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Honestly, I didn’t want to think about it, not yet, so I focused on my endless to-do list and went on with my day. And right now, I focused on the pyre between us and the objective of this ceremony: to send our loved ones away with honor and respect.
The fire receded to embers, and the wolves started moving around, greeting each other. Everyone here had lost at least one loved one during the battles.
To my surprise, a handful of wolves offered condolences for my loss—Jay, the healer; Vianna and her pups; Dom, Lucille, and Vallin; and two other elders whom I had intervene for before.
Well, that was progress.
Rue excused herself and went to help Vianna with the other kids. Minsi ran to me and Tyren came after her. I opened my arms for her. I would have hugged Tyren too, if he allowed me, but I settled for patting his shoulder once. Lucille, Dom, and Vallin were turning their backs to us when Shane approached our group.
Lucille maneuvered herself so she stood right beside Shane, her arm brushing against his. “That was a great ceremony.”
“Thanks.” Shane took a small step to the side, while looking at Minsi in my arms. I knew having Lucille clinging to him like that was annoying to him. It was equally annoying to me. “How is she?”
I shrugged. “Fine.” She hugged me like this all the time, but Shane wasn’t used to it. He thought she was always in distress. “That really was a great ceremony. You did well.”
His eyes locked on mine. “Thank you. I wished we could do more, though.”
“We can’t rewrite the past,” Roman said, sounding a lot wiser than he usually was. “We just need to take care of our future.”
Shane’s brows curled down. “We’re working on that.”
Maybe it was me, but I could feel the tension rolling off Shane as he regarded Roman. Since well before the first attack, when Roman started showing interest in me years ago, Shane had been watching. He had noticed, and he knew Roman’s feelings for me hadn’t changed.
He was jealous, and even though that was kind of cruel, I liked it.
I cleared my throat. “You know, it’s late. Minsi should go to bed soon.”
He nodded. Lucille reached for Minsi. “I’ll help you take her home.” Minsi hid herself behind me. “Or … not.”
“I’ll do it.” Tyren gently took Minsi’s hands in his. Despite his teenage moodiness, he had been good with Minsi. He had even asked me to teach him some techniques to calm her down when she had one of her panic attacks, and I showed him what I knew.
Reluctantly, Minsi let Tyren hold her instead.
Shane looked at them. “I’ll be right there.” Tyren nodded and took Minsi away.
My heart tugged. I wanted to go with them, to help him put her in bed, read her a story, make sure she was all right. That Tyren was all right too. But I couldn’t. I shouldn’t. They had to learn how to live as a family, and if I interfered, they never would.
From the shadows, I saw two of Killian’s vampires following Tyren and Minsi. I hated that she was still being followed anywhere she went, that we all were, but without the barrier to protect us, who knew what could happen? Anyone could come in at any time, and I couldn’t stop thinking that Dixon had taken two crystals, but that wasn’t the end of it.
I turned back to our group as Killian and Lavinia joined us, with Zin and Emil behind them—two of the vampires who usually patrolled the pack lands’ border, where the barrier once was.
“Shane,” Killian said, his tone grave. “We need to talk.”
Shane’s brow furrowed. “What is it?” Killian glanced at Lucille and Roman. “It’s okay. I trust them.”
“I was informed Whitecrest wolves were scouting outside Nightshade’s borders.”
Oh, no. “Didn't the Whitecrest meet with Conri?” Shane had told me that. He had learned about it when he met with Delco from the Ironfang pack.
“Yesss,” Shane said, dragging theSout, thinking. “Are they still out there?”
“Three of them were still in wolf form when we came to warn you,” Zin said.
He lowered his chin. “Let’s go see if they are still there.” He took a step forward, stopped, and glanced at me. As if remembering we weren't alone, he looked at Lucille and Roman too. “Excuse me.” His gaze met mine once more before he went with the vampires. Dom and Vallin too.
Lucille crossed her arms and huffed. “Why can’t women be betas? I could have been a nice one.”
I smiled. “I’m sure you would, but Shane wanted to have one of the older wolves alongside him, so the rest of the pack will support him.”
