Page 318 of Alpha Mates

I grimace. I want that too, more than anything, but we’d lose the chance at any of that if we took stupid risks.

“We have a Council warrior here, and others on the way, Aiden,” I remind him, trying to rein him in. “We’re testing fate just being up here with Katerina.”

“There’s no law against knowing witches,” he counters. “If there were, we would’ve never gone out there to look for her.”

“Sure, but I highly doubt the Council would be fine with us knowing the witch that slaughtered her entire coven.” I glance at Katerina. “No offence.”

She raises a hand. “None taken. But they still don’t know it was me.”

“We could be back before anyone even notices we’re gone,” Aiden insists, nowhere near giving in. “Just the two of us, if you’re worried about the warrior. Emitt and Beckett can keep her distracted.”

“That’s even more foolish,” I groan. “Just us and Katerina?”

“That’s more than enough if somethingdoeshappen—which it won’t,” he counters. “Katerina on her own is a fucking tank.”

“That was before she used all her energy to deal with her own issues, Aiden. And you can’t just offer her up like that. You haven’t even asked.”

“She doesn’t mind,” Aiden says without a modicum of hesitation, as if he knows with one hundred per cent certainty that she’d be willing to perform a whole recon mission when she’d only just told us she was leaving. “Do you?”

We both glance at her. She looks a little stunned for a moment, then shrugs. “I mean, not really. Plus, I may be down on the dark magic side, but I’m full tank on the ancestral front. I’m the only one left to receive it, ’cause, you know … they’re all, like, dead.”

“Perfect!” Aiden hoots, while I slide a hand over my face and silently pray to Goddess for wisdom.

“We called a meeting, Aiden,” I remind him. “We have to prepare for it—prepare others for it.”

“We’ll be back in a flash,” he promises like he’s the magical one.

“I could get us close without anyone sensing us,” Katerina adds, looking between us. “As long you guys stay quiet and don’t do anything.”

“Would you be able to do that?” I ask Aiden’s directly. “Would you be able to sit still and do nothing if you saw a nest full of rogues right in front of you?”

He doesn’t answer right away. Not because he doesn’t like the question, but because he actually has to think about it before answering.

Rogues were Aiden’s trigger. The mere mention of them stoked his rage, and while I know he’s eager to unleash it when wedoface them, this isn’t the day. Pulling off a scouting mission without anyone knowing meant he couldn’t so much as growl, and I didn’t know if Aidencoulddo that.

“Yes,” he answers after a long moment. “I can.”

“You can?” I challenge, and he nods.

“I can, because anything else would put the pack in danger—putyouin danger—and I’m not willing to take that chance.”

My heart thunders, beating faster like it might leap out of my chest for him. I blow out a breath and I shake my head. “This is a stupid decision, but I know you’ll go alone if I say no.”

Aiden grins, then glances at Katerina, who gives him a thumbs up. She’s back to her usual smiling self, and I can’t tell if that’s because of this impromptu mission or something else entirely.

“In and out,” I say, looking between them. “We’ll take a look, and then we’ll come back. I want to be standing right here in five minutes.”

“Yes, Dad,” Katerina drawls, rolling her eyes, her usual boredom and sass making a full return as Aiden smirks.

“Are we teleporting again?” he asks with a grimace that Katerina matches.

“Yes, but last time you threw up so …” She twists her lips before crooking a finger. “I’ll make sure there’s nothing to come out.” Both Aiden and I stall, not exactly enthused about how that phrasing, and Katerina groans. “It won’t hurt. And I’ve already been in your head, so what’s there to be afraid of?”

Reluctantly, I follow Aiden’s lead and step forward until we’re close enough for Katerina to place a hand over each of our abdomens. Warmth spreads from her palm and into my body—then immediate hunger takes its place.

“What the hell?” Aiden grumbles as Katerina draws her hand away. “Why would you have a spell like that on deck?”

“So no one can force you to throw anything up,” she replies. But before I can question the morbidity of that statement, she beams at us. “Ready? Set. Let’s go.”