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“No, you don’t. And as I told you when you showed up and begged me to let you, I don’t need you here. So, if that is your threat, you are free to leave. But don’t expect me to keep your family updated. You all lost the right to updates about a decade ago, and this was meant to be an olive branch after what you did to help Nolan.”

Elliott looked at the table, his jaw clenched and his knuckles white.

“Whose Alina?” Astrid asked, her voice soft because she knew it was a question she shouldn’t ask.

“Don’t worry about it, Astrid. Just focus on why we are here so that I don’t end up saying things that I will only marginally regret.”

Elliott was now looking at her, his eyes flashing behind his glasses. “No. It’s a good question. Just like it’s a good question to ask who Evander is.”

It was Astrid’s turn to feel anger. She looked at Phoenix, who was looking at her without any particular expression. Hegave off the impression that he was just waiting to see what she would say.

Her nostrils flared once, but Astrid then looked at Elliott. “Evander’s my brother. He died two decades ago while serving in the military.”

Elliott sat back. “I’m – I’m sorry to hear that. So that’s why you are here.”

She nodded but then looked at Phoenix. “The problem is that I never told him that.”

Chapter 4

A Little Too Much

Elliott just sighed. “He knows a lot about everyone. Unlike most shifters, he’s also got abilities beyond shifting and healing.”

“So… it’s not normal for someone to be both a shifter and to have some kind of gift?”

Phoenix looked at her with his passive expression, but Elliott said, “No. Not usually. Some types of animals are more prone to it, like cats and wolves, but that’s more to do with their lifestyles.”

Trying to look surprised, Astrid asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Elliot cocked his head and looked up, “wolves are very pack-driven.” He looked at her. “They have abilities that help to make that bond very tight. The alphas are able to communicate without being anywhere close to other shifters. This one alpha contacted a cat up in space and helped get him home safely. And cats, well, they tend to mate with anything. It creates a world of problems, too.”

Phoenix’s eyes flicked over to Elliott and then back to Astrid as if looking for a reaction. Astrid tried to keep her focus on Elliott. “What do you mean they mate with anything?”

“Shifters tend to stick with their own kind. Bears with bears, wolves with wolves, that kind of thing. And when they don’t, you get a real mixed bag of possibilities. Dragons are the most…” he moved a hand around in a circle. “Potent is probably the best word. But only a handful of families have women who can shift into dragons. I think I know of a dozen throughout all of our history – and I only learned about one of those recently.”

Phoenix coughed into his hand, and Astrid looked at him, suspecting that he was covering for a laugh, but she quickly looked back to Elliott. He seemed to be incrediblyknowledgeable, and unlike Phoenix, he wasn’t asking for anything in return.

Initially, Phoenix didn’t want anything either. Then again, he seems to already know a lot without me saying a damn thing.

“Anyway, dragon women tend to marry humans because, for a long time, they were shunned for not being powerful. Unless they had a very useful power, then they were married off to improve the family’s standing.”

“What?” Astrid looked mortified.

Elliott shrugged. “My family wasn’t like that. I only learned that was what it was like after finally leaving home. Personally, I can’t imagine what it would be like to have such a heartless family, but apparently, they are still around. As Coop always says, just because someone isn’t powerful doesn’t mean that person isn’t capable. The number of amazing women I’ve met while traveling has shown me why Cooper has always been so protective of them.”

A soft smile shone in his eyes, and he looked sweet. “When I’m finally ready to settle down, I hope that I can be half the shifter he is.”

Phoenix leaned forward, “You aren’t going to return to Sexton?”

Elliott turned a little, then shook his head. “It would be unwise.”

“Even if…” Phoenix narrowed his eyes.

Elliott’s expression hardened. “Even if what?”

Phoenix exhaled hard but didn’t fill in the gaps.

Astrid brushed some hair out of her face, “I’m sure you can be even better than Cooper. I mean, the fact that you can appreciate what he’s done and have a desire to emulate him says a lot of good things about you.”