Chapter 8
“You okay?” I ask Kira.
“Yup, totally fine. I always kind of wondered about my mom and stepdad, but they were never like the rest of the pack.” Kira shrugs.
Raven bumps her shoulder with Kira’s. “Your sister is pretty fucking cool if not a little too excited.”
“Yeah, I never knew that Kelsey got into fights because of me. That was a shock.” She stands from the couch. “You get what you need, Grant?”
“Yeah, I got it but now I’m wondering if I even want an alliance with those people.” He shakes his head.
“They are something else,” I agree. “I’m sorry, Kira. You don’t need them, though. You have us forever.”
Kira turns to Grant with a sigh. “Don’t make any hasty decisions about forming an alliance with them, okay?
I may be finding out that they always thought I was weak for the first time in my life, but they aren’t terrible people.
You guys all need to band together to defeat this rogue and his allies. ”
“You’re right. I don’t have to like them as people to side with them on this.” Grant nods.
“If that’s it, we need to go. I want to get through Arizona today if at all possible. We still have a battle we’re going to be late for. I don’t want to miss it entirely.” I hold out a hand for Grant and he shakes it.
“Yeah, you guys stay safe, and I’ll send some of my wolves to the academy.” Grant shakes my hand.
“Have them report to Jayden when they get to the academy. He will tell them where to go to be the most help.” I turn to open the door. “And thank you for your help on this.”
“You’re welcome, Beth. Safe journey and kick the queen’s ass for thinking she can destroy us all.”
“Count on it.” I yank open the door and stride away.
“That really just happened,” Kira whispers and I loop my arm through hers. “I was never accepted by them as I was, but now that I have more power and can be of use, the emotional blackmail is strong.”
“I’m sorry, Kira. That’s rough. You do know we will probably have to help them, though, right?” I ask.
“Not we, me.” She sighs. “I won’t be able to leave them high and dry when the time comes for their war.”
“That’s what makes us heroes, Kira. When the world calls, we answer and do what we must to save everyone.” I shake my head. “You’re a hero simply for seeing the bigger picture and telling her no, that you have bigger shit to do now.”
“I’m no hero. I’m just a girl who has mechanical knowledge and likes to tinker and figure things out.”
“It’s helped us on more than one occasion. You are a part of our team and long before you were gods touched. I actually didn’t want you to be dosed with that shit.”
“I know.” Kira squeezes my arm. “But now that I am, I can be extra useful.”
“You are worth more than being useful. C’mon, let’s get to Arizona and talk to another hotheaded alpha.” I open the door, and the bright LA sun warms my face.
Greyson jogs up next to me. “I’m gonna need the shell to contact Tristan and let him know that we’ll be in his territory.”
“Of course. We don’t want another incident with the flirtatious alpha.” I chuckle.
“What do you think he’s going to say when he realizes Jayden isn’t with us?” Raven laughs.
“Oh gods, I hadn’t thought of that. He’s gonna have a field day with this.”
“Especially the way he tells people about you as a hot demigoddess who has helped him countless times.” Raven opens the front passenger door to the SUV.
“Tristan, Alpha of the Arizona pack,” Greyson says, holding up the shell.
“That mist shit never stops being weird, Greyson.” Tristan shakes his head.
“You know why I can’t call you on the phone so stop bitching.” Greyson sighs.
“I will never forget the evil birds.” Tristan shudders.
“Demon pigeons.” I grin.
“Hello, beautiful. Where’s your shadow?” He glances around our group.
“Don’t remind me he had to stay at the academy or when I see you, I might get stabby,” I say through gritted teeth.
“I’ll hold him down for you,” Raven calls from the SUV.
“Did you all call just to threaten me or does this conversation have a point?” Tristan asks.
“We need safe passage,” Greyson says.
“You’re saving the world again? How many times is this now?” Tristan chuckles.
“Too many,” I say. “War is coming, Tristan. In like days. We need our allies and the last item of power. That’s why we’re calling.”
“You can come into my territory anytime you want, beautiful.” Tristan winks.
“Jayden’s going to send him to the underworld,” Raven whispers behind her hand, but it’s loud and the shifter hears every word.
Tristan barks out a laugh. “I only flirt because it gets under his skin. It’s not as fun when he’s not here. Sure, you have safe passage, but I need you to come to Phoenix. There is much to discuss.”
“Sure, it’s on our way to Montana.” I shrug. “We’re in LA right now about to head out. It will be evening before we get there.”
