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Aiden held up both hands. “No one is asking you to give up Wyatt and River.”
“Not yet,” Winter grumbled.
Aiden didn’t correct Winter. “We’re not giving up Wyatt and River. The truce was an act of desperation. Shifters and vampires can live together peacefully. Our blood can be used to heal on both sides, if proper precautions are taken.”
Rafe sat up and stared at the two wolves for a moment. Bel couldn’t feel any specific emotions through their twin bond, but Rafe’s look didn’t put Bel at ease. “Can the wolves do anything else for vampires?” Rafe said slowly.
“What are you talking about?” Aiden asked.
“In October, I was looking into the disappearance of an Arsenault clan member with my Philippe. We were near a nursing home.”
A feeling of unease and dread prickled through his link with Wyatt and River, but he couldn’t be sure who the emotions were coming from. Possibly both of them.
“I briefly picked up the feeling of another vampire in the area, but then the vamp disappeared. Seconds later, we were being shot at. Was that you?”
Bel opened his mouth to argue, but the words were caught in his throat when he saw both River and Wyatt lower their heads.
“We were there,” Wyatt admitted. “Brett MacPherson was watching you. River and I were with him in wolf form. We heard rumors that other vampires couldn’t sense him when we were close to him as wolves, but you’re the first to confirm it.”
“I knew it!” Rafe exclaimed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Your brother already hated us for attacking him. We didn’t think it would improve his opinion of us if he knew we were there when he was shot,” River explained.
Bel’s head popped up, and he narrowed his eyes on his twin. “You were shot? You never told me you were shot!”
Rafe cringed and actually pulled Philippe in front of him to protect himself from Bel. “I was just a little shot.”
“A little shot? What the hell is a little shot?” Marcus barked.
“Mon amour, the bullet went through your stomach,” Philippe said despite Rafe’s hissing at him to remain quiet.
“My side,” Rafe corrected. “It was just my side. Nothing vital.”
“I can’t believe you were shot and didn’t tell me!”
“We’re sorry, Rafe,” Wyatt said.
“You didn’t shoot me, did you?”
“No! We were just there at the time.”
Bel dropped his head and scrubbed his hands across his face. This was getting them nowhere except to add more worries to his shoulders. It wasn’t enough that Albert wanted his wolves dead, but the idea of losing them because vampires and shifters couldn’t play nice together was tearing him apart.
Maybe if they went into hiding. They could step away from the entire world, build a house in the middle of nowhere, and let everyone forget about them. Only then might they be able to live in peace.
“Stop it, Bel,” Rafe’s voice finally cut through all the din of conversation.
Bel dropped his hands and looked up to find everyone staring at him and Rafe.
“I can feel your sadness and fear. Don’t start borrowing trouble. Aiden’s old ass is just spouting ancient history,” Rafe continued, his voice firm.
“Thank you, my sweet son,” Aiden muttered, but there was a hint of a smile in his voice.
“We’ll take care of this Albert fuck and then, if we must, we’ll deal with anyone who comes after your wolves.” He paused and his smirk returned. “Because that’s what Variks do.”
“Speaking of taking out Albert,” Winter interjected. He leaned forward and rubbed his fingers across his jaw. “I’ve got an idea about how to get close to the pack, but I need to borrow your wolves for a little test.”
“What kind of test?” River asked.
“A game of hide ’n seek.”
22
River was ready for Winter’s little game. He’s said hide ’n seek, but after some discussion, they decided to try a test in two phases that was a little more like capture the flag. The point was to see if Winter could sneak undetected into Albert’s territory and spy on his pack. The vampire just wasn’t sure how strong the wolves’ noses were.
So, after Wyatt and River slipped away to change into their wolf form, they all trooped through Marcus’s home and into the backyard, which ended in a thick wall of trees. It was decided that Bel would go into the woods first to act as the flag. After a few minutes, Winter followed with the intention of reaching Bel first, secreting him out of the woods, and to where the rest of the Variks were gathered on the stone patio.
River and Wyatt were released two minutes after Winter slipped between the trees, and they had to stop him.
Before Bel had left, the Varik brothers had started laying bets on who would come out the victor. Naturally, Bel had sided with his wolves, but River still noticed a hesitation. What were they missing about Winter? There was some mention of Winter using his power, but would it really allow him to escape a wolf’s nose?
