Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

“ A re you sure you’re up for this, Paige?” Leonie asked. Her hands twisted on her clipboard. “We’re only doing senior staff introductions and getting-to-know-you exercises in the next few hours. You could skip the first session if you, uh, have personal matters that need to take priority.”

“I left Archie in his cabin, under strict orders to stay there until I get back from counselor training,” Paige said, although she knew that wasn’t what the head counselor had meant. She picked up a notepad and pen from the supplies set out on one of the long dining hall tables. “Don’t worry. He won’t cause any more trouble.”

“That’s not…” Leonie trailed off. “Look, are you sure you’re all right?”

In truth, she was a tangled mess of confused emotion. Every time she remembered the look in Conleth’s eyes when she’d said she couldn’t be his mate, pain stabbed through her chest. Walking away from him had been the hardest thing she’d ever done.

Which was ridiculous. There was no reason why her heart should feel shattered into a thousand tiny splinters. Okay, so Conleth was clever, charismatic, and kind—not to mention sex in a suit—but she’d only just met the man. People didn’t really fall in love at first sight.

Well, unless you were a shifter. Apparently.

He’ll be okay, she told herself. Conleth had said shifters didn’t actually die of ‘mating fever.’ Whatever strange attraction he was experiencing, he’d get over it with time.

Now she just had to do the same.

“Really, I’m fine,” she lied. On a more truthful note, she added, “And thanks for letting me go back to my original assignment. I really do prefer working as a counselor to working in the office. When does the training session start?”

“Not for a few minutes.” Leonie brightened. “Tell you what. Why don’t I introduce you to everyone first?”

“Um.” Paige looked around the dining hall, which was rapidly filling with arriving members of staff. “Everyone?”

Leonie laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not about to drag you into a spotlight so everyone can gape at our token human. But you need to meet the leadership team, at least. Come on.”

As the most junior person on the entire staff, Paige did not really see why she needed to be personally introduced to anyone, but Leonie didn’t give her a chance to argue. Paige found herself herded toward a small group of people—two men, two women—standing at the back of the hall.

Though it was only small in terms of numbers. One of the men was practically a crowd all by himself. Seeing their approach, his bearded face split in a broad, delighted smile.

“Shield-sister Leonie!” he said, in a voice more suited to a battlefield than a dining hall. “Is this who I think it must be?”

“Yep.” Leonie flourished a hand, as though revealing some impressive magic trick. “Everyone, meet Paige. Paige, this is?—”

“Ragvald Ragnarsson of Clan Fyrgard!” the giant boomed before Leonie could complete the introduction. He thumped a meaty fist onto his broad chest. “Born of Eastvald Steading, but pledged by oath to the hearth of the Thunderbird for another season’s span!”

Caught off-guard by this, Paige could only gape at him. His peculiar mode of speech matched his appearance. Though he wore the same black camp t-shirt as everyone else, he also had armored bracers strapped to his brawny forearms, and a twisted golden torque around his thick neck. With his braided beard, he looked more like a Viking than a camp counselor. She half expected him to pull out an ax and start pillaging the place.

“The finest skald would not be able to find verse enough to express my joy upon this day!” Ragvald continued, inexplicably. He flung out his arms as though about to embrace her, then seemed to check himself. “Forgive me. I would greet you in the proper manner as befits new comrades, but I have no desire to find myself kicked through a wall.”

The other man in the group let out an amused snort. “You’re learning, Ragvald.”

“Enough unexpected blows will get through even a wyrm’s mighty skull,” Ragvald said to him. He turned back to Paige, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “If you do not mind me saying so, shield-sister, the men of your shores are most odd. But despite my aloof and subdued behavior, be assured that my heart swells with delight to meet you at last!”

“Uh…” If this was what Ragvald considered ‘subdued behavior’, Paige couldn’t even begin to imagine what he’d be like at a party. “Why?”

“Why?” Ragvald threw back his head, belting out an uninhibited roar of laughter. “Because you are our battle-brother Conleth’s fated mate, of course! We all rejoice in his great good fortune!”

Paige looked at Leonie. “Did everyone know about that before I did?”

“Pretty much,” Leonie replied. She patted Paige’s shoulder. “Sorry.”

