Page 5

“Are you here to stay a while?” she asked as she sat back, set down her tool, and brushed the dirt from her hands.

“Your father should return from his early flight soon, and I was about to start the morning meal. Eilidh is training on the evening shift with Comm, so I am sure she will not be up before late afternoon.”

Shifting to his male form, Aodh crouched beside her. “Not this time, Mother. I have responsibilities today I cannot put off long.”

When he first assumed the Mckenna position, he spent many mornings with them searching for advice from his father, afraid he would do something wrong.

Soon, with his parents' unwavering confidence in him, allowing him to talk out loud through things on his mind and arriving at the best decision for the Thunder on his own helped bolster his confidence, and his visits lessened significantly.

“A Mckenna’s work is never done. I remember the decades your father served.” When she began to rise to her feet, Aodh assisted her.

“I am old, Aodh, not frail.” She teased but still took his hand. “I could still best half this Thunder in the ring.”

“I believe it since you trained Khuzaimah to take your place as a trainer.” Aodh chuckled.

His mother was as fierce as she was lovely.

She had the same dark hair as him, but her features were soft, whereas his and Liekki’s were more angular and sharp like their father's.

His sister Eilidh was his mother's replica except for the heavy grey streaks in his mother's hip-length long hair.

“Don’t you forget it.” She stared at him with the same assessing gaze he gave her. “Since you have little time, I assume this visit has a specific purpose.”

“Yes, it does.” Aodh exhaled. “At week's end, I will bring Kai to the house for the evening meal.”

“It is time now, isn’t it?” Her gaze held two twin lilac flames.

He felt the joy radiating through her scales. “Yes.”

They both knew that before this moment, he couldn’t have presented Kai before his parents. However, it was required now that Kai was swelling with the next generation of Drahk.

“We will see you soon. I’m sure Kai will have a lot of questions for you.”

“I recalled carrying you, my firstborn, and all my questions for my mother.” She set her hands on her hips and let out a low chuckle.

Momentarily, he stared away, afraid his mother would not understand his mate’s worries. “Yes, but Kai being human—”

His mother’s hand on his forearm drew his gaze back.

“I know, Aodh. I promise to be gentle with her. These are strange times now.” Brenna tilted her head to the side, causing her long locks to slide over her shoulder.

“Imagine your mate being someone the great Spirit brought to you without the aid of the serum mark to show her to you.”

“I know. Strange.” Aodh never really considered how he had identified her at first sight.

“She must be one extraordinary female.”

The thought of Kai brought a slow smile to his face as he felt the heat flowing through his scales.

“Cornflower blue... Interesting.” His mother turned and headed toward the front door. “See you in a few days, son.”

Aodh refused to analyze the unique color of his scales. He wasn’t ready to label the feelings growing inside of him for Kai yet; instead, he shifted and took flight toward his office to start his day.

~YH~

“It appears that our day of reckoning has come.” Bleddyn strutted beside him toward the ethereal beings standing together practically shoulder to shoulder.

A fine mist surrounded them, giving the people an ominous appearance, and they stood quiet before Duko and the other Fang Warriors.

All the warriors were in wolf form, except Duko, and lined up on most visitors.

A dense, vibrant, glossy, green-three-leafed plant with oval-shaped pointy tips covered the ground around the warriors' feet.

Chanin held a palm out to Rudie, his assistant, to halt her progress. It hadn’t shocked him that she was waiting outside the containment building when he, Bleddyn, and Boris exited. Rudie was a bold and brave she-wolf, but he didn’t need her involved if something went awry.

Boris joined the line, creating an even match-up. At the same time, Bleddyn remained at Chanin’s side.

Without the mist and plants, the two groups gathered would have looked like they were about to play a friendly game. However, the heavy tension in the air ruined that effect.

“Iskah, I understand your anger. However, surrounding my pack members with poison ivy is no way to start an amiable conversation.” Chanin plowed a path through the ivy and his Fang Warriors until he was before the Fae Queen.

She stepped close to him but not over into his territory. “There is nothing social about my visit, Chanin, as you know.”

The controlled anger was evident in the tight lines around Iskah’s mouth, and her tone made it clear to him that the Fae was using all her strength to keep the ferocity of her magic reigned in.

