18. Kade

"You know I don't have Laith," Kade growls, the need to touch her still scorching through his veins despite the accusation. "The shifters have him. They orchestrated all of this. They must know I wanted to go looking for the sword and amulet. They wanted to get me out of the way."

Elara looks at him for any sign of deceit, so he stares back unflinchingly.

In all the betrayal and the secrets, he hasn't lied to her.

It's the one fragile thread of honor he's clung to.

Her shoulders relax as her breath whooshes out. "He's telling the truth," she tells Denzel. "I know he is."

Unwarranted victory flashes through Kade's chest, warm and uplifting. He takes a few steps forward, reaching for her, then stops. Elara wouldn't want to show preference for him in front of her pack alpha and Jordyn considering their opinion of him.

Except she takes his hand and clasps it. Tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Elara," he says quietly. "I didn't expect things to move so fast."

"I know," she chokes out in a whisper, holding a private moment even with company.

Denzel clears his throat, and Kade moves to her side, their shoulders and arms touching, tense and waiting.

"What do they want with Laith?" Denzel demands, the authority of alpha stamped in every word. "I expect you to tell me everything or I'll turn you over to the council and let them do what they will with you."

Elara shoots a glare at Denzel but feels the pressure of his alpha eyes on her. She can't defy him as much as she wants to right now.

Kade slides his hand over hers comfortingly before he responds. He's not scared of Denzel. The prophecy is far greater than any alpha. "I suspect they want to see how modified he is. Evolved wolves are necessary to fight this war and for the end game of getting Excalibur on our side. Only Arthurians can evolve, though. I can"t say for sure he is one, but so far, Laith and Elara are the only ones I've known to survive the change. The shifters want Excalibur, the magic it holds, and to force the wielder on their side and to kill the rest of the evolved wolves if they can."

"There' s more to it than that. What else do you know?" Denzel demands.

Kade grits his teeth, wishing the alpha wasn't so…sure. "They're trying to resurrect a powerful witch. That's what all the sacrifices have been for."

A shudder ripples through Elara and protectiveness washes over Kade. The supernatural world keeps getting scarier, and she barely understands her little pocket of it. Is she realizing that if the shifters succeed, then they'll be unstoppable? Or what will happen to the wolves, then? Or humans, for that matter? Nobody would be safe with shifters in charge.

Denzel opens his mouth to speak, but the gathering darkness shifts behind one of the large trees to their left. Kade grabs Elara and pulls her behind him, holding onto her wrist.

It's a woman with black hair and black clothes, both styled in sharp angles. She remains in the shadows of the trunk and foliage. "I know who they're trying to resurrect." Her voice seems amused at the knowledge, holding it over their heads.

Kade's poised to attack. He's dealt with far too many cryptic people on this quest to fulfill the prophecy. The woman steps forward, somehow still managing to remain in shadow. "Who are you?" he snarls.

Elara's frozen. Jordyn has gone as pale as chalk. Denzel subtly shifts his center of gravity, ready to fight.

Just like Kade is.

A dark laugh, and then the ethereal voice that doesn't sound as human as Kade would like pours reaches them. "My name is Dinah."