Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

M organ could've kissed Ascher for the distraction, but that didn't stop her from feeling like scum scraped off the bottom of a boot.

For fuck's sake, she had five mates!

She shouldn't be panting after another man.

In front of them.

What the hell was wrong with her?!

She was just lucky that they hadn't tried to rip out his throat. She felt queasy even at the thought and vowed to avoid Caedmon at all costs.

With that plan firmly in mind, she smiled at the rest of the guys, allowing her blades to melt back down to benign jewelry once again. "Oh, it went about as well as we expected."

"Trap?" Kincade sauntered farther into the room, his eyes sweeping over her as he checked her for injuries.

Morgan just nodded. "Trap."

Draven scowled at them both and crossed his arms. "Why the hell would you go if you were expecting a trap? Do you know how dangerous?—"

"They had no choice," Atlas interrupted, his eyes narrowing as he gazed between her and Caedmon, and her heart squeezed in panic. "If they didn't go, the wolves would've had cause and could demand she be placed under their control."

Growls echoed around the room from a number of places, and she shivered at the thought of being forced back to the Assembly.

"They already tried to assert their claim." Ryder spoke through his fangs, his words emerging jumbled. He shuffled closer, his breath brushing the back of her neck. "But they seemed more interested in the loup garou than her."

"They flat out told us that they will take what they want from us…dead or alive." Morgan ignored the guys when they stomped around and swore, something about the meeting nagging at her, and she frowned. "They're desperate. I think something has gone wrong with the packs."

She twisted and glanced up at Ryder, hating that she had to ask. "Is there someone you know who you could ask? Someone that you trust? The last thing I wanted to do is put you in any danger, but I very much doubt this is over. I don't want to be ambushed again."

"Maybe." Ryder pursed his lips, his rich whisky eyes warm as he gazed down at her. "The Assembly doesn't pay much attention to lone wolves. They're beneath notice, just a step above feral."

When he made to step toward the desk, she placed a hand on his chest, halting him. "Be careful. If anything seems off, hang up."

He covered her hand with his, pressing it against his chest. Then he dipped down and gave her a quick, bruising kiss. She wobbled a little when he released her. As he swaggered away, she touched her lips, gazing after him in confusion.

He had to have seen what happened between her and Caedmon.

Right?

As the silence stretched in the room, the hair on the back of her neck lifted, and she hunched her shoulders. Holding back a wince, she slowly spun to face the others .

And completely avoided the subject like a champ. "What happened here while we were gone?"

There was a heartbeat of silence as the guys glanced at each other, silently communicating, and damned if it didn't look like they included Caedmon in their super-secret chat, the wankers.

A scrambling of paws echoed through the foyer seconds before Loki careened around the corner. He plowed into the doorjamb, rebounded off of it and shot into the room like a bullet.

He somehow managed to knock into everyone as he barreled toward her. Draven barely managed to grab ahold of the beast's tail until he was being pulled behind him like he was riding a pair of water skis.

The shocked expression on his face was priceless, and she could've kissed the big lug for the distraction. When Loki reached her, he promptly sat…sending Draven backpedaling until he landed on his ass. Loki stared up at her, completely oblivious, his hiney wiggling for attention, and she gave into temptation by leaning over to kiss his snout.

As a distraction, it was excellent, and the guys completely forgot the tension in the room…she hoped.

Kincade ran a hand over his jaw, smothering his laughter as he answered her question. "We've managed to strip and clear out the neighboring house. MacGregor and Mistress McKay have claimed it for their own. Along with a few of the wolves."

Draven muttered a few inventive curses as he shoved to his feet, dusting off his ass as he scowled down at the mutt. Not the least bit intimidated, the beast melted at her feet with a groan, and Morgan couldn't resist crouching down to scratch his stomach, his hind legs wheeling with each stroke.

