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Zeke wanted to wait to tell the pack about finding his mate until after he was the Alpha, and it was probably the right decision, but it was killing me to keep this huge secret from Lillian. She was like my second mother, my teacher, and someone I admired, even though I’d discovered a few chinks in her shining armor lately.
“Of course.” She pulled out a chair and sat.
And just like that I changed course. I couldn’t tell her about me and Zeke. Not yet. Tonight was too important to risk upsetting her. I cleared my throat. “I told you Zeke had asked one of his packmates to do some digging into Sienna and that law firm in Boston, remember?”
She nodded. “Is Sienna still alive?”
“I don’t know.” There wasn’t a simple answer. Last night Jackson had called Zeke, but he didn’t have the information we had expected. My gaze locked on hers. “He couldn’t find any records on her. Not alive or dead. It’s like she never existed.”
Lillian frowned. “She must’ve changed her identity, but I didn’t realize you could erase your previous one.”
“The Coven of Shadows has been brewing their magic for something, right? Sienna was an Energy Elemental. Is it that far a stretch that she could manipulate or erase computer files in a database?”
“You’re right.” Lillian’s lips curved. “It hadn’t even occurred to me.” She patted my hand. “You’re ready. The Coven of Light is in good hands.”
And for the first time, I believed her. I still hadn’t been able to activate the Earth Elemental magic in my veins, but she and Zeke were no longer the only ones with confidence in my abilities. I didn’t feel badass, but I wasn’t afraid anymore.
I wasn’t the little girl who had lost her mom anymore, either. I was my mother’s daughter, and she was incredible.
Before my feelings got the best of me, I stood up and sucked in a deep breath. “I’m going to get my robe. I have the rest of the supplies in my trunk.”
Lillian’s eyes shone with a pride that made me ache. I pressed my lips together and kept moving. No tears. There was too much work to do.
CHAPTER 20
Zeke
Istood besideMathias on the bluff with a view of the farm, the lights of Boston in the other direction. The pack was carrying wood for the bonfire at the center of the ceremony space. Since the Coven of Shadows had used the new moon to work their dark magic in the past, Mathias and Lillian thought the pack and the coven should unite tonight to protect each other. Ruby and I decided on concentric circles for the joint ceremony. The coven would be the inner circle closest to the fire, and the pack would surround them on the outer circle. Ruby’s ceremony would take longer.
Or at least we thought it would. As far as we knew, no living Alpha had ever transferred powers to another. Even General Sloan hadn’t heard of a ceremony like the one we had planned.
But there was something I wanted to say to my pack before the witches arrived. It wasn’t a secret, but it was pack business.
We lit the fire, and it popped and sparked as it gained momentum. The pack stayed close, warming their hands by the flames.
I raised my voice. “Before I become the Alpha, I need to say something.” All eyes turned to me. I cleared my throat. “Like Mathias, I don’t have an heir. At least not yet. So I want to claim my second now so we don’t have any infighting in the future. We’ve got a common enemy, and it sure as fuck isn’t one another.”
Wes chuckled with a nod. “Damn straight.”
“Good.” I nodded and scanned the circle. I’d grown up with all these men. They were my brothers. My gaze stopped on Wyatt. “Wyatt will be my second. If something happens to me before I have an heir, Wyatt will become the Alpha of the pack.” Before anyone could respond, I added, “He knows the ins and outs of running the farm, he’s as big as a house, and he’s got enough heart for all of us.” I focused on Wyatt again. “Are you good with that?”
Wyatt nodded as a slow smile spread across his face. “Won’t ever happen, though. If someone comes for my Alpha, they’ll have to get through me first.”
The pack broke out in cheers as everyone hugged and slapped Wyatt on the back. Mathias gripped my shoulder, keeping his voice low. “You were the right choice to lead this pack.”
I pulled him in for a hug and whispered, “I had a good mentor.”
Engines rumbled in the distance, followed by headlights. Ruby and the coven were here.
As the women came up to the fire, the pack quieted. I knew Lillian and Ruby, and I’d met Amelia once, but the rest of the coven were strangers. They all wore long ivory robes with fur lining the edges of their hoods. Even with the matching cloaks, I didn’t have to see Ruby’s face to find her. Her scent had my full attention from the second she got out of her ancient Datsun. Two women followed her, carrying a trunk. I hurried over to help, locking eyes with Ruby as I passed. We’d agreed there would be no touching tonight. We wouldn’t have to keep this secret much longer, but for now, we didn’t want to take the focus off the ceremonies.
Not touching her made me almost physically ache. I stopped in front of the witches behind her. “Can I take that for you?”
She eyed me for a second and set it down. The shorter of the two put a hand on her hip. “All by yourself?”
I chuckled. “I’m stronger than I look.”
I picked up the trunk and walked behind the witches. It was heavy, but I didn’t have any trouble with it. My breath came out in puffs of fog. Even though werewolves usually ran hot, it was fucking cold out tonight. If not for the roaring fire, we’d all be icicles out here.
