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“Tell me about the gathering. Gain any intel or find any prospective allies?” I avoided the argument I knew was coming and changed the subject.
“No to allies. I’m pretty sure everyone here hates me. Well, almost everyone. Valerie and Victor seem like they have taken an interest.”
“Because they have ulterior motives.” I wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know. Talia was a smart woman and would have already figured that out on her own. “And I find it hard to believe everyone hates you. It’s impossible to hate you.”
“Well, apparently, now that upon my return, the other princesses had their titles revoked. That title is reserved for the chosen one. Lucky me.”
I didn’t need to see her to know that she rolled her eyes when she said that.
Okay, maybe the two of them hate you.” I teased, finding it easier to laugh - and breathe - since Talia returned unharmed. “How about information? Any loose lips at the soiree? Hopefully, Boot Hill isn’t a dry town. Alcohol works like a truth serum, gets people talking.”
“I don’t think there’s enough alcohol in the whole of Alaska to make anyone in the Deofol pack talk to me. I’m not even joking. They hate me, take my word for it.” She sighed. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m glad they don’t like me. I don’t want to belong here.”
“Good, because you don’t belong here.” It pained me not to be able to pull her close and wrap my arms around her. “You belong to me and the Long Claw pack. I love you, Talia Linetti.”
“I love you too.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, and proceeded to blow me a kiss. “I did find out one interesting tidbit, but I think it qualifies more as gossip than actual news.”
“Sometimes gossip turns out to be actual news. Hit me with it and we’ll see if it’s noteworthy.” I rubbed my calf, working out the knot in the cramped muscle, and listened with earnest; hoping it was news we could use and that we finally caught a break.
“The Deofol pack isn’t a member of the alliance which is why we never crossed paths with Bjorn in Montana. Victor and Valerie were invited to the summit by the council as experts on demons and to educate other packs.”
“Huh, I don’t recall seeing their names listed on the itinerary or hearing them speak at any of the meetings I attended.” I raked my fingers through my hair, scratching at my scalp as I worked through a thought nagging at my brain. “Did you see them anywhere outside of the social events or when they approached you specifically?”
“Umm, I don’t know. I mean, I spent most of the trip at the cabin or attending the networking events with you. I probably wouldn’t have crossed paths with them if they hadn’t sought me out, but we know why they did that now. Why, do you ask? What are you thinking?”
I could almost hear Talia’s brain working through the bond. I hated not knowing exactly what she was thinking and missed the depth of the connection we shared. She was there, in my mind, but just out of reach.
“Is it really just a coincidence, them running into you at a summit about the demons attacking the packs?” I scrubbed my face with my hands, The stubble new growth along my cheeks and jaw itched my palms. “Or something more?”
“You don’t believe in coincidences.” Talia found the end of the thread between us and held on. She poured more of herself into the connection, strengthening the connection as much as possible without physical contact. “You think they planned the whole thing, that they went to the summit to find me specifically. But how would they know I would be there?”
“I think the first demon that marked you was sent by their demon wolf god, and the mark works like some sort of beacon.” It all seemed so far-fetched but I couldn’t come up with a more logical explanation.
“The demon equivalent of being chipped.” Talia barked out a bitter laugh. “Demon marks, beacons, demon wolf clans and sacrifices to gods. How insane is this? If we weren’t here right now... I mean, if someone else tried to tell me this happened to them, I’d say they were nuts.”
“I know, the whole thing sounds crazy, but I can’t come up with another explanation for how Victor and Valerie ended up at the summit. The council wouldn’t have called on a non member pack to offer expert advice.” I stifled a groan, and shifted my weight to one side and tried to stretch out, the muscle aches and pains were becoming more than a nuisance.
They were affecting my train of thought and I needed to keep a clear head if we were going to make it out to Boot Hill unscathed.
“We have to get out of here, Galen.” Talia gripped the bars of her crate. “What about Marcus? Can you reach him through the pack bonds? He’ll rally the pack and come looking for us.”
“I didn’t want to worry you, but...”
I struggled to find the right words and regretted not telling her after we’d promised ourselves to each other and to be honest with each other after she told me the truth about her wolf’s red eyes. But I couldn’t bring myself to rip a single shred of hope from her.
Not when I wasn’t entirely certain myself that the pack bond was broken.
“I tried but it’s like the line is disconnected. Something is blocking me from. This is the furthest I’ve been from the pack. Maybe the distance is too great? I don’t know.”
“What if they did something to you, to the bond? Maybe they’re putting something in your food?” Talia continued to surprise me with her grit and determination. Rather than give up, she offered a possible solution. “I think you should skip breakfast. See if you feel any different and then try the bond again.”
“I haven’t felt sick or drowsy after eating. So, I don’t think it’s the food, but I’m willing to try anything..” I didn’t want to shoot down her idea, but we couldn’t put all our hopes for escaping the Deofol pack in my alpha bond. “But Talia, I can only skip so many meals. We need a back up plan.”
“What if I accept my title, become the Bone Clan princess for real?” Talia’s voice wavered, as if she was uncertain about the plan she was forming and rightly so. “That has to come with certain power, privileges, right?”
“I don’t think the privilege that comes with that role is for you.” I growled, anger burning in my gut at the thought of the demon wolf god laying as much as a finger on my mate.
“We’ve got to try, Galen. If we don’t, you’ll die in that cage and I’ll be forced into marriage with the demon wolf god.” Talia turned her head to the side and pressed her ear against the window of her crate. “Someone’s coming.”