Kincade coughed into his fist, which did nothing to disguise his chuckle. When Draven cast him a look that promised retribution, he got back to business. "MacGregor is already whipping the pack into shape, while McKay has begun organizing who gets what houses and the order they need others to be built. The construction crew has already been hired and will show up tomorrow."

Morgan chuckled and raised her eyebrows as she rose back to her feet. "Why am I not surprised?"

That was when she noticed the condition of their clothes—the guys were an absolute mess, sweaty and covered in dirt and grime.

How was it possible that they looked even yummier all disheveled?

Draven grimaced when he saw her looking, completely misinterpreting her reaction. "MacGregor has been working us like dogs the whole time you've been gone. Thank the gods you're here. Now he can focus on you."

Laughter bubbled out of her, and the last of her tension eased out of her spine. "What did you learn about the gods? Did you make any headway?"

At her question, everyone found the rest of the room fascinating.

Except for Atlas, who stood impervious, his arms crossed with a distasteful expression on his face. "Ward and Shade will arrive tonight. Shade has an idea of how we can draw out your grandfather."

At the mention of their names, Loki scrambled to his feet, his legs kicking wildly in the air before he managed to gain traction. He sat promptly, ears perched forward, tongue lolling out, and Morgan couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.

Loki was the only one excited about Shade's arrival.

Not that Morgan could blame the guys.

Ward was an ancient protector, an actual warden who had devoted his life to protecting the void. Unfortunately, he got lost in the void when he overstretched his abilities, and the world had changed drastically since he'd been gone. Though his motives were sincere, he was a difficult man, who followed his own set of rules of right and wrong.

Shade was the complete opposite. The only rule he followed was what was best for him. She'd been screwed over more than once by his trickster ways. The good news was they were tied together, so he couldn't completely fuck with her without getting hit with the consequences. He was a charming rogue that knew how to talk himself in and out of trouble.

She worried whatever scheme he came up with next would land her in an even bigger mess. But he knew the gods better than anyone else—since he was one. He also had reason to fear the gods. They'd had every intention of sacrificing him until she came along to rescue his ass.

Now the gods were after her this time.

If she didn't figure out what they wanted, she very much feared she would be the next person on the chopping block.

"Are we really going to trust him?" Draven asked the very question that had been running through her mind.

"She dies, he dies," Kincade responded, but he didn't look any happier about the fact.

If there was a loophole, Shade would find it and exploit it.

She just hoped that it wouldn't be at the cost of her life.

She'd like to think they were friends, but she wouldn't bet on that keeping her alive.

"Then we make our own plans," Caedmon said, his eyes flashed in warning. "I will not put her safety in jeopardy because of the whim of the gods."

He instantly became the center of attention. Even Ryder who was still on the phone was listening intently.

"What do you have in mind?" Ascher ventured closer, his head tilted in curiosity. The rest of the guys were just as interested.

"There are two sides to every story. Your god has only ever been on the inside of Tartarus. A minor god. He probably doesn't have all the facts. Not all the gods were imprisoned. The ones who escaped either knew what was coming and were prepared, or they got lucky." His lips quirked at their dumbfounded expressions. "We find one of those gods. If they know what's coming, then we can figure out why they are so desperate to get their hands on you. "

Silence filled the room in the wake of his answer, everyone glancing at each other, waiting for someone to protest why it wouldn't work.

"They might not be aware of Morgan," Atlas countered. "We run the risk of drawing attention to her if we seek them out."

Ryder hung up the phone, a heavy frown on his face. "We have a choice of her being hunted or us setting the scene and mitigating the fallout. Which option do you prefer?"

They were all predators—the idea of waiting to be attacked was not appealing, and a few of the guys grimaced at the thought.

Kincade ran a hand over his head, then scrubbed the back of his neck before he let out a grunt, like he couldn't believe what he was about to ask. "So how do we go about looking for a god?'"

Morgan came up blank, but there was something about the unwavering look Caedmon gave her that made a shiver go down her spine. As much as she didn't want to encourage this line of thought, she refused to sit around on her ass, waiting to be attacked. Not when it would put her mates at risk. "You have an idea."

