Chapter 20
Austin
A hush fell over the speakeasy as he walked in.
He’d opened up the invite to this dinner to more than just the generational alphas he already knew.
Only shifters, though. Gargoyles were finally, irrevocably onboard.
Sure, there were various cairns that wouldn’t join up or might drag their feet, but Jess’s status in the community was as high as it could be.
People were excited by her, honored to fight with her, and rooting for her to take on more shifters in an extravagant, gargoyle-style fashion.
Tristan, of course, had already been a favorite because of his flight plans and battle know-how, but leaving a shifter in a tree to end a fight—the height of gargoyle-style fashion, they thought. They hadn’t known what that was before today, but now it was a thing.
Austin had to admit, the last was funny. And maybe Jess’s antics might’ve been funny if they hadn’t been against Yazanth. That lion was every bit as exacting as Austin had always heard. Every bit. Each movement was targeted. Each strike was precise. He worked hard and fast and calculated.
But Jess was right—he was easy to anticipate.
He fought to kill, and if you knew the pressure points, you’d know where he was aiming for next.
Aurora didn’t seem to have realized that.
She’d probably grow by leaps and bounds now that she did.
At least when fighting him. Maybe when fighting anyone, looking for those patterns, fighting the man and not the skill.
Clearly, it was something Jess did without being specifically taught how.
That did not make it any easier to bear seeing her battle that beast without being able to get in and help her. When he flipped her onto her back and went for her—
Austin broke out in a cold sweat. He paused before the crowd of people, larger than he’d anticipated.
Kingsley or someone else must’ve invited more than he had originally.
He didn’t even know if they would fit at the tables he’d had set up.
This place, newly up and running, had been closed tonight for this dinner.
After a deep breath, he kept going, trying to slow his raging heart.
Jess took too many risks. Always had, yes, but…
none of this mattered more than she did.
If this got too dangerous, any of this, he’d find a cave, take her away, and live his life with her in seclusion and relative safety.
If he had to hide her to protect her, he would.
Which was a very lovely fantasy she would never allow.
Kingsley walked forward, putting distance between himself and the others. His expression was hard, but his eyes were wary. He looked a little shaken.
“You good?” Austin asked him.
Kingsley put out his hand to shake, his palm clammy. “I saw that beast fight, same as you. I just keep wondering if Yazanth is going to lose himself and kill my little girl.”
Austin gripped his brother’s hand a little tighter, comfortingly, before letting go.
“No. He was battling today. He let himself get deep under. I’ve sat in on a few sessions with him and Aurora.
He lets it go longer than you would, but not as long as she wants to.
Not to mention, he didn’t get a chance to get his head straight today. Jess…”
A glimmer of laughter sparkled in Kingsley’s eyes. “It’s not funny, because I feel your terror when a loved one is against him, but…it was funny. She jumped on the guy’s back and clearly intended to ride off into the sunset.”
Austin let go a breath. “When that gargoyle takes the wheel, she really runs with it.”
“Clearly.” Kingsley dropped his head forward for a moment, taking a breath. “Okay.”
“He didn’t kill his sisters. We both saw their challenges today. They are exceptional.”
“True. It’s just that logic takes a back seat when it’s my child, you know?”
“I get it. He’s taking good care of her, though. She’s in good hands.”
He paused for a moment longer. “Thanks.”
“Yup.” Austin clapped his brother on the shoulder. “Thanks for earlier today. Against that weasel Armendale.”
Kingsley’s gaze darkened. “He was going to attack you with his crew. I saw it when I walked in.”
“I thought that at first but then second-guessed myself. He’d riled me up.”
“You were riled up because he was about to take you on in an unfair fight in a bar full of patrons. I saw it, Austin. I don’t know what he said beforehand, but I know what I saw when I walked in. He’s gone lawless.”
“I’ve heard stories.”
“We’ve all heard stories, which can mostly be shrugged off, but this is another level. Did he really kill that guy?”
“He didn’t hold the knife, but he knew about it.
He’s probably influenced by all the power around him and has never dealt with this level of aggression before.
You did because you grew up with me. He’s led a mostly peaceful existence.
You’ve said yourself: my territory is wound up.
I am wound up, as is my mate—when she gets going, anyway.
