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"So then, what next, Uncle? You said my brothers and Ava are walking into a trap of yours. That you spelled my phone so I can't call for help. That I'm now helpless because my allies here won't wake and you'll hurt them if I shift into wolf form. Where do we go from here? Because I call bullshit if you think Shea, Connor, and Ava won't sense and defeat whatever trap you set when they locate the girls."
Alexander threw his head back and laughed so damned hard it could have woken the dead—but not those magically-spelled sleepers around us. "Oh, I'm afraid I actually had nothing to do with abducting the girls earlier. I actually assume that was all Regina's doing. I must admit I rather underestimated her. A mistake I won't be repeating."
That had me frowning darkly. "Well then, what other trap could you possibly think will draw them in? There's no bait besides the girls they could possibly care about enough to fall for your BS."
"Oh, my dear nephew, I believe you underestimate how much you mean to all three of them. Not just your brothers."
Horror had my fingers clenching into fists as I realized our mistake too late. Alexander hadn't been using the girls as bait to set his trap. He was usingme.
AVA
Leaving my sister’s daughters when all I wanted to do was climb into that bed and hug them the way I would never be able to hug their mother again ate me up inside. Regina may be just as capable of protecting them as me, something she had already proven that evening, but shewasn’ttheir aunt. They didn’t mean as much to her as they did to me.
That wasn’t her fault; it was the natural order of things.
But another truth was that St. Louis wasmycity to magically protect. Not hers. And Finn was one ofmybonded wolves. Hell, she didn’t even have that kind of relationship with the Kansas City Packleader. When her parents accepted Seats on the Circle of Dawn and Dusk, her Solar Shifter mother passed on the Pack to Regina’s older brother, Julian. Regina had agreed to succeed her father as KC Beacon only until Julian either married a new one or she herself married someone in a new Pack and became that city’s Beacon.
As if he sensed my inner turmoil, Connor slipped his hand into mine as we stepped into the cool spring evening and strode toward the SUV. And it was a mark of how upset I really was, and that I had decided to finally stop denying my true feelings for my bonded wolves, that I didn’t pull away from him. At least not until we reached the vehicle.
Ever the consummate gentleman—except sometimes in bed—Shea held the back door open and helped me into the middle seat. I’d decided I didn’t feel like squeezing into the third row this time. Beacon’s prerogative. Connor slipped in right behind me, shooting his brother a cheeky grin.
Shea merely rolled his eyes and muttered, “I’m driving anyway, Pup.”
I bit my lip to hold back unexpected laughter. Were they giving each other shit over the fact only one of them could sit next to me right now? It seemed a little…strange…given the fact they had successfully shared sexy fun times in bed with me back in January. And now we all shared the even more emotionally intimate bond of a Packleader-Beacon tether. Or more accurately, tethers.
Must be some weird Shadow Wolf thing I couldn’t really understand, since I wasn’t pure Shifter.
Shea jogged to the driver’s side door and our escorts claimed the remaining empty seats. Moments later we were back on the road, and I had cast a Radiant Seal just long enough so Connor could call Sanai. He coordinated additional forces to meet us away from the Manor so whoever had blown up our limo wouldn’t be able to take out our new (stolen) ride.
I pulled out my own phone and frowned when no new calls or messages from Finn had magically appeared. Trying to call him only resulted in going straight to his voicemail, which had a greeting recorded by the triplet next to me and not Finn himself.
Connor met my worried gaze when I disconnected the call and quietly said, “He’s not answering my calls, either. And nothing on our group chat.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You have a group chat?”
He wiggled his own brows. “Jealous you haven’t been invited?”
“No. Just surprised you got Finn to join. I thought he hated all forms of social media.”
“Text messages are the only thing he gives a pass to. Mostly because he hates talking on the phone even more.”
“Ah, now that definitely tracks.” I couldn’t resist getting in a quick jab. “Besides, I’ve already experienced a group...chat...with the three of you. It was okay.”
Connor’s deep blue eyes glinted with amusement. “I could tell just howokayyou found it by your extreme bedhead and unsteady walk of shame the next morning.”
I should’ve known not to try to one-up Connor.
Shea cleared his throat meaningfully. “Is Sanai sending backup?”
Connor’s smug expression became more serious. “Yeah. They’re gonna meet us at that unfinished subdivision going up a few blocks from the Manor. Three SUVs with several guardians and one Spellbinder each.”
I frowned. “Is it wise to send out even more of our few Pack Spellbinders instead of keeping them there for defense?”
Connor bowed his head slightly. “I know you’re the expert in all things magical, but Sanai didn’t want to risk that more enemy casters might indiscriminately shoot at any Pack vehicles in the area.”
I nodded in immediate understanding. “So the Spellbinders concealed the vehicles leaving the Manor.”
“Exactly. Besides,” he replied with a much grimmer tone. “If our enemies have as many Spellbinders in reserve as they’ve already sent against us? I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to secure the Manor without a whole lot more Spellbinders than we’ve already adopted.”
