Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Veryn

E mber has a total nervous breakdown when she finally makes it down the stairs, but Emerson is chill. She already knows Ember and I bonded, and she got the full Lorcan introduction.

Based on the way Nadia grins, I’m going to go ahead and guess she knows why Ember was delayed too.

Anders, for being old as fuck, looks exceptionally uncomfortable when Emerson pulls him into a hug. Seriously, he and Ember give it away more with their reactions than anything.

Lorcan’s eyes glimmer as they meet mine, and he finally offers Anders a lifeline when he claps. “The entirety of the pack is waiting. We likely should get to it.”

Ember nods, licking her lips. “Damn, this is going to suck.”

My sweet mate leans into my side, and I tighten her hold on my hip. We stop about fifty feet from the collection of wolves waiting under the shaded oak trees and around the entrance to the building where meetings are held.

“Any recommendations?” she asks in barely more than a whisper.

I step around in front of her, so it’s my back to the wolves. “The pack does cremation after some type of ritual. I don’t know if any of the remaining wolves have family members among the dead, but I would offer them the chance to pay their respects and claim their loved one’s ashes afterward.”

“Okay.” Ember nods, swallowing thickly. “I thought I’d maybe say something like I wish it didn’t come to this and explain that anyone who doesn’t want to stay is welcome to leave peacefully. And that if they do, no negative consequences will come to them.”

I brush a flyaway hair back from her face. “That’s very diplomatic of you. I’d probably rain down hell while interrogating them to find out how many knew that bullshit last night was coming.”

Ember snorts. “If Lorcan hadn’t come back…” Her head shakes as her face grows more serious. “I’d have called everyone we know for a good old-fashioned bloodbath.”

“That’s my girl.” I grin, bending to give her a quick kiss. Her nerves spill into the bond, but I do everything I can to shore her up as I pull back. “Tell them the deal, Alpha.”

Ember nods, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. “You know how much I appreciate you, right? I feel like Lorcan and Anders came out of nowhere and everything happened so fast?—”

“Don’t. I might have delusionally hoped to keep you to myself for a few hundred years, but I saw how much my mom needed each one of my dads when I was growing up.”

“I just love you a lot.” Her cheeks turn pink, and I ache to toss her up against the nearest tree and rut the fuck out of her.

“I know. Now, lay down the law. I’m kinda daydreaming about napping in the nest together as soon as this is over.” I wink, slapping her ass. I haven’t been to sleep yet, and I’m beat, but sleep can wait.

Ember laughs, and at least momentarily, her anxiety disappears as she recalls her morning quickie with the lion. I vaguely wish I’d been the one snuggled up next to her when she woke up, but her joy in the bond is enough for me. And someone needed to deal with the carnage.

I’m more than happy to do my part as a member of our newly formed family pack.

Ember addresses the females first, which gives her the opportunity to send them into the building with her mom and Nadia.

Lorcan hovers near the base of one of the oak trees. He’s invisible, but something about our shared bond through Ember gives me the ability to locate his outline. He appraises the crowd, watching everyone carefully.

I don’t bother trying to count them out individually, but there are close to two hundred male wolves, based on my estimate.

My dragon is antsy as fuck, but he’s pretty sure that, if it came down to it, he could take out close to a hundred on his own.

Anders stands at my side. Based on the bond, he’s not in any better shape than I am.

Bryant and Toby helped with the cleanup last night and early this morning. They stand on the edge of the crowd, looking like the enforcers they’re meant to be.

There’s no telling if Ember will ask them to continue in the same position they held for Burke, but something inside me says they will if she extends the offer.

Ember paces in front of the crowd, pulling her shoulders back as she comes to a stop. “I’m in the process of honoring the promises that I made to the females.” She waves a hand toward the building. “Some of you may have heard this, but my next step is securing a sanctuary ward to surround the pack lands.” Her eyes light with her wolf as a low growl rattles out of her chest. “Things are changing. Hopefully for the better, but if you feel the direction we’re heading as a pack isn’t for you…” She paces back the other direction, focusing on another section of the wolves. “This is your opportunity to leave. No one will stop you. It won’t be held against you, and if you’d ever like to come back in the future, that courtesy will be left open.”

Low murmuring fills the air, but none of it is clear enough for me to pick up.

“Let me make one thing perfectly clear.” Ember’s eyes flash as she scans the crowd. “What happened last night will not happen again. If you want to take me out, man the fuck up and challenge me personally. If you can beat me in an alpha challenge, the pack is yours, but what won’t continue is the sneaky, underhanded behavior that flourished under Aimes’s reign…” She goes on to explain what we discussed.

My chest fills with so much pride. She was meant to lead, and I intend to do everything in my power to make her vision of the future a reality.

The meeting comes to a close as Ember invites everyone who is interested to meet back at the same spot tonight for a run under the full moon.

Lorcan swaggers closer, looking even more ridiculous than usual. He’s got his hair braided into a ponytail that shows off the shaved underside of his head, but it’s the lace-up dark leather pants that make me snort.

My balls could never handle being stuck to the leather with sweat. I’m in jeans and a T-shirt, and that’s miserable enough for me with the sun pounding down.

“If I may, before you disperse,” Lorcan says in a jovial tone. The faces of the crowd fly up, focusing on him as he wraps an arm around Ember’s lower back. “Many of you aren’t old enough to recall, but a few of you might be. Our alpha has graciously offered consultations with a fertility witch to any of the females struggling to conceive. That, in and of itself, is a gift. If I might encourage those of you with a mate wishing for pups…” He kisses Ember’s temple. “My mate will go into heat soon. Omegas of old boosted the fertility of the entire pack by lending their hyperfertility to those who scented her pheromones in the days leading up to her heat. After tonight, she won’t be leaving her nest. So, do with that what you will.”

I’m pretty sure he only mentioned that because Ember will feel shitty if no one shows up, but it could also benefit them, so who cares if it’s slightly underhanded?

Lorcan guides Ember to Anders and me as she grumbles she has no use for hyperfertility.

“You do not.” He chuckles. “Not yet, anyway, but I can be patient. I have a feeling you’ll gain many of those on the fence about your rule simply by flouncing through the forest and enjoying the full moon.”

Ember shrugs. “As long as I don’t have to be pregnant for it to work… I’m all for it.”

Fuck me.

There’s something a little too primal about the urge to fuck her full of my baby, but I’ll have to settle for practicing for the next few decades.