Chapter 91 Wrong
The rocky area was about the size of two football fields, with thick forest lining surrounding it.
Thinking back, she couldn’t remember ever coming to this glade before.
The bluff was her turf, but she’d never been here.
The place felt bad—and the feeling seemed to be concentrated directly in the center of the glade, where there was a ravine big enough to fit a dump truck inside.
I want to get dressed, she told her mate.
He took her to his truck and they leapt into the back seat. Canyon climbed over the seat, then shifted into a man to sit naked behind the wheel. He twisted the key so he could roll all the windows up.
Sage, hidden by the tinted windows, shifted into a woman, then she shifted back into a fox again, missing it already.
She laughed at herself and shifted into a woman again, digging in her bag for her clothes.
Within a few minutes she was dressed and had brushed her hair and fixed her face, wearing jeans with burgundy booties, a black blouse, and a burgundy trucker jacket.
Want me to dress? Canyon said.
Sage shook her head, touching his beautiful face, feeling the soft texture of his fur. “I’ve got a plan, and I need you to be a wolf.”
He snuggled her and she hugged his warm fur, taking in his masculine scent.
Outside, another vehicle drove into the area and parked near them.
Sage opened the back door and slid out, seeing Trevor driving, Ella in the passenger seat, the two babies strapped in car seats in back.
A big male with dark skin, short black hair, and a commanding presence, sat next to them.
His eyes roved the glade and he didn’t look at her.
Who’s in back? she asked.
That’s Burton Risson.
Oh. She looked at Canyon, nervous. The chief.
He winked at her. He’s cool. He’s practically my dad.
Oh! That made Sage even more nervous.
Trevor spotted her. He got out of the truck and came over to them.
“Sage,” he said. “Yesterday—I’m sorry for my assumptions. I was wrong.”
“Thanks,” Sage said simply. She liked Trevor. He seemed like a good leader.
Ella came close with a baby dressed all in yellow in her arms and Burton Risson also walked over with an identical baby dressed all in purple. The baby in yellow babbled non-stop, while the one in purple only watched them.
Burton Risson locked eyes with her. Sage wound her fingers in Canyon’s fur.
“Burton, meet Sage White,” Ella said with a smile. “The newest One True Mate.”
Burton bowed his head and shook her hand. His skin was warm and dry and his hand swallowed hers. “Pleased to meet you, Sage,” he said, his voice rumbling pleasantly. “It’s good to see you’ve joined our team.”
Sage looked down at Canyon. He gave her an I-told-you-so head nod. Sage smiled. “Thank you.”
Across the glade, someone left the tree line, attracting their attention.
“It’s Slinger Van Crimson,” Sage said. “He’s a Citlali.” She bit her tongue against sharing anything about the Vvyndicate, which was not her secret to tell.
Here’s your proof, Canyon said in ruhi and Sage looked to see who he was talking to—Burton.
We told Burton last week there were foxen Citlali. He wanted proof, Canyon told her.
Sage raised her hand in greeting, calling out, “Slinger, over here.” He smiled and walked faster. He was wearing a camouflage suit and tie, with snakeskin boots, and his red hair was impeccably groomed.
Slinger arrived and the group opened up to admit him. Timber and Wulf also came close.
Sage ran over to Slinger, smiling. “I’m so glad you came. Is Dred with you?”
He shook his head. “The rest of the family is dealing with something, so I was sent to represent them.”
“Dealing with…”
He folded his hands. “Something private, for now, please understand.”
“Yes, of course.” Sage’s throat tightened, wondering what was going on. She motioned to the group. “Let me introduce you.”
Slinger nodded, smiling congenially. Sage knew she should start with Burton, since he was the only other Citlali, but she just couldn’t.
“This is my mate, Canyon Wheeling,” she said, touching her big, beautiful wolf on his back
Slinger knelt and extended his hand. Canyon put his paw in it and they shook.
Sage motioned to Burton. “This is Burton.”
“Burton Risson, it’s an honor to meet Serenity’s esteemed Chief of Police,” Slinger said. “Your reputation precedes you.”
Burton stared but kept his arms wrapped around the baby.
“Uh, this is Trevor Burbank,” Sage said quickly. “And Ella, his mate.” Slinger shook hands with Trevor and Ella.
Sage pointed and said, “That’s Mac, Rogue, Timber, and Wulf.”
Mac raised a hand and so did Timber. Rogue lifted her chin like a vod. Wulf’s screen flared orange and white.
“Mr. Van Crimson,” Ella said. “It’s so good to meet you. Would you let my family and I treat you to lunch?”
