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Armaros’s lips curled in the corners as he banked his hunger. “Simply an inquiry. Don’t get your scales all up, dragon boys.”

Aodh chose to ignore the nettling leader and instead focused back on the wolf-shifter.

Chanin’s frown was deep, and his words came out rough. “I will look into the matter and deal with the rogues personally.”

“Never doubted you would.” Aodh declared. Waiting for a beat before he continued, he asked. “Is there an issue with your Pack's food supply? If you need assistance—”

“My Pack is nowhere near starving if that is what you’re implying.” Chanin’s words were barely audible as he forced them through a growl.

“We’re all separate, but we’re all still one in the battle of survival.” Aodh shared, then let the discussion drop, trusting his Thunder would not have any more problems.

“If there are no other issues, we’ll start with the numbers reports.” Iskah changed the subject.

“My coven is growing in numbers, slower than usual, as you know. But since our laws forbid us from being invited into the human encampment...” Armaros rolled a thin shoulder beneath his blood-red-and-black-striped suit jacket. “What are we to do but wait our turn.”

Marceline, the Vampire’s second, let out a loud hissing sigh as if she could not contain her aggravation.

The dramatics of Vampires. Aodh shook his head as he heard his brother’s low chuckle behind him.

“Armaros, your coven got the last two transports. Since it only takes a bite and a day to add another to your kind, we don’t need your fucking complaint,” Chanin growled.

“It’s only right since no one here has suffered in numbers as we have.” Armaros slammed his fist down on the table.

It was true. When the humans detonated their missiles, the flash of multiple nuclear bombs was akin to throwing the Vampires into the sun. Their numbers decreased exponentially in seconds. Whenever the Vampire master brought it up, Aodh sympathized with the bloodsuckers.

However, Bleddyn, the wolf’s Beta, lowering his canines at Armaros's gesture, proved that the civility treaty between the mortal enemies of wolves and Vampires remained tenuous.

“My Pack suffered in numbers, too!” Chanin barked.

“Only because so many in your Pack tried to prove their strength by remaining above ground during the fallout and consuming the meat of wild animals affected by the falling poison. In effect, neutralizing the wombs of every female Lupine,” Dov cooly stated as he leaned on the table with his hands clasped.

And there it is, Aodh thought.

Bleddyn shot up from his chair and took a step but was stopped by Chanin’s lean, muscular arm acting as a retraining bar. The beta looked right at Dov and then across the space at the two Vampires, appearing as if he didn’t know who he wanted to attack first.

Even though bear shifters could easily rip the Lupine in two should he even think of going Dov’s way, if Bleddyn got a hold of a glamoured, reed-thin vamp, it was another story.

“Sit,” Chanin commanded his beta before he looked to his right at the calm bear-shifter. “Don’t pretend your females don’t have infertility issues, too, Dov.”

Dov folded his thick arms over his barrel chest. “True. They rarely conceive and only provide one cub, but add that to the twin births of our marked mates, and our numbers are climbing.

Chanin’s top lip twitched.

Aodh understood the wolf alpha’s plight and somewhat sympathized with him.

No, Drahks were not affected in any way by the human’s destructive weapons, but he still cared about the weight of the lack of growth of his Thunder.

They didn’t need a marked one to help build their numbers but for his dragon to choose a mate and breed. Kai.

Aodh kept his thoughts to himself. His dragon was starting to unfurl for her very slowly.

“Gentlemen,” Iskah paused. Soon, everyone resumed their seats and composed themselves.

“We all know everyone has been affected somehow by the situation we have found ourselves in for well over twenty years. We must have patience and respect and ensure we are strong and ready for whatever comes next.”

Aodh agreed with the judiciary’s words. Besides having to move to one territory, the Fae didn’t suffer in any way. Like the mage traits and reptilian durability that sustained his kind, their Fae powers protected them somehow.

A collective sigh went around the hypaethral as each leader and their seconds restrained themselves and resumed appropriate conduct.

The Fae set her forest-green gaze on him. “Aodh, your report.”

“I’ve discovered my mate, and I’m confident breeding for all those mated in my Thunder will begin soon.” Aodh kept his information short.

“Hm.” Liekki's curious grumble was low, for his ears only. However, in a group such as this, Aodh knew everyone had heard it.

Aodh didn’t spare his brother a look.

Drahks were more fierce and formidable than all other entities, and now that he had Kai, he refused to come to another meeting and have his Thunder appear inferior to any group, even if he had to force his beast to come face to face with Kai by refusing to shift after his night flight.

Are you willing to risk her?

He gripped the edge of the table and ignored his beast. This wasn’t the first time they’d had an internal war over Kai.

“We must all continue to grow the numbers. Fortify our resources and borders.”

“Why the urgency?” Armaros inquired.

Iskah glanced to her left, meeting the Vampire’s gaze. Then, she turned and connected with each of them. “The elements are shifting. Something is brewing on the winds blowing from the west.”

Even though his territory was west of Fae lands, Aodh understood she wasn’t referring to them.

“The humans have something in the works.”

As Iskah continued speaking, one of the trees outside the clearing stretched forth its branches until they hung over the roofless top, shading the Fae queen with its leaves.

“We cannot underestimate them.”

Chanin shook his head. “With all our packs, sleuths, and thunders in our territories, humans can’t take any of our groups.”

“Mark my words.” Iskah leaned back and folded her hands in her lap.

“We’ve all heard what is happening on the Asian continent,” Aodh reminded them. “We would be fools to think the humans behind their great wall are not plotting and planning.”

“Is this why the transport truck has not brought us a marked one?” Armaros pressed his palms flat as he leaned forward. “Do they suspect we are not devouring their sick ones?”

“Are they withholding in an attempt to starve us out?” Marceline asked, even though she was aware that seconds were only there for observation and continuity of each group in case something happened to the leader.

Iskah raised a hand and waited for all to be silent.

“I don’t know why a human wasn’t at the drop-off point outside their walls.

When Keijo and I arrived, the humans had already nailed a message to a tree.

” A notable shiver ran through the Fae queen.

“It stated there would not be a sick one until the next designated date.”

“That is weeks away,” Chanin growled. The Lupine appeared to be using all his self-control to remain in his seat.

Aodh felt the heat of his brother’s gaze on his back. Liekki probably wondered about the same thing Aodh considered, the humans had lost Morlie and were looking for another.

Were they also looking for her...Kai?

“I say we request they bring us more than one marked one at a time. Or we withhold the healing serum from them,” Armaros suggested.

“This arrangement had been going on for some time.” Iskah began, “Perhaps a negotiation—”

“Put me down, you brute!”

“Sorry, I’m late.” Turi's lumbering entrance with a screaming woman slung over his shoulder stunned everyone.

“A marked one!” Armaros vaulted up from his chair and crouched on the top of the table.

“Fuck!” Aodh roared as he rose to his feet.

“Shit!” Liekki was standing beside him.

They didn’t need anyone to identify the person the bear-shifter hauled into the pavilion.

“What the fuck, Turi?” Aodh growled as he watched the second-in-command bear-shifter drag his clawing, scratching bundle off his shoulder and dump her into the center chair. It only took Aodh seconds to realize the fuming woman sitting in the lone seat before the circle of alphas was Morlie.