Page 89 of Wolf Bane

Theuswas heavy with meaning.Not just the three of us, I knew.But everyone like us.

Hell.

Suddenly, I was bone-weary, and my eyes burned with exhaustion.“I need to lay down.”I sighed.“Fuck my life.”

Cullen smirked.“I’ll leave you to it.Expect a call from me tomorrow, Ethan.We have work to do.”He walked towards his car, stopping just a few feet away.“Have you chosen a honeymoon spot yet?”

“What?”I laughed, disbelieving.“Seriously?Does itlooklike we’re going anywhere any time soon?”

Cullen ignored me, walking back towards Ethan as he tapped away at his phone.Ethan’s phone chimed with an incoming text and Cullen smirked.“New York is lovely at this time of year.I’ll call tomorrow, but be ready to leave by 5 p.m.; I’ll send a driver.”

“But Ethan’s meeting with Benoit and Slidell…” They’d been having surly, tentative video chats over the past several days, Ethan trying to offer some thin and wispy olive branch to Benoit’s small clan and Benoit… Well, Benoit being Benoit.They were too alike, in so many ways, both wanting what was best for theirs, both proud and awkward when it came to making steps in the right direction.

Ethan had admitted, just a few nights before, whispering in the dark, that he wasn’t sure what to do for the Lugaru clan.Invite them back to Belmarais?Offer them money, help, an alliance?Benoit hadn’t been forthcoming.I had my own theory on what Benoit wanted—for the Stones to suffer a bit, for them to grovel.Hell, for all of Belmarais clan to grovel.But weres were too damn proud for that.So, they’d keep on their grouchy, snappish meetings for a while longer until one or the other of them broke and came up with a way to build a bridge.

Cullen paused, glancing back over his shoulder at us.“I’m aware.I’ll be speaking with them, as well.”He lifted his hand in a negligent salute.

“What?Why?”

Ethan gave a half-hearted wave, clutching me to his side as Cullen disappeared into the thick shadows, heading for his car.

“What the hell?”I groaned.“Ethan?”

“We have tickets,” he said quietly, turning his phone so I could see.“We’re going to New York tomorrow.I guess we’re starting sooner than I thought.”