A Crown Of Smoke And Ash - Sloane Murphy Page 0,72

around us. "I called this gathering, because a great evil is upon us."

Murmurs rise from the crowd, but he quiets them with a flick of his hand. "It has become known, that the deserters, the pack rogues, have joined forces with the Dracul. They join forces with deserters of Hunters. They want to attack us, the lives we have fought for. They have joined with Witches, using the darkest of magics, to bring forth the Demons our ancestors once fought to banish from this earth."

"It is your fault they left us!" a voice yells from the crowd, but Roman continues.

"They have created creatures not of this world. Hybrids. A mixed species. Deadly and dangerous to all. I called this gathering, not just for your support, but so that you can be aware of what is out there, to protect our young. To see if any of you know anything, anything at all about the growing threat. You might think that whatever darkness it is that is coming, will not reach you, but believe me, it is coming, and it will come for us all. So I ask you to stand with me. With those who we thought our enemies, so that together, we can all survive."

Murmurs in the crowd grow until I can barely hear myself think over the noise, but I remain at Roman’s side, poised, waiting for the objections that will likely come.

"I ask that you take time to think on it. I will speak to each pack alone to take questions this afternoon, answer any that you may have, and then tonight, before we feast, we will ask who will stand with us. Know this, I will fight, my mate at my side, regardless of your choices, to protect all of you, because we are pack."

A roar ripples across the crowd, and thousands of Lycans roar alongside their Alpha, the noise is enough to rock the platform beneath my feet, but I stand tall and steady, holding my ground. The noise dies down, and the Lycans disperse.

"I have to say, I was expecting more theatrics," I say to Roman who chuckles.

"Oh, they're coming, just you wait. Now we have to sit and greet each pack. You have no idea how much it’s coming." He turns to Nathan who grins at us both.

“Find whoever it was that shouted out of turn,” Roman commands and Nathan nods, before jumping from the platform and running in the direction of the packs.

I take Roman’s hand and jump back into the waiting jeep with him, Tobias, and Theron, and head back to the house, where we will meet with each pack. I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes, because I fear this is one of the last moments of peace we will have for a while.

The packs’ questions take hours, and I answer as many as Roman. The last pack filters out of the house as the sun begins to set, and I breathe a sigh of relief. That could have gone much worse. I mean, it could have gone better, but I didn't have to fight anyone, and no-one issued a challenge to Roman.

There were questions about how this had all gone undetected for so long, and why we still didn't have all of the information, questions of how something like this could even happen, but we answered as best we could. My being a Hunter and mated to a Lycan was questioned more than once. So, I answered, truthfully and respectfully, and I think that my honesty won more than a few people over to team Remy. I'm not expecting this to be a walk in the park still, but I will never turn down people who want to support what is between Roman and I. We kept mention of the other guys quiet for now outside of what we must, but the fact that an Angel fights alongside us definitely won favor.

How the Angels have so much revered respect, when the Lycans hate the Hunters so much, baffles me. But I discovered today, that not a lot of it is hate. It is hurt. The pain of life changing so drastically, though none here were alive in the time before, but the stories have been passed down.

I slip upstairs and jump in the shower, letting the hot water wash away the last few days. I'm so drained, mentally rather than physically, and all I want to do is sleep, but I know that tonight cannot