Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
They were just finishing eating when she turned her head toward the door and inhaled deeply. Her eyes glazed over in that way he’d noticed a few times yesterday.
He went on alert but didn’t say a word as he waited for her to process whatever she was smelling. It could be anything from Isaac’s waffles to a pride of lions.
Hayes wasn’t surprised when his phone buzzed. The sound jerked Rylee out of her semi-trance. “Surge and Thorn. They’re on their way.”
He nodded and glanced down at the group text. Felix had started it by stating Khloe had visualized the bears’ movements. Gavin added to it saying that Molly could hear them. Damon was next, saying that he and Olivia were on their way. Everyone else was, too.
The six wolves arrived first. They all shifted and came into the house. Molly made a beeline for the back door and stood in the open space with Rylee.
The entire scenario was growing more and more surreal as they added mates with so many odd powers.
Rylee stood with her eyes closed, breathing in and out.
Molly gave a play-by-play of what she was hearing. “They’re discussing the upcoming meeting… They haven’t seen the lions again yet… They have been granted permission from their elders to arrange an alliance with us… They’re wondering if they need to reach out to other neighboring wolf packs…”
Rylee suddenly added, “They’re nervous.”
Everyone jerked their attention to her.
“Can you hear them?” Gavin asked.
She shook her head. “No. I smell it. I smell their fear.”
Several of them glanced at Hayes. He nodded. “She can smell some very strange things. I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet. I’ve tested her. Trust me. Never doubt whatever odd thing she scents. Fear is not the weirdest.”
Molly and Rylee both gasped at the same time. “Another bear,” they said simultaneously.
Hayes glanced at Damon. Fuck. Judging from Molly’s frown, it wasn’t a kind bear.
Rylee grabbed her new friend’s elbow. “What…?”
“It’s Drow,” Molly told them. “I only know because he’s talking to himself in his head. Firat is not with him.”
“What can you scent?” Hayes asked his mate.
She swallowed hard before turning to face the forest behind the house. She gripped the door frame and Molly’s elbow equally. “Evil.”
That didn’t shock Hayes or anyone else, but they all gasped collectively. It was ominous no matter that it was probably accurate.
Thorn and Surge arrived first. When they entered the clearing, Molly commented that they were about five minutes ahead of Drow. Rylee nodded, though she was still learning distances.
Hayes opened the front door and stood back. They didn’t ordinarily invite the bears into their homes, but it was time to increase their hospitality when it came to friends. The same would not be extended to foes.
The bears breathed heavily as they entered. They’d come at a fast speed.
“Thank you,” Surge said as they entered. “Drow is on our heels.”
Hayes nodded as they all moved into the open space. No one bothered sitting. They were all on high alert.
“What has he done?” Damon asked.
“We don’t know. Perhaps nothing, yet,” Thorn said, “but he’s pissed. He and Firat were informed by the council this morning that one wrong move and they will both be excommunicated. They think we’re to blame for sticking our asses out for wolf shifters.”
Hayes rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced at his packmates. Excommunicated didn’t feel helpful. It sounded like it would only cause trouble. He’d rather hear that the two rogue bears would be confined. They had been in the past. Now was a good time to do so again.
“Why is he following you?” Olivia asked. She had a hold on Damon’s arm. She did a good job of facing whoever she spoke to even though she couldn’t see them.
Thorn paced, hands on his hips. “He probably wants to snoop on us.”
Surge nodded. “Most likely, he’s thinking he can report back to the council that we did something wrong.”
“Would he lie about it?” Rylee asked. “Make something up?”
Thorn faced her. “It’s possible, but it won’t do him any good. We’re trusted members of society. He is not.”
Rylee came toward Hayes. “We could also back you up if need be.” She was so smart and thoughtful, considering how much had been thrown at her in such a short time. It would seem she was going to have an important role in her new community. Hayes would be in denial if he thought otherwise.
“He’s here,” Olivia stated. She leaned into her Daddy and tipped her head down. She wasn’t the only one who could hear any loud thoughts inside Drow’s head, but the other two bears didn’t yet know that Molly could also.
It was time to share more details with Thorn and Surge. Trust needed to go both ways, and there was no way for anyone among the bears to lie or keep secrets anyway.