the lighter side of him. “I didn’t know what to wear. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this.”
“It’s definitely something.”
Glancing over his shoulder, I find Dax, a member of Keene’s clan. He looks murderous and doesn’t appear to have dressed up. He’s wearing a pair of jeans that are ripped in one knee and a tight black T-shirt, which stretches across his chest to the point I can almost hear the fibers scream as they try to hold the shirt together. He’s as tall and muscular as Keene but has brown hair.
Instead of speaking out loud, I talk to Keene with my mind. No, he can’t respond that way since he doesn’t have the ability, but he can hear me. “Seems you have an angry bear shifter behind you.”
Keene nods.
“Are you going to do something about that? If I’m not mistaken, that male doesn’t like you walking around with such little clothing on.”
Keene smirks and his thoughts float to me.
“Oh, I get it.” I smile. “You did this on purpose. Have you finally realized who he is to you?”
He shrugs.
“You two are terrible. One touch and you’d know if you’re mates. I don’t understand why the hesitation.” I hold up my hand before he tries to say something he may not want Dax to hear. The room is filled with noise but paranormals have excellent hearing. It would be easy for Dax to pick up every word Keene says. “I don’t know his history, nor all of yours for that matter,” I state. “But I can tell you from experience, don’t wait. Don’t keep everything to yourself. I lost Sienna once. I made sure not to do it again. I also don’t need to give you the fate speech. You’ll end up where you’re meant to be. Since Dax came into your life, that’s been toward him. Work through your issues. For both of you.”
Keene nods again then does the last thing I expect and pulls me into a hug. I’m not a small male, but this bear shifter smothers me close to suffocation before he releases me.
“Thank you,” he mouths, then turns and walks in the opposite direction of Dax.
Dax doesn’t follow Keene, but if he could sever my head from my body in this moment, he would.
Then someone steps between us with their back to me. Someone who’s wearing a coat that looks just like my signature one.
“Knock it off,” I hear Sol say, low and deadly.
I walk to his side and glance over at my brother. He’s let his fangs descend with his eyes on Dax. Well, this is interesting.
Placing a hand on Sol’s arm, I say, “It’s fine, brother. He has just cause for the way he’s looking at me.”
Sol turns to me and searches my eyes. I let the block in my mind down so he can easily see everything that just happened with Keene and me. He faces Dax again and clucks his tongue. “While you may think this hatred of my brother is justified, remember he’s mated. And bear shifter or not, I’m stronger than you are. I heal faster. And I have way more life experience. You step wrongly toward Ford, and Avynwood Clan or not, I’ll end you.”
Dax narrows his eyes then nods before spinning and getting lost in the crowd.
4
Solomon
The nerve of this shifter thinking he can try something with my brother. Granted, he didn’t actually take a step toward him or anything, but I know a death glare when I see one. I’ve given them countless times over in my life.
I’m about to talk to Ford when a scream wrenches through the air. The entire room seems to turn toward the doorway where Fiona stands in a barely-there costume with blood covering her hands and tears streaming down her cheeks.
Aries pushes through the crowd to get to her. “Fi, what happened?”
“Eaton, he-he… Someone hurt him.”
I rub my hands together. Finally, the real entertainment has begun. I love a good staged mystery. It’s perfect for Halloween.
Ariane is the next one to get to Fiona. “You’re not lying,” she says with a cock of her head.
“No!” Fiona cries. “Why would I make something like this up?”
“It’s Halloween and scary stuff is fun to do.”
“My mate is out in the hall shifting to heal!” she yells. “I wouldn’t do this for entertainment!”
With a quick focus on Ari, I scan her mind then Fiona’s. There’s nothing there but stark fear and the vision of Fiona’s mate on the ground with a chunk