Slinger seemed pleased. He cast a wary glance at Trevor, and when he saw no hostility there, he nodded. “Call me Slinger,” he said. “And I would be delighted.”
“Wonderful,” Ella said, handing over the baby in her arms. “Will you hold Treena?”
Slinger took the baby expertly. “Of course.”
Ella guided Slinger away, while Trevor looked back at Mac. “Call me if you need me.”
Mac nodded.
The group buckled the babies into their car seats and drove off, then Slinger crossed the glade and melted into the tree line, heading for his car. Sage turned around, triumph on her face. She dropped to her knees to hug Canyon.
“We did it,” she said. “They’re eating together.”
You did it, he said warmly.
Two more trucks drove in, parking where Trevor’s truck had been. Crew drove one while Dahlia waved from the passenger seat. A big male with a shaved head and intense expression drove the other. Next to him sat a female with long dark hair and Polynesian features.
“Hey Mac,” Crew yelled out the window. “Bruin’s back.”
Mac threw his head back and howled like a werewolf, then ripped his shirt in two pieces, whipping the pieces around his head like a helicopter. Rogue laughed and put a hand on his bare chest, then pinched his nipple.
“Damn, Mac,” Timber said. “Nobody wants to see all that.”
“Fuck off,” Mac said. He went to his truck and grabbed another SPD uniform shirt and put it on, then he moved around restlessly.
Crew and Dahlia got out of their vehicle. The back doors opened revealing Reed and Troy, too.
“Where’s Bruin?” Mac asked Crew.
“Coming up—ten minutes behind us.”
“Ten minutes,” Mac picked up a rock and heaved it across the glade, then kicked another one. “What am I gonna do for ten minutes?!”
Rogue pointed him toward a tree. “Climb it or maybe chop it down.”
“No axe,” Mac said.
Rogue shrugged. “Better climb it then.”
Mac pulled his gun out of his holster.
“No Mac,” Crew and Dahlia shouted together.
“Kidding… maybe,” Mac said, reholstering it.
Mac stepped beneath the tree. The lowest branch was a foot above his head. He grabbed on and levered himself up, then climbed up three more branches, yelling down, “Hell yeah, this is awesome!”
Rogue hooked a thumb up at him. “That’ll keep him busy for a few minutes at least.”
Reed came running over and grabbed Sage, pulling her to the end of the line of trucks. Canyon came with, padding silently.
“You have to meet Leilani,” she said, pointing her out.
Leilani came over, smiling sweetly, dressed in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. She hugged Sage. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she said, then stepped aside. “This is Jaggar, my mate. He’s a wolf.”
“Have you heard?” Reed asked. “Your grandma was captured.”
Sage turned a stunned gaze on her. “Abigail White?”
“Yeah. Me and Cerise got her,” Rogue said.
“She escaped, though,” Reed said.
“She what?” Mac yelled from the tree. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“It just happened,” Jaggar yelled back. “That’s why we took so long to get up here.”
Sage backed away from the group, her thoughts in turmoil.
Abigail captured, then escaped. If anything would destroy this burgeoning unification, it would be Abigail White.
Sage checked the vehicles, scenting each for Abigail, making sure she hadn’t caught a ride with anyone. The vehicles all scented clean.
Canyon padded over to her. She knelt and looked him in the face, running her fingers through his fur, speaking in ruhi.
Would you be willing to let a foxen touch you—even smell you?
He shrugged, eerily human-like. Sure.
Sage stood. Thank you.
They walked toward the forest on the other side, Sage scanning for foxes. She guided them close to a large group of them but stopped Canyon twenty feet away from the trees.
I want them to show their faces and come out of the forest, she said. And I have to tell them Abigail’s been captured and escaped. They need to know.
He nodded. I’ll back you up.
She smiled. I know it.
“Come out,” Sage called to the foxes in the trees. “Come out and meet my mate.”
No one came. Foxes chittered and laughed and jumped over one another, but no one broke the tree line.
“Abigail has been captured,” Sage called.
“But she’s also escaped. She’s been up to secretive things and the vod want to talk to her, but that doesn’t have to involve anyone else.
The vod are not here for you.” Sage looked around.
Across the glade, only Timber and Wulf were paying them any attention.
The others were talking amongst themselves.
“The bluff is covered with magical protections,” she said.
She could feel them, Abigail’s magical spells laid every which way, with vvyst ready to act under the right circumstances.
“Stay up the bluff. The vod understand now—you are only hiding from Khain. If he comes, go in the hole.”
Foxes chittered softly to each other, then a fox left the trees and approached her.
Sage smiled, recognizing him immediately. “Dex, come meet my mate.”