“We did try to tell him he was being an idiot,” one of the other women said ruefully. She offered Paige a graceful hand, along with a sympathetic smile. “Hello. I’m Moira.”

Ragvald drew in a deep breath, his broad chest swelling.

Moira’s turquoise eyes widened in sudden dismay. “Ragvald, no?—”

Ragvald’s deep, ringing voice drowned her out. “Princess of Atlantis, Treasure of the Ocean, Walker Above Wave, Emissary to the Land from the Pearl Throne, Sworn Initiate of the Coral Library, and Beloved Daughter of the Sea Dragon Empress, Ruler of all the Shifters of the Sea!”

Paige, who had been in the middle of shaking Moira’s hand, froze.

Moira cast an aggrieved look at Ragvald. “I wish you wouldn’t do that.”

“It is your name, Princess,” he replied, a touch reproachfully. “You should be proud of your clan and deeds. Not seek to obscure them.”

Paige was still holding Moira’s hand. She let go in a hurry, wondering if she was supposed to curtsy. “Are you really a princess?”

Moira wrinkled her nose, as though being a princess was an embarrassing personal affliction best not discussed in polite company, like toenail fungus. “I’m afraid so. But here, I’m just the head lifeguard.”

Ragvald’s brow furrowed. “I always forget to include that one.”

Next to Ragvald, the older man rolled his eyes. “Motherloving shifters. Can’t even say hello without making a whole song and dance about it. Can the rest of us introduce ourselves, or are you still sniffing each other’s backsides?”

Leonie grinned. “Oh, I don’t think you need an introduction, Buck. I’m pretty sure Paige has heard all about you.”

She had. All thoughts of princesses instantly fled, replaced by even greater awe. “ You’re Buck?”

“Not sure how to take that tone of surprise, but yes.” Buck stuck out a tanned, weather-beaten hand. “Welcome to the menagerie, Paige. My condolences.”

As his fingers closed around hers, an electric jolt ran up her arm. Goosebumps prickled across her skin. Even if she hadn’t heard all about this man from Archie, she would never have mistaken him for a mere human. Power radiated from his stocky, grizzled form like heat from a stove.

She swallowed, fighting down a strange urge to lower her head in a show of deference. “You made a big impression on Archie. He’s been talking all year about the adventures he had as part of your pack. Thanks for looking after him.”

“He’s a good kid. His heart’s in the right place, even if his pants usually aren’t. Glad to hear he had a good summer, but don’t give me too much credit.” Buck glanced at the woman on his left, his gravelly voice softening. “You want to thank someone, you should be talking to Honey here.”

From the way Archie talked about her, Honey should have been nine feet tall and escorted by choirs of angels. In actual fact, she was a short, plump woman in late middle age, with a round face and kind brown eyes. There was nothing in the least bit intimidating about her, yet when Paige shook her hand, she had the same strange, startling impression of power. It was warmer and gentler than the crackling energy she’d felt from Buck, but no less disconcerting.

Talk about a power couple. It was easy to understand why Archie had been so impressed by them. If the kids were used to counselors like this, what were they going to make of her?

As though sensing that flutter of anxiety, Honey squeezed her hand for a moment. “Don’t worry,” she murmured. “Even if things seem dreadful now, it will all work out in the end. It did for me.”

Buck grunted. “Despite my best efforts. Good thing you repaired that sauna, Ragvald. Which are not words I ever thought I’d say. Make sure Conleth keeps his suit on when you broil him.”

“Sauna?” Paige said.

“Don’t ask,” Honey advised. The look she gave Buck conveyed entire volumes of private subtext. “And don’t start collecting logs just yet. At least Conleth didn’t take weeks to admit the truth to his mate.”

Buck shrugged. “Conleth does everything faster. Including screw up. Don’t let him sweet-talk you around too easily, Paige. It’ll do the motherlover good to not get his own way for once.”

“But they are fated mates!” Ragvald protested. “You are mated yourself, friend Buck. How can you not want your shield-sibling to know the same bliss?”

Buck folded his arms. “I remind you we’re talking about Conleth.”

