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Kallan waited for them to go to their rooms before he stepped toward Holly, closing the distance between them. She breathed in the fresh frost scent that seemed to float around him as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep well,” he said quietly, before disappearing into his room, leaving her feeling both equally settled and unsettled at the turn of events.
CHAPTER5
Holly shifted softly from one foot to the other as she and her mates stood in front of the official entrance of shifter territory, waiting for the shifters to recognize their arrival. Pride Leader Sadara and Alpha Bryson shared control of the territory, as leaders of the largest feline pride and wolf pack in the shifter lands. As the first line of defense, anyone entering the lands had to go through their pride and pack. To enter before an invitation had been extended would be viewed as a slight.
It wasn’t like the shifters didn’t know what time Holly and her mates were going to be there, she thought wryly. She knew Andy had sent a message letting them know they would be here midmorning. That had been a half hour ago. It was a common power move employed not only by the shifters, but also by the witches—a move designed to get Holly and her mates off balance.
But Holly waited patiently, even as she wondered if the move boded well for their reception into the shifter lands. It reminded her of the fancy dinners her father would host and the games he would play throughout the night. That all the guests would play, really. It was exhausting, but Holly had learned to endure it well. At least until the conversations moved onto status and bloodlines and she was able to excuse herself.
Beside her, Kieran and Synora shifted from foot to foot, but Kallan stood steady at her elbow, his calming presence seeping into Holly. It was still weird to not be able to feel her mates’ emotions, but she was starting to become more attuned to their presence.
Finally, movement through the official gates drew Holly’s eyes. As if melting from the shadows, a large group of shifters emerged from the trees. In a protective maneuver, Kallan and Kieran shifted a half step in front of Holly. She had never had someone—or several someones—focused on her safety before. Usually, she was the one looking out for everyone else instead. It was an odd but not unwelcome feeling.
She didn’t have too much time to analyze it, however, as the group of shifters drew closer. She recognized Sadara and Bryson, Bethany’s mom and Cody’s dad, leading the group. They were each accompanied by members of their pride and pack. Holly relaxed slightly when she saw who accompanied the back of the group. Bethany, Cody, and Zack lingered at the back, and for once, they weren’t arguing. Behind them, more shadowy figures lingered in the trees but didn’t draw closer. It seemed more than just the pride and pack had gathered here.
“Welcome, Ambassadors of the Queen.” Holly stiffened at Sadara’s words. They hadn’t announced the Ambassador program yet, but Bethany must have filled Sadara in, and Sadara was choosing to make a statement. Theater. It was all political theater, and the audience’s reactions chose the next act of the play.
Holly took a deep breath and reached into her center, unlocking the Empath magic she kept tightly reined in. She let it fill her veins and slowly cast it out, first touching Sadara and Bryson’s group, then extending farther into the forest. She sensed certainty, and was that… amusement from Sadara and Bryson’s group? But as she got farther into the forest, she felt more uncertainty, along with traces of fear and anger. They had work to do in the shifter territory, it seemed.
She briefly thought about trying to influence the emotions of the shifters gathered in the trees but almost immediately dismissed the idea. This far away from them, she would be down for the count before she changed the mind of the first person. Even now she felt a bit shaky, so she reined her Empath magic back in.
Synora touched her elbow briefly, drawing her attention back to Sadara in front of them. “We will discuss more of what the queen needs at the party tonight,” Sadara was saying.
Holly contained her groan. She really didn’t want to go to a party, especially not a shifter party. She had attended a few with Bethany and Cody in the past, and they always got wild. Besides, they were supposed to be tracking down the right-hand person and the missing ingredients. But Sadara’s face was firm, and Holly only sensed certainty from her, so she nodded. “We are honored to be invited to a shifter party and be able to speak on the queen’s behalf,” she said, with a forced calmness she didn’t feel.
“Great!” Sadara clapped her hands together. “We will show you to the guest quarters.”
Kallan fell into step alongside Sadara. “We would like to discuss the logistics of this party with you. It’s our first time attending such an event, and with the escaped prisoners…”
“You’re worried about security,” Bryson finished. He laughed when Kallan looked at him. The only sign of surprise on the stoic Fae’s face was a slight widening of his eyes.
Bryson clapped Kallan on his shoulder. “I remember being newly mated. Let’s talk business.” He guided Kallan away, and Kieran and Synora hesitated between following him and staying with Holly.
Bethany looped her arm in Holly’s. “She’s mine for the afternoon,” she said to them. “Go follow them. Cody and Zack, you too. We need friend time.”
Bethany didn’t leave room for protest, as she immediately dragged Holly away. Holly had been to the pride lands before, so she kept up with Bethany easily, navigating away from the neutral meeting grounds and down the path toward the pride’s village.
Thankfully, the walk was short. Bethany’s pride and Zack’s pack were a bit unique in that they lived so close to each other. Most shifter groups preferred their own space, but the pride and pack had a long-standing alliance and built their home villages only a short walk away from each other.
Bethany kept silent until they got to her house, her body practically vibrating with suppressed words. As soon as the door closed behind them, though, she whirled on Holly, her blond hair flying around her with the force.
“I know Claire is all about giving you space, but that’s not my style, so what the fuck is going on with you and your mates?”
Holly buried her head in her hands. “Oh, Bethany! Yesterday was so awkward.” While she treasured her friendship with Claire, Bethany and Holly had a blunter friendship. Her lioness friend had always been quick to call her out on her shit.
“Why? Have you fucked them yet?” Bethany knew how Holly viewed sex and had been her wing woman on more than one occasion when they’d snuck off to Pinscer Street.
Holly kept her face buried in her hands as she shook her head.
“Why not? It’s not like you’re a blushing virgin, and they’re hot as fuck, so what gives?”
Holly groaned at her crass words but lifted her head. “It’s… It’s just different this time. I don’t want to fuck this up. And we don’t know if my magic will trigger the same obsession in them as it did in the others.”
“Holly, they’re yourmates. The only way you can fuck this up is if you don’t let them in.”
“That’s easier said than done,” Holly said. “I… I don’t…”
“Look,” Bethany said, giving her a break, “you didn’t expect the twins at the Fae lands or Synora right before the battle. That’s a big change, and you’re allowed to take a beat to process it. But remember, they’re your mates—your fated matches. The universe wouldn’t have given them to you if you weren’t a good fit. Try to let them in. And it never hurts to do that with a little…” Bethany made a suggestive motion with her body, and Holly laughed, then smiled at her friend.
