Chapter 26
I’d been sitting hunched over on my sofa for the better part of an hour, my forearms pressed to my thighs.
The faintest sounds that were normally background noise, put me further on edge.
The faint hum of the street lamps outside, the ticking of the wall clock in my kitchen, the couch creaking from my bouncing legs.
Images of Aurora’s maker, though I had no idea what he looked like, forcing her to drink his blood had me punching a pillow.
As soon as the moon’s passage opened, I’d storm through it and immediately tear him to shreds.
The terrified look on Soma’s face when she realized what I was up against sobered me.
Her maker would be powerful. It would do my mate no service for me to charge in there, claws blazing, and potentially get myself killed or fatally wounded.
This required strategic planning. The Shaman confirmed she’d stick around, ensuring the passage stayed open long enough for us. She also said she needed to have a conversation with Aurora. Alone she had specified, which admittedly intrigued me.
“Best plan I got, Waffles,” I said to the zombie pug flopped onto his butt in front of me, wagging his little curly tail.
I ruffled the dog’s head and pushed off my knees to stand.
The plan was simple, albeit the best one I had, given it was shifters versus an archaic vampire.
We would bank on sheer numbers. I reckoned he wouldn’t be prepared for the werewolf either, which was why I’d do my best to save it as a surprise.
First, though, I’d talk to Ash. He was more familiar with Aurora than anyone and had knowledge of Morcant.
Before heading to the Cove, I stopped to stare at the couch.
The comforter from Aurora’s nesting lay rumpled across it.
The aroma of arousal still permeated the air.
Nesting. I hadn’t lost my mind when I thought that’s what I’d walked into that day.
Her shifter blood reacted to me. Her presence around me put her into some kind of pre-heat.
All of it happened because she was my mate.
“I’m fixin’ to get your mama back,” I said to Waffles, leaving him a heaping bowl of raw meat. He’d probably scarf through it in one sitting, but it would hopefully keep him full for a bit. “You be a good boy.”
The pug let out a yip, which I took for canine understanding.
After hanging my hat on the peg by the door, I headed outside to my bike.
I’d been further into Arcane Cove more times in the last week than I had been all year.
I didn’t care. Aurora’s bar was there, which meant I’d be frequenting it more often.
I’d barely killed the engine before leaping off the motorcycle and barreling inside. Though my werewolf had me going feral, I set my jaw, trying to keep as calm as I could manage. My palms smacked into the swinging door, gaze narrowing in on the bar where Ash served drinks.
It didn’t take long for him to spot me. I stood out like a mule in a horse pasture as I prowled through the tables, my fists clenched at my sides.
Ash’s feelers rotated toward me, and he ended the conversation with a customer. He pressed two of his hands to the bar’s edge, his eyes wide with concern. “Has something happened to Aurora?”
“Yes,” I clipped through gritted teeth.
Ash’s lips thinned. He turned to a male warlock with silver hair, currently wiping down glasses. “Watch the bar for me. I’ll be right back.”
The mothman gestured for me to follow. I leapt over the bar, not caring that a few customers shrieked. My boots didn’t touch their drinks or them. We moved into the back storage room.
“Ash, fucking Morcant took her,” I seethed, carving my hands through my hair.
Ash blanched. “Morcant? Why?”
“Hoped you might have information on that.” The cramped storage room became stifling. I paced back and forth in front of him.
The mothman frowned and beat two hands together. “My understanding is limited to what Aurora has shared, which has been minimal. She has nothing but bad memories of him. Doesn’t like to dig them up.”
“Has to be something. Maybe more recently?” A tickle traveled through my nose, the back of my neck itching.
Ash kept tapping two hands together, using a third to stroke his chin. “Besides the blood shortages, what else—” He snapped the fingers on his fourth hand. “Erebus.”
I stopped walking. The itch drove me crazy enough to scratch it with my claws. “Erebus? The primordial Greek?”
“Yes. He brought up her maker to her the other day because they share shadow magic. Maybe you should speak with him?”
The Greeks. Why did it always have to be the godsdamned Greeks?