Canyon laid down on his belly and put his head on his paws. Dex crept forward slowly, chest and muzzle close to the ground, tail out long, eyes on the wolf.
Sage knelt. “Scent his renqua please, Dex. Tell me what you smell.”
The fox crept forward, his red and white tail swishing, then he darted in quickly, touched the wolf on the back with a dark paw, then darted away again. Canyon did not move. Dex darted in again, pressed his nose to the renqua, then ran off.
It’s fox fur, the orange circle is fox fur, he yelled, jumping over foxes in his way and running in a mad circle. Smell it, smell it, it’s fox fur.
Sage grinned. Canyon lifted his head and met her eyes. Really?
She nodded, smiling wider. Really.
Timber came over. “Lemme see.” He bent and pressed his nose to Canyon’s renqua, sniffing audibly. “Shit,” he said. “It sure is.”
Canyon met Sage’s eyes and spoke in private ruhi. We don’t know who our dad is.
She shook her head. I’m not saying he’s part-foxen, although anything’s possible. I think your renqua was a gift from Rhen to foxen.
Canyon whuffed, seeming pleased.
Across the glade gunshots rang out. Sage crouched and Canyon looked that way. The foxes in the trees scattered, disappearing from sight.
“Fucking clowns,” Timber said, striding across the ravine toward them. “They’re shooting targets. I’ll tell ‘em to knock it off.”
Sage stared into the forest, her heart sinking. No foxes were visible. Nobody said a word. Not one leaf in the forest moved.
A truck drove in near the others, calling her attention. Canyon took a few steps that way.
Let’s see who it is, he said.
Sage followed, picking her way around boulders and avoiding the ravine in the center.
The male driving wore a camouflage baseball cap, and the female in the passenger seat was a strawberry-blonde with a baby face.
Sage watched her get out and the other females swarmed her.
She had a hand on her belly, and then the males came over, too, talking animatedly.
Beckett and Cerise, Canyon said. Her power is mind-control.
Wow, Sage breathed. She can mind-control shiften?
Yeah, but not for long. She says it’s easier with humans.
As Sage and Canyon drew closer, they heard her talking. The group had circled around her and was hanging on her every word. “It was all my fault.”
“Nah,” Beckett said. “Not you, darlin’.”
“Not your fault,” Troy agreed.
“We’re all responsible. I should’ve been in the room with you.”
Dahlia looked at Cerise’s still-flat belly. “How’s the baby?”
Cerise rubbed her belly. “Rowan says the baby is fine.”
Sage and Canyon approached the group. Reed saw her and pointed. “Look, here’s Sage. Sage, this is Cerise and Beckett!”
Cerise smiled at Sage and opened her arms. Sage smiled back, hugging her. Beckett tipped his hat.
Another truck drove in with Serenity Fire Department down the side, the rear windows tinted.
“Bruin,” several males yelled.
They parted for him to drive in. Sage recognized the driver—Bruin Bloom, Conri’s twin and Serenity’s newest fire chief.
His mate Willow sat next to him—both of them wearing the same clothes she’d seen them in the day before.
Willow waved, smiling. Sage waved back. Bruin parked and got out of the truck.
“TEDDY MCFUZZY!” Mac shouted from above.
Bruin looked up and shaded his eyes, a grin on his face.
“Catch me, catch me!” Mac leapt from the tree, falling into Bruin’s open arms. They went down in a heap, rolling on the ground.
“Mac!” Bruin shouted.
“Bru!” Mac shouted.
They rolled and hugged and wrestled and punched each other. Sage laughed, catching Willow’s eye and waving.
Something caught her eye in the trees. A fox? She moved closer and thought she saw at least one, maybe two.
The back window of Bruin’s truck rolled down and Conri appeared, smiling sheepishly at Sage.
Canyon saw him. He growled, long and loud, and crouched for a leap.
“Oh shit,” Timber said.
Canyon launched himself at the truck. Conri ducked and rolled the window up. Canyon hit the door and bounced off, leaving a massive dent in the metal.
“Canyon!” Mac shouted, getting up and running to grab Canyon around the middle, levering him and throwing him on the ground. Canyon flipped and landed on his feet, growling, then attacked the door handle with his teeth.
Sage backed away, her hands to her mouth. The few foxen in the trees made a break for it.
“We better go,” Bruin said, eyes wide, jumping in the driver’s seat and driving so fast rocks flew in their wake, leaving the wolf behind.
“We’re coming,” Mac shouted. He motioned to Rogue and they jumped in their own truck and followed.
Sage stared after them, feeling lightheaded and hollow.