“When were you going to tell me that Sascha Greyson was the one to leave the record player in your room?”
My ears buzzed. “He didn’t.”
“You’re a liar. And he did. Which is scary for a whole lot of reasons. Chiefly, that he snuck into the manor undetected. Wait, did he build the pillow wall between us?” he gasped. “He did.”
I stood. “Wade.”
“Scandal sandals. How long have you known and—”
“Wade,” I snapped.
The six-foot-five male squeaked and plonked in the chair.
I rounded the desk and perched there as I contemplated him. Mothershitter. Basilia Le Spyre just gave me a taste of what it would be like to unburden myself. Wade knew too much already, and I could lie. I could lie to him like everyone else.
I was so deathly sick of the lies.
Sick of falling for them. Sick of treating others that way.
Maybe this would help.
Wade’s face was serious. “As someone who told this very isolated and old-fashioned population that he was bisexual, you can be certain I’ll never, ever judge you.”
The last of my fear fled.
I pulled the other chair closer and grabbed his hands. “I’ve kept this a secret for so long. I didn’t know what was happening at first, and then I thought everyone would misunderstand.”
I closed my eyes. “Sascha Greyson believes I’m his mate.”
I stole a peek.
Wade’s jaw dropped, but my throat was uncorked. There was no stemming the verbal tide.
“He’s driven to complete a series of interactions with me that he calls meets. The end result is that I either choose or don’t choose him as a mate. For breeding purposes. For all time.”
Wade blinked once. Twice. “What’s a mate?”
“A one and only kind of arrangement. Like Jacob Twilight shit.”
“Right. That’s… permanent. Why the record player?”
I clenched my teeth. “He had to stalk me for the last meet. Learn everything about me. And then capture me.”
He dragged in a shaking breath. “Have you… Has anything happened between you?”
“Nothing much, and that was before I knew werewolves existed.” My cheeks burned and Wade searched my gaze.
The details would remain my dark secret.
“I guess I should ask if you return his feelings?” Wade said carefully.
“No,” I spat. “He’s a monster.”
“Okay, we have that at least. I’m not gonna lie, there’s being bisexual, then there’s being in love with a Luther. There are some things the Ni Tiaki won’t accept.”
“Believe me, I know. When I found out about werewolves and the meets, I tried to stop them, but things don’t work that way, so I’m told. Sascha and I must go through each of the meets so I can deny his ass at the end.”
Wade freed his hands, running them through his blond hair. “First off, you need to know everything will be okay. I’m going to help you. Is there a reason you haven’t told anyone the truth?”
How much could I say?
Fuck it. I was in this far. “Herc is dead because he interfered with the capture meet.” I bowed my head. “I should have told Herc before Sandstone. I knew what Sascha might try in the grid, but I was so ashamed, Wade. I’d just found my family here, and I didn’t want them to hate me. Herc is dead because of me.”
Wade tugged me forward, and I pressed my face against his shoulder.
“You shouldn’t shoulder everything alone,” he whispered. “Shh, baby girl. I’m here. You’re not to blame for any of this, I swear. You came to this valley knowing nothing about their kind. Sascha Greyson took advantage of you from day one, don’t you see? There’s nothing to be ashamed about. How were you to know what he was? Our tribe can’t spout on about how much they hate the Luthers and then expect you to come running to them with this. Herc would have understood.”
But he hadn’t. What I’d done disgusted Herc through and through.
I sniffed hard. “Rhona doesn’t know.”
“And that was a hard decision you had to make for the good of the tribe, I’d expect. She’s not known for her reasoning ability.”
“Was it the right decision?”
He didn’t pause. “As long as it remains a secret, yes. She’s pepper, remember? You don’t want to get that shit in your eyes. Seasoning only.”
We were back to pepper analogies. “So after Water, Rhona has decided Sascha is besotted with me and that we should use the weakness against him in Grids. I convinced her not to share her theory with anyone.”
Wade swore under his breath. “What’s our plan? You need to remain our fearless and smart leader. That’s imperative. It sounds like we need to get rid of these meets.”
Dammit. “That’s what Sascha said.”
“When?”
Ugh.
I pulled away. “When he cornered me in the riverside apartment on Tuesday.”
Wade paled. “I’d be shaking in my fucking Doc Martins. That bitchhole is scary as shit.”
And dangerous as shit.
“What do the meets involve?” he asked.
“There’s one teensy problem with that.”
“Problems,” Wade blurted. “I love problems. They’re my favourite.”
“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”
“Puns should be lower, in my peasant opinion.”
I sat back. “The problem is that it’s not normal for a wolf and human to mate. This is a first for the pack, from what I understand. Because I’m not a wolf, we haven’t completed the meet that usually comes first.”
“What happens in that one?”
“We sniff each other. Essentially.”
Wade’s brows shot up. “That’s pretty strange. Butts or anywhere?”
“Anywhere, I sincerely hope.”
“Are your senses too weak or something?”
I groaned, dropping my head into my hands. “Yes. Wade, what if there’s not a way out of this mess?”