“Don’t listen to my grumpy mate here, Paige.” Honey poked Buck in the side, making him grunt again. “He and Conleth do that silly macho thing where they insult each other because they can’t lose face by admitting they’re actually friends.”

“He once compared me to a lukewarm turnip,” Buck noted. “Unfavorably.”

“Exactly my point.” Honey touched Paige’s arm, her expression earnest. “We should talk in private later. My situation was different to yours, but I was blindsided by the whole mate thing too. I know what it’s like.”

Perhaps Honey did know what it was like, Paige realized. Archie’s account had been hard to follow, but she’d grasped enough to know that Honey hadn’t been born a shifter. She’d been human once, just like her. Until?—

Her heart lurched sideways. “Wait a second. Buck made you a shifter, right?”

Honey looked a little perplexed by the question, but she nodded. “That’s right.”

“Does that always happen? When a shifter mates a human, I mean.”

“Oh.” Honey’s puzzled expression cleared. “No, not usually. That’s specific to hellhounds. Or, well, stormwolves, in this case.”

“Still not in love with that name,” Buck muttered.

“Would you prefer zapdog?” Leonie asked sweetly.

“Hellhounds aren’t like most other types of shifter,” Honey continued, ignoring the banter with the ease of a woman used to carrying on a conversation with a running comedy act in the background. “They aren’t born with their animals. You become a hellhound by being bitten by one. And biting is part of the hellhound mating ritual.”

Buck looked pained. “If you’re going to go into details, I’m leaving the room now.”

“I don’t think we need to draw Paige a diagram,” Moira said, her lips quirking. “If you were worrying that mating Conleth would have unexpected side effects, Paige, you can set your mind at ease. He’s a pegasus, not a hellhound. He can’t turn you into a shifter.”

“Oh,” Paige said. “Right.”

It shouldn’t have made any difference. She couldn’t mate him anyway. There was absolutely no cause to feel disappointed.

Yet she did. Archie took such joy in his shifting. She hadn’t ever really admitted to herself just how much she envied him that freedom.

Maybe it was just as well that Conleth couldn’t turn her into a shifter. She wasn’t sure she’d have been able to say no.

And she had to say no.

She’d told Conleth the truth. Not the whole truth, of course—she had no intention of revealing that to anyone—but enough. Archie had to get his shifting under control this summer, and she couldn’t afford for him to be distracted from his studies. There was too much at stake.

Renewed resolve straightened her spine. She had to nip this in the bud now, before things got any worse. The last thing she needed was to have the entire senior staff attempting to play matchmaker all summer.

“Look,” she said. “I appreciate you’re all Conleth’s friends?—”

“Turnip,” Buck interjected. “Lukewarm.”

“But I’ve already made it clear to him that nothing can happen between us,” she went on doggedly. “He understands the reasons, and he respects my decision. This summer is going to be hard enough with us both stuck at camp. Don’t make it worse for him.”

“But you are mates . ” Ragvald looked genuinely upset; shoulders knotted, fingers twitching as though in search of a weapon. “To reject the bond is unnatural! An offense against all that is holy!”

“Ragvald.” Moira laid a warning hand on the big man’s arm. “No.”

“We’re not trying to put pressure on you, Paige,” Honey said gently. “And of course we won’t pry any further, if you’d prefer to keep your personal life to yourself. But if you ever want to talk?—”

“I don’t,” Paige said curtly. She turned to Leonie. “I should meet my co-counselor before training starts. Can you point him out?”

Leonie blew out her breath, but didn’t argue with the abrupt change of subject. “I’ll introduce you. I would have done so earlier, but… well.” She scanned the crowd of counselors, frowning. “That’s strange. I can’t see him. He should be here.”

“Oh,” Buck said. He was staring over Paige’s shoulder, the oddest expression on his face. She couldn’t tell if he was appalled, or about to burst into hysterical laughter. “I think he is.”

Paige turned, and found herself staring at the Camp Thunderbird logo. The black staff t-shirt clung to a broad, muscled chest. Her gaze tracked upward past a strong throat and sharp jawline to meet determined green eyes.

“Hello, Paige.” Conleth’s mouth curved in a cocky smirk. “I look forward to working with you.”