Page 118 of Shrouded in the Dark

Seth and Wyn laughed while Axel offered a smile. Jasper and Cody were quiet, looking at my mother in horror.

Mom placed her hands on her hips, very similar to the way Milly had earlier. “I can. It’s my job as your mother. You!” She pointed at Seth, whose smile turned a little predatorial. “Answer the question.”

Seth stepped forward, his hands going into his pockets. “We aren’t.”

What? Now it was my turn to look on in horror. My mom began to tap her left foot as she waited for him to continue.

“Your daughter is a brilliant, talented, and breathtakingly beautiful woman. She has a bright future ahead of her, and we’re going to support her the best way we can. There’s no one who would be worthy of her.” Seth looked at me for a few seconds while he said that. “It won’t stop us from protecting her. She’s ours now and we won’t let her go.”

Mom’s brow went up. “Well.” She looked at Gary, who grinned. “I guess you were right, hunny.” She glanced back at Seth. “Alright. Now, let’s get those snacks and get comfortable. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long night.” She moved to help Gary.

I went over to Seth. “You didn’t have to answer her, you know that, right?”

His eyes softened, his hair catching the light. “Yes, I did.” He brushed his fingertips along my cheek. “You’re everything to us.” His lips caressed mine briefly. “We’re not going anywhere. Even if your mother is scary.” This, he whispered dramatically and loud enough for everyone to hear.

I giggled as the twins laughed as my mom scoffed.

* * *

Wyn

As Gary moved with his wife in the kitchen, I motioned to him that I was going to be on the phone and went out into the backyard. My animal was restless. We’d woken that morning to a text from Felicity that made us both wary.

They attacked the Fae’s headquarters and lost. Now Dad wants to mobilize everyone for the retaliation that’s going to be coming. He said they’re going to put me in the first defense squad.

I hadn’t responded. I had immediately called Gary before anyone else had woken. The resistance was aware of the attack and making plans.

“Is it finally war?” The sun hadn’t even started to rise yet.

“I think it’s close. Attacking the Fae was stupid. Suicidal at the current numbers that each group has. The Venandi’s numbers have been drastically dropping the past few decades. Even your aunt had mentioned it when I worked for them, attacking the Fae was something they never planned to do until shifters were wiped out. Have you heard from them?” Gary had whispered this, as he had stayed in his room and hadn’t wanted to wake Becca’s mom up.

That was the troubling thing. Besides the annoying calls before I’d sent the head of the rogue to them, I hadn’t heard shit. No demands to come back home. If they’d planned something so violent, they’d have called me.

Unless they suspected something. Shit. Had I fucked up somehow and hadn’t realized? I’d woken Seth after the call and shared my concerns. We knew from Becca’s conversation, and confirming it with Gary, that something had happened in Little Rock.

“Whatever is happening, our number one priority is our family.” Seth hadn’t said much after that.

As I looked at my phone, I cursed softly as I hit the call button. My cousin answered on the second ring.

“Wyn?” She sounded exhausted.

“Hey, cus, how’s it shakin’?” I focused on the background noise on her end to make sure it was just her and no one else was in the room. There wasn’t anyone with her that I could sense.

“You’re so weird.” I could hear a smile in her voice. “Why didn’t you text me back?”

“Sorry, chickie. I don’t have that great of service out here. What did your dad say?” I was hoping we had a little bit of time to prepare. Becca didn’t even have any self-defense training, I hadn’t had the chance to start it yet. “Did he say why they attacked them?”

“You know he wouldn’t tell me that. I know there was a meeting, but only the higher ups were in it.” There was the sound of rustling clothes. “There was a visitor two weeks ago. He wasn’t from the states. When he left, Mom and Dad became really frantic, then this happened.”

A visiting hunter from Europe perhaps? They were even more harsh on that side of the world against anything supernatural. It sounded like the only way I was going to find out the reason for attack on the Fae was to talk to my aunt. That would wait until after speaking with Gary and the rest of the group. They needed to learn what was going on.

“Alright. Whatever is happening, it’s getting dangerous.” I winced, knowing that I was going to be in such trouble when Becca learned what I was about to do. “I’ll come get you. Think you can hold on for another forty-eight hours?”

Felicity’s voice went even softer. She was only a few years younger than me, but her heart was so young. “I’ll have to. Thanks, Wyn.”

“Just stay under their radar. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I hung up and rubbed the bridge of my nose. This was getting complicated and even more dangerous.

* * *