change.”
“I—uh—I…”
“One thing I may not have made clear just yet…” She sips her drink and moves her bottom lip in a weird half circle. “The rogues have always been a friend to the blood wolf.” She eyes me sideways. “And the blood wolf has always been a friend to the rogues.”
What is she trying to say?
“I hope this is a relationship that will continue to be fruitful.”
I turn to her and say as earnestly as possible, “I hope so too.”
“And I hope you found everything you needed during your stay here.”
“Yes, thank you. I think I did.”
“You’d be welcome to stay longer. I’m sure Yoki and yourself have made excellent progress these last few days but there is always more to learn, Blood Wolf.”
“Thanks for the offer.” I glance back over at Jasper, who is smiling like a complete goon and dancing like Fred Astaire. “But I have to go back with Jasper.”
Mal nods like she’s had something confirmed. “So I thought. Just know you are welcome here anytime.”
“I do. Thank you, ma’am.”
“Call me Mal,” she says, now with a cheeky smile and wink. “All my friends do.”
She pats my shoulder a couple of times and then moves off back to Kairos and her waiting chair.
For a moment I watch the party and feel like I’m floating just outside my body. I know there is more to learn about my blood-wolf powers, but I also feel ready to take that journey on my own—to explore what it means to be connected to wolfkind like this without guardrails, to fully dive in. And I feel ready to head home and tackle what’s waiting there, too. The friendships, the attention, the pressure, the people who would rather I wasn’t preternaturally linked to their future leader.
While Jasper continues to dance, I glance around in search of Omar once more. I would really like to speak with him before we leave. Then a sharp pang slices through the back of my consciousness. I double over, wincing in pain. And before I can try to figure out where it came from, a woman screams and chaos breaks loose.
THE INVASION OF
SANCTUARY
The Sanctuary erupts into chaos. Screams tear through the music still pumping from the speakers, although one is swiftly knocked over by the rushing crowds. Wolves are running in every direction, swooping up kids, and gathering their families. The stampede kicks up dirt and makes it hard to see.
“Jasper?” I call across the tent because I can’t spot him any longer.
Where is he? I spin around and try to assess what’s happening. A loud crash pulls me from the tent and I stare into the sky where a large plume of smoke has erupted and is spiraling into the clouds. Did someone set fire to the Sanc?
The crunch of bones snaps in my ears as around me a handful of rogues shift, leaping into action in their wolf forms. Off to one side Mal is shouting to the shifting wolves, pointing in the direction of the fire, directing them toward the heart of whatever this conflict is. Tomas is ushering folks away from the explosion and hopefully to safety. I spin around again. Still no sign of Jasper.
Miss Sammy runs by, hurrying two kids across the open space between tents to where Tomas is directing the younglings.
“What’s happening?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” she says, shaking her large mane of hair. “We must be under attack. The Sanctuary has been invaded.”
