Page 34 of Fat Enemy Mate

“Lara,” she says. “I’m Luna. Wilf might have told you I’m Nick’s mate. Come in out of the cold.”

Lara looks at me, and I nod.

“Thanks,” Lara says, her words tight but not unfriendly.

Luna walks up the porch steps with Lara, and I watch the way she gives her space, taking the exact right read from Lara, pointing things out as they go but keeping things light. I’ve always thought Luna was good in her role; now I see that she’s excellent at it.

I follow the rest in and find the kitchen full of women; it seems like everyone brought their mates, which isn’t unusual because these pack meetings often run into cookouts and general socializing. I usually dodge that part by heading out early, but I have a feeling it might be harder to escape today with the issue of Lara dominating everything.

I also get the feeling Luna knew what was needed here, and a fellow human in the form of Fern, along with the gentle natures of Skylar and Fiona, are probably just what Lara needs. Not a room full of shifter men, but rather the presence of women who aren’t afraid of them.

Skylar immediately gets up as we enter and approaches with the steady calm that seems to denote she’s a healer. Bryan goes straight to her as usual. She greets him with an embrace before ducking around and heading toward Lara.

“Lara, right?” she says. “I’m Skylar, one of the pack healers. I run the clinic with Fern. That’s Fern.” She says, tipping her head to introduce Fern, who is sitting at the counter, and waves.

“Hey Lara,” she says, “welcome to the madhouse.”

Fiona laughs as she walks in through the doors, bringing the sound of riotous children with her from outside, where several pups are tearing around the yard. “Very funny,” she laughs, looking back at the chaos outside, “though I must admit, they are a bit extra crazy today. I think they’re making the most of the last of the snow. Would you like a coffee, Lara? You’ve had an early start.”

Lara looks at the women, at me, and then at the coffee pot.

“Tea sounds good,” she says.

“Right,” Luna says, “I’ll put a fresh pot on. Wilf, Bryan, I think Connor has already gone through, and Nick’s waiting. We’ll take good care of Lara and get her caffeinated.”

I don’t argue. I give Lara what I hope is a reassuring nod and then offer one to Luna too, as if to thank her for making this easy. I spot Thomas coming in the side door; they must have made it in good time, and he’d made a beeline for his kids outside. Bryan and I follow, and I’m a few steps down the hallway when I hear the women laughing about something. That’s not unusual, but when I hear Lara’s laugh, I pause. They’ve managed to make her laugh a hell of a lot quicker than I did.

Nick and the others, including Ethan, are already in his office. I haven’t seen much of him since he got back off the Northern Line a few weeks ago—he’s been training some of the other packs on the new wards to help with Cheslem. Nick’s attempt at forging alliances to help stop similar problem packs from growing in the future. It seems to be working, and Ethan appears to be doing a good job—we’ve known each other all our lives but never been particularly close, mainly because she could be a bit of pain. But he seems to have grown out of that now.

Bryan shuts the door behind us, and it clicks almost pointedly.

“Alright,” Nick says from behind his desk. “Wilf, start at the beginning and explain who this girl sitting in my kitchen is.”

I start at the beginning. The ridge patrol, the trail, the two I killed first, even though they know those details. Pulling her out of the hut. The cabin. Her strange voice ability and everything she told me about what happened at the camp and how we think it ties in with the talismans, and how it didn’t seemto work when they attacked at the cabin. I tell them how the attack at the cabin went down.

The only thing I don’t tell them is how things have shifted between Lara and me; I don’t have to because any wolf within thirty feet will be able to scent her all over me. But, as much as I love my pack, it’s none of their damn business.

When I finish, Nick leans back and runs a hand over his jaw the way he does when he’s weighing up several options.

“Right,” Connor says. “So we have to work on the assumption they’re going to keep trying to get her if they’ve been this determined.”

“That’s how it reads to me,” I tell him.

“They went to use her for something,” Thomas says.

“Sounds like they want to weaponize her,” Ethan mutters. His tone isn’t sharp, but he’s clearly got more to say. “Wilf, everyone's being very nice about it, but someone's got to say it; is she a risk to us? She’s a human who apparently can stop wolves in their tracks, and Cheslem are the ones with talismans to stop her. If they get her, they can use her power against us. Goddess knows what else she can do.”

My wolf surges before I’ve even had a chance to process what he’s saying, and I barely hold him down. Attacking Ethan in my alpha's office isn’t going to help, but he’s already near the surface, and Ethan immediately sees it, going very still.

“She’s not a risk to us,” I snap. “She’s a person who needs our help.”

“Both things can be true,” Ethan replies, evenly. “I’m not saying we don’t help her. I’m just saying we assess this properly.”

“The only assessment involves helping her,” I reply. “Anything else and she dies. We’re not handing this off.”

“Nobody said anything about handing her off or not helping,” Nick says calmly.

“Ethan was about to,” I reply.