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Bayer glanced at Phoenix, but I could see how suspicious he was and wondered why. Phoenix didn’t comment, clearly leaving the decision to Bayer, but to me, six extra guys to fight this thing might be a good idea. Bayer turned to one of the gammas. “See our guests to the gamma house and provide food.” He glanced back at Torrel. “We will meet later, but you are restricted to your rooms, and you will be guarded.”

They looked suitably grateful and left.

Phoenix waited until all four of us were sitting down. Callie and Tia were playing, and there was no sign of the boys yet. “Tell me about Torrel,” Phoenix asked Bayer.

Bayer sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Torrel’s father was my father's second-in-command—before I was born. Powerful bear, old bloodline. Torrel and Lachlan left the pack when I was about fifteen."

"Why?" I asked, curiosity overriding my lingering nausea.

"Disagreements with my father's leadership," Bayer replied, his expression carefully neutral. "My father was...traditional. Believed in keeping bears separate from other shifters, maintaining the old ways, or he was until he lost his way entirely."

"Meaning what exactly?" I pressed, sensing there was more to this story.

Bayer met my eyes. "Meaning he didn't approve of interspecies relationships. Or humans being involved with pack matters, which is ironic considering the mess he got himself in. Kept the females away from anything to do with running the pack. "

"Oh," I said softly, understanding dawning. "And Torrel disagreed?"

"Apparently." Bayer's tone suggested skepticism. "Though at the time, the story I heard was that Torrel wanted to challenge my father for leadership and left when he couldn't gather enough support, including from his own father."

“Are any of the bears here in his family?”

Bayer nodded. “Eric is his cousin, but his father was killed by Alessandro that day.”

Phoenix tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the table. "And now they show up, conveniently, when we're dealing with a revenant that specifically targets bears."

"Exactly," Bayer nodded. "The timing is suspicious."

"Maybe they genuinely want to help," I suggested, playing devil's advocate. "Safety in numbers and all that, plus a side of revenge if Alessandro killed Torrel’s father."

"Or maybe they're working with the revenant," Emery countered. "Creating a diversion while gathering intelligence from the inside."

Phoenix shook his head. “Revenants can’t plan or strategize. They simply react.”

“But didn’t you think the revenant was leading you away from the packhouse last night?

I watched Phoenix and Bayer as they considered that, then Phoenix picked up his phone and texted. “I’ve asked Simeon to call a meeting.”

“Full pack?” Em asked.

“Not yet. I want us to discuss it first.” And by that, I knew Phoenix meant Draven, Simeon, and Esther. “Has anyone heard from Matthew or Isla?”

Em snickered. “Give them a chance. It’s only been two days.”

We all looked up at the groan and saw Ben and Rhys. “Can we not,” Ben begged, “talk about it incessantly?”

I watched while both boys helped themselves to cereal, and it suddenly occurred to me that I'd never thought to ask where Rhys got his blood from. I'd certainly never seen him drink any. I swallowed my nausea down and tried really hard not to think about it.

“I’m calling a pack leadership meeting in an hour, and I think you two should be there,” Phoenix said.

Rhys stilled and met Phoenix’s gaze but just nodded.

And whadda you know, I was just getting all comfy when the perimeter alarm thingy sounded.

And stopped.

Phoenix and Bayer were on their feet immediately. “I’m not going into that tunnel,” I said stubbornly as three gamma guards entered through the kitchen and Phoenix and Bayer both ran out.

“We can’t all go anyway,” Em said, picking up Callie and passing her to me while he cuddled Tia. “There are at least three wolves in heat that I know of.”