It wasn't a question, and the rest of the guys turned toward Caedmon. Ryder and Draven looked just as apprehensive as she felt, but Atlas, Kincade, and Ascher looked resigned.

"You're the key," Caedmon responded.

Because of course she was the fucking key.

That seemed to be the story of her life.

She was almost afraid to ask what he meant, knowing she wasn't going to like the answer.

"Explain," Ryder rumbled, not looking very impressed with the idea either.

"Paranormal creatures were created from the void. Even centuries later, they still hold a tiny spark of creation." Caedmon's face softened when he saw her apprehensive look. "You have an almost unnatural affinity for void magic. We just have to search for a place that has a large amount of it or one that has absolutely none."

Atlas nodded slowly, understanding dawning. "The gods are the purest form of void magic. You should be able to sense it when they're close."

"I don't like placing Morgan in danger," Draven countered, his blue eyes stormy, and she'd swear she heard lightning crack in the distance. "If she can sense the gods, then they can sense her. They'll know that she's coming, probably long before we're aware, and set a trap."

"Loki was able to track Athena at the Academy." Ascher glanced down at the gardog, who was busily chewing on his own tail. The big beast stilled when he noticed he was the center of attention, lifted his massive head, then spit out his tail without missing a beat, like he hadn't been caught mauling it.

When it thunked to the floor, she realized he'd turned it to stone. He'd been sharpening the barbed tip with his teeth in preparation for their guests. He placed his paw on the end, shoving it under his bulk, and gave them a toothy, innocent smile.

The goofball.

Draven chuckled, which he turned into a cough when the big beast swung his head in the siren's direction and cocked his head in consideration. "Don't even think it, you mangy mutt."

Drops of water formed in the air, and he shot a stream of it directly in Loki's face.

But instead of being discouraged, the beast just opened his mouth and chomped on the water like it was a new game.

Morgan chuckled at the slightly panicked expression on Draven's face…no doubt Loki would increase his stalking of the siren now that Draven had upped his game.

Though Morgan was grateful for the distraction, she sighed and got back to the issue at hand. "Loki is too young. While he would be able to help track the gods, he would see it as a game. One that the gods wouldn't appreciate. I won't risk his life. "

Kincade didn't give up so easily. "We could split into teams, keep him out of trouble?—"

"No," Ryder interrupted, shooting that down before she could even open her mouth.

When he rounded the desk, she noticed the tense way he held himself, and her stomach churned with dread. "Shit…what did you learn about the wolves?"

"They're in an uproar." He raked a hand through his hair, his shoulders bowed like all the life had been sucked out of him. "They're going to be coming for you."

She raked her hair away from her face, pissed the wolves were being such pricks. She hated that Ryder was caught in the middle of their squabble. "How is that different? They were always coming after us. Now everyone just knows about it."

His eyes widened with surprise, then his brows lowered like thunder, and he stalked toward her. He grabbed her shoulders, his grip bruising to prevent him from shaking her, if the look in his eyes was any indication. He leaned down until his nose touched hers, then roared, "If he marks you as feral, they will send hunts after you. It will be a kill on sight order."

He'd been close to being labeled feral. The only thing that saved him was pledging himself to the Academy. If she hadn't claimed him, she hated to think of how his life would've ended.

Worse, Ryder had been forced to kill his own father when the man lost himself to his beast. He had to hunt the man who raised him and put him down like a rabid dog.

She hated that the situation brought up bad memories.

She reached up and placed her hand on his chest, feeling the frantic beat of his heart, wishing there was something she could do to ease his anxiety. Fur brushed against her palm, his wolf seeking comfort, like he didn't know how to calm his human, and her heart cracked.

