Page 17

I might have gotten the snot kicked out of me often when I was younger, but I hadn’t always lost those fights. And taking that many hits had taught me a few things.

Like if you’re born without claws, you can always make your own.

Turning back to the window, I unhooked the chime and slid the chains over my hands, fastening the claw tips often mistaken for charms at the ends of my fingers. I tested them, ensuring the clasps fastened tight over my knuckles.

“Stop,” I said again, watching Mercer for any flicker of hesitation.

When he kept coming for Sloane, when he made it clear his inner wolf wouldn’t stop pushing the man in him until they tasted her blood, I got his attention the only way I knew how.

I caught Sloane’s eye, and she relented, allowing him to pin her to the floor.

And then I walked up behind him, where he straddled her ribs in anticipation of a killing blow, and threw every ounce of my strength behind raking my claws down his spine.

The tips cut deep, bumping over his vertebrae.

He bellowed and rolled aside to escape me, landing in a crouch near Sloane’s head.

His jaw went slack when he saw it was me—not Rían—who had attacked him.

“Anie?” He swayed as crimson pooled underneath him. “Why…?”

Shoulder braced against the wall, Sloane levered herself back on her feet and inched away from him, her smile for me tinged red with blood from a lucky punch. And a little awe.

Holding up my hand, flexing so my claws glinted, I informed him, “These are silver.”

Understanding pinched his features as he grappled with the fact he wasn’t healing.

“Those wounds aren’t going to clot without help,” I continued, a lump in my throat.

“Tell my dad I’m not choosing a side—yet—but I’m not leaving Brentwood until he agrees to meet with me.

Either he tells me the truth, the whole truth, or I have no reason not to believe what the Walshes are telling me. ”

And what they had to say…changed everything.

If it was true.

But that was a big if .

“All right, Anie.” Mercer staggered to the trapdoor. “I’ll relay your message.”

“Call off the distraction while you’re at it.” The chains tinkled where they bumped together like the chimes they often pretended to be. “There are children living here.”

Without another word, Mercer heaved himself down into the tunnel. He landed with a hard thump, and I didn’t look down before kicking the trapdoor shut above his head. I stood there, a sharp pain radiating through my chest, and knew I would never feel safe here again.

The sense of home, of comfort, of freedom, had been stolen from me.

A split-second later, before my pity party got rocking, Sloane crashed into me, hugging me tight.

“That was badass .” She whooped in my ear. “ You are a badass.”

Tacky blood congealing between my fingers said otherwise, but I couldn’t help smiling back. “Thanks.”

“She’s right.” Rían’s cheeks were ruddy. “That was…”

“Hot,” Sloane supplied, pulling back to wink at me. “You can say it.”

Rían dragged a hand over his mouth to wipe away whatever else he might have said with a groan.

“Thank you.” I locked gazes with him. “For letting me handle that my way.”

“Anything for you,” he said so softly I wasn’t sure he meant for me to hear.

Withdrawing from Sloane, I began unfastening the latches on my claws. I had to clean them soon, before the blood dried in the cracks and forced me to scrub them with a toothbrush when a quick soak in water hot enough to boil away the gory bits usually did the trick.

Testing the edges of the trapdoor with her toe, Sloane asked, “What do we do now?”

“Pack an overnight bag, ladies.” Rían made it a gentle order. “You’re staying with me tonight.”

“That’s her call.” Sloane interrupted her inspection. “Not yours.”

“It’s not safe for my people to leave this open and unguarded when the tunnel runs deep enough to allow passage beneath the wards.

I’ll send Bowie down to explore it for any other branches into homes or businesses in town, and then we can discuss our next steps.

” He lifted his hands in a peacekeeping gesture.

“You won’t be alone in a strange man’s house.

I’m Marigold’s guardian. She lives with me.

Fayne has her own room too, for visits. She could stay over, if you want. ”

“I don’t want to impose on anyone else.” I checked with Sloane. “Are you good staying there?”

“After what I just saw, yeah, I’m confident you can keep me safe from any fire-breathing giraffes.”