He squeezed my shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, Andie. I’m going to discover what I can. You have enough on your plate. So, let’s keep this between us at all costs. I may love this family, but they have a limit, and I have a feeling butt sniffing a Luther will be it.”
6
Pascal slid a document across the table. “Please note an official letter from the Luthers. A request that future meetings occur face to face.”
I clenched my jaw. Sascha, you mothershitter.
Nathan sneered. “They must be joking.”
The marshal looked at him. “Do they usually?”
He wisely remained silent.
“Where would the meetings occur?” I asked.
“They’d alternate between the manor and pack lands.”
Taking the letter, I skimmed over the contents, lingering on the scrawled signature at the bottom. Sascha Alarick Greyson.
Aka Bastard.
The head team exploded into furious debate.
When they paused for breath, I cut in. “The pack leader has invited us to their lands tonight to hear the grid announcement.”
Roderick jumped in. “This is our chance to learn more about them.”
Valerie snapped, “Fat lot of good learning will do if they decide to kill the head team and our new head steward. Then there’s the recent new moon to consider.”
“Their proposal is a first. We shouldn’t be so hasty to shut the door,” Trixie added.
There was no situation where me entering pack lands was a good idea. This was clearly a design to get me close. How could Sascha complete the meets when I barely left the manor?
He was drawing me out.
If I only had personal considerations to make, the choice would be easy.
Except this wasn’t just my life, it was the battle of generations of the Ni Tiaki and all who’d fought before me. I couldn’t make this decision for selfish reasons.
What would I decide if the meets
and mating bullshit were removed from the equation?
Dammit.
“We no longer have an insider at The Dens,” I said, cutting off Nathan—my least favourite head team member.
“I hardly think the Luthers will show us everything we want to know while we’re there,” Stanley said gruffly.
He was mostly bark and little bite, but I valued his input. “And they didn’t intend to show me anything at The Dens, and yet they did. It’s about opportunity. If we’re not on pack lands, we’ll never learn anything. The wolves are communicating in Water somehow. We need to know how they’re doing that or we’ll never win the grid.”
“The reverse is true though,” Pascal said. “They’ll enter the manor and have opportunity to glimpse our operations. With their senses, they’ll have a larger advantage.”
“Nothing frequency generators can’t fix,” Roderick said. “They come in the front door and straight to this room, then leave. No chance to see or smell anything they shouldn’t. We’ll get those on cleaning roster to douse the manor in wolfsbane ahead of their visit.”
I eyed him. “You think there’s value in this?”
Roderick pressed his lips together. “Yourself aside, no steward has entered pack lands in fifty-seven years. By understanding the wolves, we can beat them. And, if nothing else, that understanding can only improve relations between the two sides.”
“Peace has always failed.” Trixie blew out a breath.
Discussion exploded again, and I resisted the urge to rub my temples. I may not have a Luther’s nose, but I suspected fear fuelled the counterarguments. The rest was long-held grudge.
“We can’t beat the Luthers by doing what we’ve always done,” I said in the next break.
They quietened.
“Sascha Greyson has proved that time and again.” I curled my hands to fists. “We have two grids in our possession. Now isn’t the time to play it safe. In saying that, I’ll never gamble with any steward’s life. That includes everyone at this table. Pascal, send a reply to the Luthers. Outline that if any harm befalls either head team in the opposition’s territory, it will result in immediate loss of Victratum.”
I faced the silent members, noting three sullen faces amongst the eight. “A small opportunity is better than none at all. Nathan, Valerie, and Stanley, do you have further comments to add?”
Stanley shrugged. “I don’t agree, but I can see your argument. Things changed when Herc took the wheel, and it was always going to be the same with you.”
The other two were pissed, but whatever, I wasn’t here to make them happy. “Dismissed. We depart for pack lands in an hour.”
I lifted my head as the stewards filed out. “Pascal. Could I have a word, please?”
She stepped aside, allowing Trixie to pass.
I waited for the last of them to leave and closed the door.
“Am I in trouble?” Her lips curved.
That was the thing with her. I’d never have guessed this woman kept so many secrets. Pascal held herself with a dignity and confidence that could intimidate, but otherwise, no one would ever look twice at the unassuming older woman.
I smiled. “I was wondering if you could help me with something. Now things have settled somewhat, I wanted to ask you more about what Herc said when he changed the will.”
And what happened to Murphy.
Her expression remained mild. “I was as shocked as the two of you. He asked me to keep the matter confidential and said he planned to tell you both before the will came into effect.”
I’d have to tell Rhona that. “He never said why he suddenly decided to change his will and reveal everything? He could’ve left things as they were with no one the wiser.”
Pascal regarded me. “I can’t speak for your father, Andie. To a lot of us, it became abundantly clear, very early on, that you had what it took to lead us. Rhona could be taught to lead in time, if she chose to learn. Not only do you have the intelligence, but whatever you’ve faced in life before coming here provided you with resilience, objectivity, and compassion.”
That comment would crush Rhona. “Both of us are very curious about the events that took me from the valley as a baby. I’ve tried to find out as much as possible about why my… well, why Ragna left. No one has a clue. I only know that Murphy came back to face some kind of guilt or remorse but died before returning to Queen’s Way.”
