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“Callum.” A shiver skitters down my spine. “Three of us came to talk, and none of us returned. Did you think my coven would just accept that?”
Cade grabs him by the front of his shirt, dragging him close. “Son of a bitch. Prepare to fight.” This last part is directed at the rest of us. “Someone message Abel. Tell him to keep Tess hidden until we know what’s happening.”
Halle pulls out her phone, firing off the message while Ayden tries to free himself of his hold, but Cade doesn’t budge. “They’re not here to fight. I told you that.”
“No offense, kid, but I’m not taking your word on that.”
I scent them before I see them. A group of maybe ten males and two females moves up the driveway. They’re not armed, but I guess they don’t need to be if they’re all hybrids.
Dove moves out of my hold and I have to stop myself from dragging her behind me. But I know my woman isn’t weak, and she doesn’t need me to protect her—even if both my wolf and I want to.
Cade lifts his head to glance at Hester, and she tilts hers slightly, as if in agreement.
“Don’t hurt anyone!” Ayden blurts, standing so he’s between us and his coven, as if he can stop us.
“Kid, if you don’t want to get hurt, move out of the way,” Wyatt warns.
“You’re making a mistake.”
Maybe we are, but these assholes walked right through our wards as if they never existed.
Dove is right. The perceived security we have is a lie. The Sanctuary isn’t a refuge; it’s a liability. That truth settles in my bones. We’re always going to be at risk here, and as much as I don’t trust Ayden’s group, I am willing to see what they want from us if it can protect my woman.
As the group moves closer to us, I tighten my grip on Dove’s hand. “Stay close to me at all times.”
“You too.”
I can scent the power swirling around them as they approach, not a hint of fear on any of their faces. They’re a mixed bunch, no sign of the black uniforms and military gear worn by Order soldiers. There’s also no indication any of them are under anyone else’s control. I check each of their eyes—clear and sharp. One of the girls is focused on Ayden, who is being held in place by Sawyer, his heavy hand on his shoulder. She’s at least five foot nine with flaming copper hair, and even from here, I can see the freckles dusting her nose and cheeks.
Ayden meets her gaze, and something unspoken passes between them before her mouth pulls into a tight, angry line.
“You okay, Ayden?” This question comes from the guy at the front.
He’s maybe in his forties with thick, black hair that curls effortlessly around his nape. His sharp eyes lift to take us all in, lingering on Hester before coming back to rest on Cade.
Ayden licks his lips, his eyes darting between the man and my brothers. “I’m good.”
The man watches the kid carefully, as if trying to see the lie in his words, before his dark eyes slices to Sawyer. “Where are my other guys?”
No one answers, and I guess he draws his own conclusions from that. He blows out a breath. “They were good kids.”
“They were sneaking around our perimeter,” Cade says. “What were we meant to think? They made themselves a threat by not reaching out first.”
He sniffs, running a finger under his nose as he looks down at his boots. “You bury them?”
I glance at Cade, knowing we absolutely did not bury either of the males. “No, one of our pack was injured. I had to get him help.”
“Right.” One of the males standing at his side snarls, his lip curling up to reveal sharp incisors. “Easy, Beck. We’re here to build bridges. Not burn them down.”
“What about justice for?—?”
“Beck!” he snaps and returns his attention to us. “Let Ayden go, and we can talk.”
“Or I keep Ayden here, and that makes you guys behave.” Sawyer beams, but there is a dangerous tone to his words.
“If we wanted to kill you?—”
“You’d have already done it? We’ve heard that already.”