“Fire-breathing…” Rían ducked his head, rubbing his nape. “I’ll never live down the giraffe thing.”

“Nope,” Sloane said cheerfully then brushed past me. “Let’s grab our stuff.”

“You go ahead.” I gestured to her face. “You should probably wash up too.”

Shifter kids grew up around violence, but that didn’t mean we had to expose them to more of it.

“Mind if I borrow a few things?” She plucked at her scrub top. “Just until I can do laundry?”

“Help yourself.” I headed for the kitchen. “There’s a bag you can use in the closet too.”

While she rooted through my things for clothes to fit her shorter, more muscular frame, I grabbed a retired mixing bowl and filled it with scalding water and an antiseptic solution.

I put my claws in and gave them a swirl with my hand, not minding the temperature.

Heat had never bothered me. I had always chalked it up to being a shifter thing, and maybe it was, just not a wolf shifter thing.

A warm presence moved behind me, and I knew without looking over my shoulder it was Rían.

“A dragon, huh?” I watched the water pinken. “Do you blow fire or only summon it?”

“A little of both.” He leaned his hip against the counter. “I’m happy to give a demonstration.”

“You mean shift.” I craned my head toward him.

“I…” I continued stirring. “I don’t think I’m ready for that.

” I braced my hands on the sink. “Do you really believe…?” I scoffed at myself, at my hope.

“So what if I’m a dragon? What does it change?

Nothing. You heard Mercer. I would have shifted by now if I could, but I can’t because I’m a latent.

Sartori or Walsh doesn’t matter, that’s all I’ll ever be. ”

“Mercer said wolf pups.”

A pang struck me dead center, a longing so sharp it cut deeper than my claws could ever dream.

“What are you saying?”

“Dragons can’t shift without help the first time.

Fayne says it’s evolution. That there are so few of us left, if a child is separated from the clan, it can pass as human.

Only those within the clan, those who are safe and protected by their kin, will fledge.

” He scratched his stubbled cheek with a finger.

“Fayne guided me through my first shift. Most everyone else too. Females tend to fly within four to six weeks after they get their wings. Males require more time. About eight to twelve weeks. Sometimes longer.”

Curious despite myself, I dried off my hands. “How long did it take you?”

“I required private lessons for an entire year to get in the air.”

“A year ?”

“Say it louder why don’t you?” His wince confirmed he was telling the truth. “I’m sure there are one or two people left who don’t know I was a total klutz who broke a wing twice— twice —in crash landings.”

“I didn’t mean to poke a sore spot.” I twisted my towel in my hands. “It sucks to be left behind by your peers.”

“I can’t imagine what you must have gone through.” He slid his hand closer to mine, curled his fingers in, then withdrew, tucking his hands into his pockets. “How alone you must have felt.”

How alone I still feel I thought but didn’t say.

“Ready to go?” Sloane walked in with a bag slung over each shoulder. “I packed for both of us.”

“Thanks.” I turned away from Rían. “I appreciate it.”

“Least I could do since you’re sharing with me.”

Untangling the silver chains, I inspected the claws then returned them to the window to dry. “Rían?”

“I hope you don’t mind.” He glanced up from his phone. “I texted Marigold.”

“Why would I?” I stepped over the shattered door onto the walkway. “It’s her house too.”

“Because she might have mistaken my joke about throwing a slumber party tonight with you and Sloane to mean an actual slumber party.” He ruffled his hair.

“I hope you like getting pedicures.” He toed off his shoe and wiggled his toes, flashing bright-pink nails that resembled the same shade Myrtle—er, Fayne—wore.

“She’s very into providing self-care services.

” He slid his shoe back on. “She’ll even wave the fee on a basic package for first-time customers. ”

“Self-care,” I had to admit, “sounds good right about now.”

As much as my heart ached from the brutal hits it had taken, I could go for a distraction until I heard whether Dad would honor my terms. Alphas didn’t take kindly to ultimatums, but this was my life. I wanted answers. I deserved them.

And if the Walshes were telling the truth? If I really had my own wings?

Then I wanted to learn how to spread them and fly .