human world.
“So.” Logan looked around. “What are we to do?”
“Kill them,” the bear said simply, and the fox nodded.
“Can we?” The moose stared at Jen and I. She stared defiantly back, smelling ready for a fight... and still without fear.
The fox took a step closer, preparing to shift. “Of course we can.” He’d be small, but would have a better chance against me than in his human form. He paused when no one else moved to join him, not even his bear co-conspirator. He required numbers to challenge me.
“Really,” Logan chuckled wryly. “We’re going to kill a Prime and his mate? And a true pairing, at that?”
The fox blinked and stepped back, far less sure of himself. “Perhaps you are right.”
“We should send word back to the Primes and let them know of these developments,” the moose spoke with the others nodding. “I don’t believe there is a true pair among them, this may be the first in known history.”
“They should have a watcher,” the bear spoke again, wary about attacking now.
“I will ask Ian, acceptable?” Logan waited for their nods before finishing. “It is decided then.”
All of the elders began to disperse, following the same route out that the alphas had. Logan walked up and gestured for us to follow him, a bit behind the other elders. “It goes without saying that you can’t speak of this to anyone. Ian knows, as the next eldest behind me he was privy to much of this knowledge already.” He walked silently for a moment, looking ahead to ensure we weren’t close enough to be overheard.
He paused to let the others get further away, turning to look at Jen and I thoughtfully. We remained silent and, after a time, he continued. “Your sister will be spoken to about keeping this silent, Ian is to watch her as well. Do not let her speak of this to others. It is sadly fortunate that she has essentially exiled herself by living in the human world for so long.” He shook his head. “That will leave Troy as the final shifter that knows of your bonding.”
“He betrayed us once already, we can’t trust that he will not do so again,” I growled. It would mean Kris or I would have to ensure his silence.
“So quick to kill after escaping your own execution, Liam?” Logan asked sadly.
“No,” I sighed, “But I must protect my pack. What alternatives are there?”
“He may be inclined to accept bribes for his silence. Either human money or...” He looked at me, face unreadable. “He may require that Kris bond him.”
Jen stiffened beside me. “No! We can’t force her into that!”
“And instead have him talk? Or murder him simply because he witnessed a shifter break one of our most sacred laws and reported it?” Logan grew angrier with each word he spoke. “He did nothing wrong, you are the criminals. And he was heartbroken from what had happened with Kristen.”
I nodded slowly, reluctantly. Logan was correct but I wasn’t required to like it.
“Good. Now, I must run ahead to prepare the feast.” He grinned suddenly. “We have a new alpha and his mate to welcome into the clan.” He smiled at us warmly and, after regarding us both for a moment, turned back to the path ahead and began walking away, moving to catch up with the other elders.
Jen and I stood for a moment before following some distance behind. As we left the sacred site I began to laugh, Jen joining in immediately. We suddenly had our whole lives together ahead of us, and even though we faced some troubling problems immediately, I would apparently live to face them.
It truly was a good day to be alive.
Chapter Eleven
Jen
K risten hugged Liam for what seemed an eternity, but I couldn’t blame her. A few hours ago he had been walking to his death. An insane roller coaster ride later and we left the sacred site hand in hand, alive...
And him now an alpha.
“I had hoped,” Kris said, releasing him and stepping back to smile at us both, “But I didn’t really think it was
“So.” Logan looked around. “What are we to do?”
“Kill them,” the bear said simply, and the fox nodded.
“Can we?” The moose stared at Jen and I. She stared defiantly back, smelling ready for a fight... and still without fear.
The fox took a step closer, preparing to shift. “Of course we can.” He’d be small, but would have a better chance against me than in his human form. He paused when no one else moved to join him, not even his bear co-conspirator. He required numbers to challenge me.
“Really,” Logan chuckled wryly. “We’re going to kill a Prime and his mate? And a true pairing, at that?”
The fox blinked and stepped back, far less sure of himself. “Perhaps you are right.”
“We should send word back to the Primes and let them know of these developments,” the moose spoke with the others nodding. “I don’t believe there is a true pair among them, this may be the first in known history.”
“They should have a watcher,” the bear spoke again, wary about attacking now.
“I will ask Ian, acceptable?” Logan waited for their nods before finishing. “It is decided then.”
All of the elders began to disperse, following the same route out that the alphas had. Logan walked up and gestured for us to follow him, a bit behind the other elders. “It goes without saying that you can’t speak of this to anyone. Ian knows, as the next eldest behind me he was privy to much of this knowledge already.” He walked silently for a moment, looking ahead to ensure we weren’t close enough to be overheard.
He paused to let the others get further away, turning to look at Jen and I thoughtfully. We remained silent and, after a time, he continued. “Your sister will be spoken to about keeping this silent, Ian is to watch her as well. Do not let her speak of this to others. It is sadly fortunate that she has essentially exiled herself by living in the human world for so long.” He shook his head. “That will leave Troy as the final shifter that knows of your bonding.”
“He betrayed us once already, we can’t trust that he will not do so again,” I growled. It would mean Kris or I would have to ensure his silence.
“So quick to kill after escaping your own execution, Liam?” Logan asked sadly.
“No,” I sighed, “But I must protect my pack. What alternatives are there?”
“He may be inclined to accept bribes for his silence. Either human money or...” He looked at me, face unreadable. “He may require that Kris bond him.”
Jen stiffened beside me. “No! We can’t force her into that!”
“And instead have him talk? Or murder him simply because he witnessed a shifter break one of our most sacred laws and reported it?” Logan grew angrier with each word he spoke. “He did nothing wrong, you are the criminals. And he was heartbroken from what had happened with Kristen.”
I nodded slowly, reluctantly. Logan was correct but I wasn’t required to like it.
“Good. Now, I must run ahead to prepare the feast.” He grinned suddenly. “We have a new alpha and his mate to welcome into the clan.” He smiled at us warmly and, after regarding us both for a moment, turned back to the path ahead and began walking away, moving to catch up with the other elders.
Jen and I stood for a moment before following some distance behind. As we left the sacred site I began to laugh, Jen joining in immediately. We suddenly had our whole lives together ahead of us, and even though we faced some troubling problems immediately, I would apparently live to face them.
It truly was a good day to be alive.
Chapter Eleven
Jen
K risten hugged Liam for what seemed an eternity, but I couldn’t blame her. A few hours ago he had been walking to his death. An insane roller coaster ride later and we left the sacred site hand in hand, alive...
And him now an alpha.
“I had hoped,” Kris said, releasing him and stepping back to smile at us both, “But I didn’t really think it was
Similar Books
