weapons training whatsoever. However, it helped that Grayson was an experienced MMA fighter, Kannon was brilliant on the computer, and the other guys had experience with mechanics and building. Each of them had slid into a role here in the pack, and they definitely carried their own weight.
“Yeah,” Cody agreed. “Gray managed to pin Trevor in training.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course, the most important thing was that the new guy managed to beat one of our toughest in a fight. I was glad that Trevor was feeling better, but it was probably too soon for him to be fighting. I’d have to speak with Sam about that. He’d listen to her. Hopefully.
James grunted. “It was a good fight.”
I sighed. “What about with everything else?”
Austin shot me an amused look. “Corey and Grayson are helping out with the electrical wiring for the new buildings. Caleb, how’s Kannon doing?”
Caleb swallowed his last bite of food. “Great,” he said with a small grin. “He’s already mastered the satellites and drones. We’ll be able to get twice as much done once he’s fully up to speed.”
“Any security concerns from them?” James asked.
“No,” Mason answered. “Wyatt was instrumental in negotiating for these sweet potatoes. Other than that, they’ve made no moves to communicate with anyone on the outside.”
“Thank god for Wyatt,” Cody grumbled sarcastically as he stabbed at one of the hated sweet potato fries.
“It’s alright, big guy,” Jason said as he patted Cody on the back. “You’ll be back to eating burgers and steak in only three years. Two if you’re really lucky.”
Both of the twins cracked up at the pained look on Cody’s face. Poor Cody. That wolf wasn’t meant to be separated from red meat.
“Where are we on research into the Morrigan, the dark fae, and the Jaguar Goddess?” Austin asked.
The mood suddenly turned from joking to somber.
Caleb sighed and set his fork down. “It’s hard to tell fact from fiction, truth from embellished legends, etc. Kannon and I scoped out the property for your meeting with Arminius, though.”
“And?” James asked expectantly.
“I have a report prepared with the specifics,” Caleb told him. “But it looks safe, secure from outside threats, and off the radar.” He turned to me. “We found a couple of suggested landing places for your gateway, Anna.”
“Great,” I said with a forced smile. I was grateful for all the work Caleb put in, but I wasn’t excited about meeting with Arminius. It was going to be stressful, and the ancient lamia most likely had ulterior motives for agreeing to meet with us.
“You need to be careful with him,” Cody reminded me for the one-millionth time. “I don’t trust him.”
“No one does,” James grumbled.
“Austin will be there with me,” I reassured them. “And Arminius will be nice as long as he needs us.”
Arminius had hinted that he wanted me to seal the gate that let the fae come into this world. That was before the Morrigan had been released, and the Jaguar Goddess accidently awoken. I missed the good old days when all I had to worry about was Froston and Drake. And summer fae. And being sentenced to death by the council. And being kidnapped by rival packs.
“What about the fae?” Cody asked with a sour look on his face. “Do we know where they fall? Do they support the Morrigan?”
“I’m not sure,” I said honestly. “I don’t have a way to get in touch with Froston, and you know Drake only shows up when he wants something.”
All of the guys around the table grumbled at that statement.
“But,” I continued. “I’m sure her arrival throws a wrench in Drake’s plans to be the new king of Winter. And who knows what side Froston is going to be on?”
My father was deceptive and hard to read. I had my suspicions that he’d set me up to murder the last king of Winter to clear the path for Drake to get to the throne. I also wondered what Froston knew about the mysterious mark Drake put on me. He had to have sensed it if the Morrigan had.
“If Winter and Summer are enemies, can we pit one against the other?” Mason asked.
I shrugged. “Summer’s attacked us in the past, so they definitely aren’t friendly.” My face darkened. “Plus, they have my mother and sister.”
I’d only recently learned that my mother hadn’t been killed when I was a baby. She’d been lured into Summer and then trapped there by the fae. She had another daughter there, but time moved differently. By