We’re combat ready, and we’re experienced.
Invite in all this extra power, and he’s spiraling. I’m guessing at that, but…”
Kingsley shook his head. “Can’t be allowed to continue. Something has to be done.”
“Yeah, no shit. The thing is, what I want to do to him, and what you think is wise, are probably very different.”
“C’mon.” Kingsley turned toward the others. “Let’s talk about it.”
Drex stood to the side with his original alpha friends, two more than Austin had met in Drex’s territory. A few middling alphas had been invited, and a handful more early generational alphas. They all definitely wouldn’t fit for dinner. Austin hadn’t even ordered enough food.
“Austin Steele, the mate of the hour.” Drex stepped forward with a grin, his hand out to shake. He wasn’t holding back his expressiveness.
Austin shook his hand. “Hey. Sorry I haven’t had time to speak to you personally.”
“You’re busy. You nearly had the war conclaves are known for. Or so I’ve heard.”
He grunted, and then the meaning of Drex’s words dawned. “Ah. Is that why I’m the mate of the hour instead of the man?”
Drex’s smile grew. “Not for that, but I guess that would work, too. I don’t see Yazanth—Aljoe now, right?”
“Aljoe.”
“Where’s he?”
Austin glanced at Aljoe’s sisters, standing near the bar. Only Nina had actually watched the fight, but all of their eyes were lit with humor.
“He decided he was tired of the company of alphas,” Austin said flippantly. “Something about the terrible jokes.”
A few people huffed out laughs. More of them were showing a modicum of expression than they otherwise would in a situation like this.
He wondered if that was because of the original alphas or because of the territory.
Maybe Austin himself. He was far less guarded than any shifter he knew.
Except maybe Aurora, who’d found facial expressions and never looked back. At least in mixed company.
“You did well today.” He nodded at the other man. “Very. I don’t think anyone saw it coming. You’ve got some new moves.”
Drex laughed. “You made a mockery of me. I had to get serious.”
Austin greeted the alphas he knew from Drex’s territory and met the new ones. Then he went about meeting the others from the growing network.
“Alpha,” a woman said, inclining her head at him. “You’ve got an original setup here. I didn’t see how it could all work together until a thunderbird was chasing me down the street, spitting lightning at my heels.”
“I had a garhette slap me, kiss me, and tell me I needed to dye my hair black.” The man’s—Ron’s—lips twisted to the side. “I didn’t know what to do.”
“And now you have black hair,” one of the guys said.
“Looks great,” a woman said, and everyone chuckled (or the equivalent).
“I’ve actually gotten a lot of compliments,” he murmured.
“It’s hard to say no to that breed, but they are a huge asset.” Austin signaled for a drink. “Or so my mate keeps telling me. She is also hard to say no to.”
“They are a huge asset,” Kingsley said. “My pack loves them. We get visits often. And so is your mate. Jessie shone today.”
“She shone?” A woman arched an eyebrow. “Did you see the battle with the mage? The hunched one who very clearly doesn’t want to be out in public?” She shivered. “How can you fight against him? How can you fight against an army of them? I see now what Kingsley has been trying to explain.”
“Yes, that’s the issue.” Kingsley nodded at everyone. “That has always been the issue, something I was forced to understand by Austin and his team.” He turned to Austin. “What about these mages that breached your territory boundary?”
Austin took a sip. “They’re lurking. Gathering information.
You remember the drill. We’re not totally sure what they’re after.
At the moment, we’re watching them watch us.
We’ve had the conclave to worry about. We haven’t had the time to devote to this new threat.
Once the conclave is done, the breach will be our chief priority.
Mages in general will be. We need more on our side. ”
“We do,” a few people murmured, and more nodded their heads.
“I was here when they first found the breach.” Nina looped her arm through one of her sister’s.
Austin hated to admit it, but he couldn’t tell if that was Zara or the one he’d only briefly met.
“Their pa—convocation is incredibly organized. I was prepared to join it for the sake of my brother. After seeing them work, I was sold. It isn’t just battling—though from seeing how they handled the issue earlier today, we know they are experienced in hostile situations.
They handled that breach in a way none of us—not one of us—could duplicate. Not without training.”
“Not you, Kingsley?” someone said from the back. Austin couldn’t see who.