“I’ll have a spread ready for you when you get here. I have shit to do. Thanks for the call but get here as soon as you can. Things are escalating.” He waves a hand, clearing the mist and disappearing.
“It’s never a dull moment talking to Tristan,” I say as I hop in the back seat of the SUV.
“He may be a pain in the ass, but he will help us. He owes us for all our help over the last few months.” Greyson starts the vehicle.
“I just wonder if we are asking too much of our allies when they are ass deep in their own conflict.” I buckle my seat belt.
“They will only send who they can spare and still have defenses for their people,” Greyson says.
“That’s true.”
A weight lifts off my chest as we pull onto the highway, but I turn to Kira. Her expression is blank but there are tears in her eyes. That shit with her mom hurt her more than she’s letting on and it guts me.
“You have us. You don’t need all those smelly shifters.” I bump my shoulder into hers.
“Hey,” Greyson shouts from the driver’s seat.
“She wasn’t talking about you, babe.” Raven shushes Greyson.
“I said what I said,” I sing.
Kira giggles. “Thanks, Beth. I needed the laugh. I forgot what it was like talking to my mother. My parents really aren’t bad people. They are just stuck in their ways, you know? Having a daughter who doesn’t have a wolf? That wasn’t something either of them had planned for their lives.”
“Yeah, well, treating you like this when it’s not your fault is not the way to be a good person. Your sister is a good person, though.” I lean my head against the window.
“She is,” Kira says.
The rest of the drive is relatively silent as we make our way to Tristan’s hotel in downtown Phoenix, but the vibe as we move through the city is much different than the last time we were here.
“What’s wrong with everyone?” I ask.
“I don’t know.” Greyson frowns. “The scent of fear is pungent here. What the hell has been going on?”
“We need to talk to Tristan. This isn’t right. Even the humans are acting off and it’s not because of the gods this time.” I stare out the window.
A car backfires with a loud bang, and several people hit the ground, covering their heads in terror.
“They’re scared out of their minds. How bad have the attacks gotten here?” I shake my head.
“The guy was from this pack; I wonder if that has something to do with it?” Raven leans forward in her seat.
“Tristan will tell us what we need to know for the future.” Greyson pulls into the circular drive in front of the posh hotel Tristan has taken over.
“You’re finally here. We have a lot to talk about.” Tristan waves a hand for us to follow him.
“What’s going on, Tristan? Why does everyone seem so terrified?” I ask.
“It’s not just appearances, Beth. They are terrified. The rogue king was from our pack.” He opens the door to a conference room.
“The rogue king?” I ask.
“That’s what he’s calling himself. Shifters don’t even have kings and just a couple months ago, he wasn’t even a beta,” Tristan growls.
“Have the attacks been crazy?” I ask.
“They haven’t been happening daily but some of my people have disappeared. People that would never join him in his quest for dominion over all shifters. I don’t know what’s happened to them or if they are even alive.” He flops into a chair at the conference table.
“How many people have gone missing? Are we sure he’s to blame for it?” I walk around the table and take a seat across from him.
“They didn’t just leave. They wouldn’t. He’s taken them and either convinced them to join him or they’re prisoners.” Tristan runs a hand down his face.
“I would offer to help but we don’t have time to look for missing shifters. We’re racing against the clock for our own war happening in just days.” I drum my fingers on the table.
“Do you have any allies who can help search or may have heard something about the missing shifters?” Greyson asks.
“Once it was confirmed who he is, the only people who will even talk to me are your brother and the Colorado alpha. The others blame me for the situation.” Tristan clenches his hand into a fist on the table.
“Assholes,” Kira snarls. “They probably run their packs based off strength too, so they have no room to talk.”
“Exactly,” Tristan says, cocking his head to the side. “You’re from Dark Moon.”
“I am. I’m the stepdaughter to the alpha there.” She nods.
“They’re the worst ones calling me out for being weak and not controlling my shifters.”
“Not surprising. They found out I was dosed with the same shit and demanded I come home to help even though I’m the wolfless outcast in the pack.” Kira shrugs.
“That doesn’t surprise me at all. Alphas will do anything for more power.” Tristan leans back in his chair.
“My mother told Grant to contact my father for an alliance in the upcoming war. Maybe he will convince the assholes that we should be banding together instead of tossing accusations and blame around.” Kira snuggles into Draven’s chest.
“Let’s hope so. You said your own war is starting?” Tristan asks me.
“Yeah, that’s why our group is so small. We had to leave some people behind to start the first battle. We need our allies with us.” I rest my elbows on the table.
“You’re finally calling in all those favors I owe you huh, beautiful?”