"Even if they want to mark me as feral, they can't." She kept her tone soothing, giving him a gentle smile, then turned her arm up so her mark showed. "I'm the alpha queen. The wolf packs would revolt if they tried. "

"Normally, you would be right," Caedmon interrupted, a troubled expression on his face. "Alpha queens are rare. They're equal to the Alpha Assembly, and usually take a seat on the board. Morgan is valuable, and shame on them for even pretending otherwise. An alpha queen only shows up in a time of strife. That they would go to such extremes?—"

"Means they're desperate." Kincade cursed, the need to commit murder darkening his light green eyes. He fisted his hands at his side, and she'd swear she heard stone rubbing against stone.

"They seemed more interested in the loup garou than me being a queen." Morgan rubbed her forehead, scrambling to recall everything she could about the meeting, but the information was scant. "They swore the loup garou would be able to save them. Are they under attack and trying to build an indestructible army?"

"Doubtful." Atlas absently brushed his fingers over Loki's head. "If war was in the air, the Academy would be the first to know. They would be called to make sure no signs of it would spill over into the human realm. Nothing has been reported."

Before anyone could make another guess, a commotion outside spurred the guys into action. Kincade's form hardened as he marched toward the door, while smoke seeped from Ascher, the scent of burnt clothing filling the air. Draven and Atlas had weapons in their grips, and she tipped her head, unable to figure out where they'd had them stored. Menace oozed from Ryder and Caedmon, their wolves riding them hard, their eyes glowing.

Even as she headed toward the door, the guys somehow managed to slip in front of her, Ryder even going so far as to grab her hips, pick her up, and deposit her behind him, a little warning growl rumbling in his chest. If it weren't for the fangs peeking out from between his lips, she'd almost expect him to point a finger at her and order her to stay.

She rolled her eyes at the idiots and hurried after them before they somehow managed to lock her in the mansion. The wards would have warned her if there was any sort of danger, so she wasn't too worried.

But it was like she jinxed herself.

Not a second later, the wards rippled, and she sensed a dozen intruders step foot on the property.

By the time she burst from the front door, the guys were already standing on the top step and she nearly plowed into them. She pushed between them, the guys grunting when her sharp elbows hit tender spots when the asshats refused to allow her through.

Then she came to an abrupt halt, shock rooting her feet to the ground.

About a dozen or so metal wolves were lounging around the front yard. Some were so still, she thought they'd turned back into statues…until a tail or ear twitched. Others were sniffing every blade of grass. A few were even roughhousing with each other, rolling around on the ground, the gong and scrape of metal echoing around the clearing.

Loki was romping around them like an excited puppy pestering an adult to play, prancing and yipping in excitement at having more playmates.

"Morgan…" Draven whispered out of the side of his mouth, unable to take his eyes away from the sight. "I believe you have some explaining to do."

At the sound of his voice, the wolves lifted their heads and turned, then pranced toward them, coming to rest at the bottom of the steps.

Morgan pinched the bridge of her nose, avoiding looking at the men standing next to her, cringing as she imagined their reaction. "I can explain," she muttered, twisting her hands together, then remembered the alarms and gave a triumphant smile. "But later. Let's worry about the dozen or so people making their way toward us first, okay?"

She released a shaky breath, never having thought she'd be so happy to be invaded.

The guys blinked at her like she was speaking a foreign language, and she nearly sagged in relief when two trucks slowly crept up the driveway.

"Incoming," she said in a soft, singsong voice.

They dutifully shuffled to face the driveway, watching in a daze when the metal wolves twisted to face the coming threat. The guys swept their eyes over the wolves once more, then lifted their eyes to face the two vehicles, seeming to wake from whatever held them captive.

In the back of her mind, she felt the pack circling the property, peering out from behind trees and hunkering down in the bushes to keep watch. Some remained human, while others were in their beast form.

When the vehicles stopped, the forest went silent.

The doors to both vehicles were thrown open as one, and eight people spilled out.

Which left four that remained hidden.

She instantly recognized Louis. While she'd expected his arrival, she hadn't thought it would be this soon.

And definitely not with them looking like they'd barely survived a war.