Pascal’s face dropped. “A horrible, horrible day.”
“The incident?” I sank into the seat beside hers.
“I’ve never heard someone scream like that. The sound as he hit the ground— I’ll never forget the thud.”
Chills ran up my spine. “I spoke with the Freys.”
The marshal shot me a look. “Their conspiracy theories that Herc had something to do with Murphy’s death only made matters worse. Even the best climbers can fall, but maybe it was easier for the Freys to believe Herc had a hand in things rather than admit that maybe their loved one made a mistake while climbing.”
“I don’t believe Herc killed him. Is there anything else you recall from that day? Anything Murphy said or did that stood out?”
She rested back. “He wouldn’t answer any of my questions about Ragna. I remember that. We all wanted news of her, as you can imagine.”
“Herc said the same.”
“Murphy didn’t trust us for whatever reason. I recall thinking he was no longer a steward. Now, I realise his silence was because they stole you and he wasn’t giving up any hint of your whereabouts. So why would Herc do anything to his only hope to find you? More likely, he planned to follow Murphy back to Ragna and yourself. Even the Freys have to admit that now.”
My thought exactly.
“I’m reading her last two journals in the hopes of learning more.” Dang, I’d really hoped she’d know more.
Pascal glanced at me. “Ragna kept journals?”
“Yes, until nineteen—the year she left. I just can’t understand how one thousand stewards and their families missed Savannah’s first pregnancy.”
“Charise and Nicolas had been killed not long prior. Having Thana as a last name wasn’t a healthy pastime.”
I’d forgotten how soon after my grandparents’ deaths this must have happened. “You think they decided to hide the pregnancy to keep me safe?”
“And Savannah safe too. That’s my guess. She was a tall woman, like yourself. In later months, we received word doctors had diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis. No one thought anything of not seeing her for several months. To my knowledge, only her mother—your other grandmother—stayed with her.”
That made sense. “Is Savannah’s mother still alive?”
Pascal looked at me sadly. “No, Andie. I’m sorry.”
I straightened. “Story of my life. Thank you, Pascal. I appreciate your honesty.”
“I’m glad you asked. Secrets like that are a punishment to carry. If there’s nothing else, I should communicate your request to the Luthers.”
“That’s all,” I answered, mind already turning to the list of jobs to be done. “If you see Rhona, could you send her in, please?”
There were a few things she should know.
Last time I entered pack lands, I had a thong for company. I really hoped that didn’t come back to bite me on the ass.
“I’m going to protect the shit out of your virtue,” Wade said from the passenger seat.
He was here in Rhona’s place. If this was an ambush, then the stewards would still have a leader. “Stop saying virtue. But yes. That would be ideal.”
The other head team members followed in one of the manor vans. I’d opted to bring Ella F instead of the silver Bentley.
Grim stepped from the tree line when we entered pack territory. I waved to him before thinking better of it.
He waved back, standing clear so our convoy could continue.
“Who’s that hunk of meat?” Wade asked.
“Grim. Gamma wolf.”
“What does tha
t mean?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Smart. Bit unusual. Always seems slightly angry. Nice enough.”
In the rear-view mirror, I caught Grim’s smile. Yeah, I didn’t have a frequency generator in Ella F.
Wade peered around in interest as we passed by the harvest fields. “Do I get a Guardian of the Vagina badge for doing this?”
Gripping the wheel, I didn’t answer. Because honestly? He might earn one. My stomach was doing a progressively intense aerial workout the closer I got to Sascha.
Wade looked at me. “You’ll be okay.”
“They can hear us.”
“Don’t give a fuck.”
I grinned, and he winked.
Taking a breath, I nodded. My Girl Guide sash was beyond full of badges. I could handle this. “Hey, were you a scout?”
“Sure was.”
“Many badges?”
“I could wear my sash either side up and it was still full. I’ll leave it at that.”
We had this in the bag.
Get in. Listen to the announcement. Leave. No sex.
Wade made an appreciative noise. “Kind of pretty though, huh? All the bungalows.”
I could agree with that. Pack lands looked like one big nature retreat.
Hairy was waiting outside the largest bungalow. One I’d entered previously in a thong.
I parked out front, tugging my cream cable-knit sweater down over black jeans. High-heel boots completed the non-descript outfit.
“Andie,” the Luther said, catching himself when he started to bow.
I arched a brow at the slip. “Hairy.”
“How are things with you?”
Fucking sarcastic werewolves. “Just peachy. We in here today?” I didn’t need his confirmation. I could just feel Sascha was inside. Shit. That was concerning on a whole new level. I hadn’t felt him until now.
Hairy smiled, displaying far too much tooth. “Sure are, sweetheart.”
“That’s Head Steward to you.” Wade rounded the car.
Whoa, angry Wade. Didn’t know that version of him existed.
“Guardian of the Vagina.” Hairy did bow then. “What an honour.”
Knew they were listening.
The two men were at eye level, and Wade wasn’t backing down.
Moon Claimed: Supernatural Battle (Werewolf Dens Book 2) Page 5