However, he was thankful for the mutual respect they had built over the years that he could credit for her restraint.

“Yes, I do. First, let me start with an apology. Even though the foul actions were that of some rogue wolves, they still came from those within my territory and who were formerly a part of my pack and blood.” Having to admit any connection to Farkas made Chanin's gut tighten and heat. He couldn’t wait until he had a chance to extinguish his cousin’s existence on earth.

Iskah drew in a sharp breath, but some fine lines disappeared.

The ivy also retreated from around his men, drawing back into the soft mist that now only hovered around the feet of the Fae.

“Thank you for the apology. I will tell you that I was disappointed with such a situation, and I expected a call from you directly.”

Chanin nodded. “It would have been right to do given the extreme circumstances. However, my second in command is more than capable of standing in my stead.” He angled his head toward Bleddyn, who stood beside him. “I needed to handle something I had delayed for long enough.”

He wasn’t trying to keep it from the Fae Queen that he had gone to retrieve his mate; it wasn’t the reason she had come to his territory, and Morlie was more appropriate to discuss at the next council meeting.

“How are the teens? Still, well, I hope.”

“Yes. Physically, but... it will take some time for them to get past the ordeal mentally.” Iskah shook her head and ran a hand over her hair. “However, did you know some of their blood was withdrawn?”

“I just learned it was something Farkas wanted to do. However, I didn’t know they did it.” Chanin was pissed off again at Valko. A short, deep growl came out.

All the Fae went on guard, and the force of their power pressed against them. It began to lift, and she became a shimmering shield between the wolves and Fae.

The Fangs’ fur rose along the center of their backs.

Iskah slowly raised a hand, and the shield dropped instantly.

“Heel,” Chanin commanded his warriors. “Forgive me. I lost myself. My cousin is causing all this, which is personal to me on many levels.”

“It is understandable.” Iskah, who never flinched at his response, proved why the council had elected her as the judiciary. More than five centuries old, even if she appeared around forty in human years, she wasn’t given to hot, raw emotions like most shifters.

Iskah continued their original conversation, “As you know, we do not participate in the serum exchange with the humans.”

The reminder grated some along Chanin's nerves, only because it was a haughty reminder that the Fae did not experience any ill effects from the catastrophes.

Besides, their unprecedented pain and dulling of their earth powers as the natural environment shifted drastically.

The quakes, hurricanes, and extreme global tsunamis took over a year to cease.

But the Fae were among the first to right themselves when it did.

“Yes.”

“Our powers, even in the smallest form, should not be gained or wielded without understanding and proper training.” Iskah tipped her head and met his gaze. “If the humans get their hands on it. It could be disastrous in ways none of us could comprehend.”

This time, Chanin swallowed back the growl that began. This situation was more extensive than he’d imagined.

“Knowing this, maybe we can get more information from Valko.”

“Valko?” Iskah tilted her head, her brows pinched.

“One of the rogue wolves. So you know, all the others have been taken care of except for Farkas, their leader.” He balled his hands up into fists but released them fast so as not to cause another interaction between the two groups.

“We have scouts and teams out searching for him. He won’t hide for long. ”

“Alright.” Iskah nodded. “I want to see this Valko.”

Chanin saw the darkening of the Fae’s features as the ground rumbled slightly beneath their feet.

A few wolves stared at the ground, sidestepped, and snapped their teeth.

Usually, feeling the earth shift a little under Chanin’s feet would have made him uneasy, but he knew Iskah’s energy was causing it, so he was nonplussed. Just like his growl earlier, he understood sometimes it was hard to restrain the emotions that rose quickly to the surface.

He thought of Iskah’s question, even though he made a point to personally handle it in most circumstances when it came to doling out discipline or interrogating wolves in his pack.

However, their situation wasn’t usual, and Valko wasn’t one of his. He, Farkas, and all the other rogue wolves chose to be an enemy of the Omega Pack.

“I’ll allow it.” Chanin declared. If such a violation were brought against two innocent ones in his Pack, he would want the individual brought before him to exact his punishment. Perhaps she could draw more information from Valko.

“And those from my court?” She gestured toward her people, still holding the line from the Drakh territory.