“You know where he is?”
Ash’s feelers flicked. “Right outside.” He gestured at the storage door with two hands.
“He’s here?” I pointed at the floor.
Ash nodded vigorously.
As I stormed for the exit, I said, “Thanks, Ash.”
“Find her, Harkin. Bring her back.”
I gave him a firm nod. The swinging door swung wildly on its hinges when I crashed through it, my nose poised for the scent of primordial. Erebus sat alone in a corner booth, a single martini glass resting in front of him.
With swift steps, I stood in front of his table, blocking his view of the MMA match he’d been watching. “Before you curse me to the shadows, this concerns Aurora.”
A scowl pulled at Erebus’ features the moment his gaze landed on me, his shadows already rising. Once I mentioned her name, his face softened, the shadows settling. “What about her?”
“Her maker took her. I need help gettin’ her back.” My chest heaved with heavy breaths.
Erebus and I hadn’t had many encounters, but in the few there were, our animosity toward each other had been obvious. It was much the same with most shifters and any of the Greek gods that had been cursed with other forms.
“What would you have me do, exactly?” Erebus traced a tanned finger around the rim of his glass, dark eyes challenging me.
That fucking tic sparked in my cheek. I slid a hand down my beard. “I don’t fuckin’ know? You both have shadow magic.”
Erebus nodded thoughtfully, strands of his black hair falling over his gaze. “If you need my help, I’ll be there at the right time.”
My hackles rose, a snarl gathering in my chest. “If you’re needed?”
The primordial’s shadows circled the table, moving closer to me. “Careful, wolf. I said what I’m willing to offer.”
Ignoring his godsdamned smoke cloud, I slammed my palms to the table. “Listen, Bus Boy. I need your word that I can count on you if my pack isn’t enough. If—” What I needed to say stuck to my tongue like caramel, but I’d swallow my pride for her. Anything to get her back. “—if I’m not enough.”
Erebus tilted his head to the side as if dissecting me. Probably fucking was. “When the time is right, Harkin.”
Pushing away from the table, I dropped my arms to my sides. “Fine. Got no choice but to count on your riddles.”
“You’re lucky I like your mate, Harkin. I sure as hells wouldn’t be doing this for you.”
How he surmised she was my mate without my saying, without us claiming it, was the least of my worries.
“Don’t give a rat’s ass. Just make this about her. We’ll deal with our bullshit later.”
Erebus gave a slow nod.
About as satisfied as I was going to get, I hurried for the exit to mount my bike.
The ride back to the clubhouse had me clenching the handlebars, working the throttle harder than usual.
While I genuinely hoped we wouldn’t even need Erebus, he had better stick to his word.
I’d find a way to tear him from this universe if anything happened to her, primordial shit stain or not.
When I pulled into the parking lot, dozens of other bikes were already there.
Most of the pack had convened by the time I walked in, Phelan, Kaida, and Garrick sitting upfront.
The Elders grouped in a corner, ready to police my plan, considering who it centered on.
The Shaman, gods bless her, was also in attendance despite my telling her she didn’t have to be.
The conversation hushed to a silence when they heard me walk in. I kept my gaze forward, my expression neutral. When I reached the podium, I curled my hands so tightly on the edges that the wood split.
“Everyone, before I get into the details of our newest mission, I reckon an official announcement is in order.” I set my jaw.
It unnerved me. I was about to tell my pack before I’d had the chance to tell her, but I needed the Elders’ support to recruit most of the shifters. It needed to happen now. This also meant I must tell them about her shifter bloodline. I only hoped she forgave me for it.
The Shaman smiled and gave me a thumb’s up.
“Aurora, the vampire most of you have met in the past week, was a shifter before she was turned.” Pausing, I let the gasps and scattered, whispering conversations die out. “I realize y’all probably have a lot of questions, but we don’t have the time to answer them. Save it for later.”
The Elders were still chattering amongst themselves. I fought not to rub my temple where a deep-rooted pain formed.
“I tell you all this now because I confirmed that Aurora—” The yellow quartz lit in my gaze. “—is my mate.”
