Page 32 of Of Flame and Fate

We keep pace with Celia, Emme’s squeaky shoes outrageously loud along the dark corridor.

“I take it when we’re done they’ll follow us home?” I ask.

“I’m not going home,” she says, her expression growing sad. “We’re staying at the Den in one of the new buildings.” Her long wavy hair brushes against her shoulder when she turns to look at me. “So are both of you, as well as Shayna.”

Emme’s shoes stick to the floor with every step she takes, between that and all the squeaking, no way are we sneaking up on anyone. “Why are we staying here?” Emme asks.

“Because you’re our family and Aric wants to keep you safe.”

“That’s sweet,” Emme says. “But as an Alliance member, shouldn’t I be assigned to guard duty as well?”

“Aric argued against the Alliance assigning you a post, Emme,” Celia replies. “They agreed to his request.”

“What about Shayna?” Emme asks.

Celia’s gaze flickers to me as she carefully chooses her words. “He didn’t want either Shayna or Taran assigned to guard duty. But he couldn’t convince the Alliance. As a compromise, she’ll be helping Taran watch Destiny.”

“But not me,” Emme states slowly.

“No,” Celia answers.

“Is it because they’re mated and I’m not?” Emme questions, shedding light on what Celia doesn’t say.

“No, sweetie,” Celia tells her. “It’s because of who they’re mated to.” She glances at me, apologetically. “As second in command, Gemini holds an elite position in the Pack, as does Koda, being Aric’s Warrior. Due to Alliance numbers being low, mates of high-rankingwereswho possess supernatural abilities are now required to assist the Alliance. If we were human, we’d have an out. But here we are.”

I glance behind me as we step outside. It’s close to midnight, and the temperature has dropped significantly since we first arrived. “Is that why Koda and Shayna are fighting?” I ask. “She wants to help, and he doesn’t want her involved?”

“It’s one of the reasons,” Celia says. “He wasn’t happy when he found her carrying that decapitated vamp head around like a purse.” She narrows her eyes. “You were supposed to go out for dinner and drinks, remember?”

“We had a drink,” I offer, not that it does anything to appease her.

“Before or after you hunted the vampires baiting you?” she asks. She doesn’t wait for another smartass response. “They tried bringing the head in for questioning. It’s all they had after the Pack killed the other vamps they tracked. But the stupid thing kept trying to bite them on the ride up. The moment they reached the base of the mountain, the wards blew him to ash.”

“Oh,” I say. “All over Koda’s new Yukon?”

“Yes.”

“Yikes,” I say. Since meeting us, Koda hasn’t had much luck with his vehicles.

“But it’s Shayna’s safety that has him most upset. That, and the lying,” she adds, shooting me another dirty look.

Why am I always the one in trouble? “I didn’t make her lie, and honestly, it’s like that woman can’t wait for a fight . . .” My voice fades when something appears to make sense. “Wait a minute, is Shayna going all wolf?”

“The Elders don’t think so, I mean not to the point where she’llchangeand go furry. But they think that the wolf essence that was passed to her has stirred a primal need to hunt.” Celia rolls her eyes. “Based on his growls, Koda would prefer she gather.”

“She gathered that decapitated head rather nicely,” I say, thoughtfully.

“Would you stop cracking jokes? None of us are amused,” Celia tells me. “Koda was already livid when he arrived, but he completely flipped out when Aric told him Shayna would help guard Destiny.”

“It’s going to be a real party!” Destiny squeals, clapping her hands. “Like a sleepover that never ends.”

Yee-ha.

We cross the street. The pads of the wolves’ heavy paws barely making a sound, unlike me in my heels and poor Emme. “What about you?” I ask as we hop onto the next walkway. “Is your inner tigress itching to hunt?”

“She’s itching to hunt, prance, frolic, you name it,” Celia says. “But pregnantweresaren’t allowed tochangesince it’s too traumatic on the fetus. I’m notwere, but Aric doesn’t want to take any chances.”

Celia can alsoshiftunderground like sand through colander and surface unscathed. Aric probably doesn’t want her doing that either seeing how her body breaks up into minute particles. “It’s better to be safe,” I agree.