The quiet conversations turned into an outright uproar. The announcement pleased some shifters, confused others, and enraged a select few.
One Elder marched forward and pointed a stern finger at me. “We cannot accept this. You are Alpha, Harkin. Your mate should be a shifter, not some hybrid abomination.”
My pulse became erratic. “Elder, you’re lucky you have a high-ranking authority. Otherwise, I’d have made an example of you for such slanderous words about the alpha’s mate.”
The Elder bristled, raising his hand near his face as if that would protect him from my would-be wrath.
The Shaman shoved past the Elder, slapping his shoulder as she passed. “As this pack’s representative of moon law, I can confirm this mateship is sound, blessed by the moon, and will still uphold the alpha duties of this pack.”
It will?
A dozen thoughts rattled through my brain, but I couldn’t afford to sift through them. I had to get Aurora back, or none of this would matter.
Soma glowered at the Elder. “You cannot deny moon-blessed mates no matter how much you dislike her upbringing.”
The Elder visibly shook with irritation. His top lip curled before he sulked back to the rest of them.
“Thanks, Soma.” I patted her shoulder. “Quiet down,” I barked, striking everyone into silence. “My mate’s been taken. I’m commanding most of you to help me get her back.”
Phelan raised his hand. “What exactly are we up against, Alpha?”
“Aurora’s maker. He’s a powerful, ancient vampire. Our only chance of stoppin’ him is by combating with our numbers. With our pack instincts.”
“And your werewolf?” Kaida asked, anticipation, but also a bit of fear dancing in her dark eyes.
My grip tightened on the podium. “Yes. I’ll be waitin’ until the right moment. After that night, I’ve gotten a better handle on it.”
“Who’s all going?” A random wolf asked from somewhere in the crowd.
Examining my pack, I zeroed in on a select few.
“Everyone except for Jade and those who sided with her the other night.” I pointed to every other shifter who’d seethed at her that night when the others did as I asked.
“Can’t trust any of you to do what needs to be done once we’re there.
Given this lack of trust, when this is over, I’ll be havin’ individual conversations with each of you. ”
More conversations sparked. I didn’t give a damn.
“Phelan, Kaida, and Garrick will enter with me as initial backup. The rest will hold until I give the signal. Everyone understand the plan?” I raised my voice, waiting to hear a “yes, Alpha,” from every shifter under my command.
Satisfied, I led my pack to the woods, ignoring how genuinely pissed off the Elders appeared. The Shaman gleefully glided past them, keeping to my side. When we were in the instructed clearing, Soma stood ready to call on the moon’s blessing.
“There’s something else I must tell you about opening the portal, Alpha.” Soma folded her hands behind her.
“There a reason you didn’t tell me before?” I arched a brow.
The Shaman nodded. “Yes. It has to be spontaneous. From the heart. An offering.”
I ground my canines together. “What’s the catch?”
“It has to be something you risk not getting back. If your connection with Aurora is as you say it is, if you succeed, then it will be returned to you.” Soma ran the beaded necklaces between her wrinkled fingers.
With my chin lowered, I made a single claw spring out. Nodding, I snapped it off, grunting as blood leaked from my finger before healing over. “If my bond with Aurora isn’t true, Soma, the moon can have my were.”
It was risky, the threat of losing what made me the most powerful, but I felt confident it wouldn’t happen.
“Alpha,” Phelan called out, stepping forward.
When I tossed him a “not now” glare over my shoulder, he immediately backed off.
Soma’s eyes brightened as she took the claw. “You risk much. This will more than suffice.”
With my claw clenched in her grasp, the Shaman used her magic to call for the moon’s blessing. A white, shimmering rectangle with jagged, blurred edges appeared.
“I might request leaving at least one shifter behind with me in case things get squirrelly on our side of things,” Soma said.
Curtly nodding, I said, “Jacob, when I give the word, stay with the Shaman instead.”
“Understood, Alpha.”
The werewolf already clawed at my brain to break free. As I calmed my racing heart, I stepped through the portal with my three lieutenants riding at my heels.