other, but today he was impatient to get on with things.
Stuart didn’t bother to greet Dylan or wait for the others to be in place. He knew from experience the Shifters could stand around a long time talking about nothing before getting to the point.
“What are you here to tell me to do?” Stuart asked Dylan abruptly.
Dylan was a difficult man to startle. He didn’t change expression as Reid’s words echoed in the wet air.
Sean let out a laugh, his breath steaming. “He’s taken your measure, Dad. You wouldn’t have run down Marlo and hopped on his plane if you didn’t have an agenda.”
“Thank you, Sean.” Dylan kept his gaze on Reid. “I think everyone knows why I’m here.” He flicked his focus to Peigi and gave her a grave nod. “How are you, Peigi?”
The question was genuine, not mere politeness. Dylan always asked after Peigi and the cubs, his concern true. Dylan was a hard-ass and a control freak, but he also took care of Shifters, even when they might be unaware of it.
“I’m fine,” Peigi said. “Really.”
“You don’t have to accept his mate claim, you know. It is your choice.”
“That news has gone around the world, hasn’t it?” Peigi stood next to Reid, her arm touching his, refusing to shy from Dylan’s gaze.
Dylan shrugged. “We’re Shifters. We like a good mate claim, hope a sun and moon ceremony is around the corner. Eric was on the phone immediately to my son Liam, who called me …”
“And Liam’s talking to Shifters all over,” Sean put in. “Bowman in North Carolina, Eoin in Montana, Zander …”
“Zander?” Graham growled as he approached. “That walking furball? No secret is safe with him.” He gazed up at Tiger, who had remained in the background in silence. “How’s it going, crazy?”
Tiger took a moment to consider the question. “It is going well. A mate claim is not a secret. That is the point of one.”
“Fair dues.” Graham nodded at Dylan and Sean, then stepped back as Eric and Diego arrived.
This meeting was technically between Reid and Dylan, but the others had insisted on standing by as referees. Reid wondered whether they feared what Dylan might do to Reid, or what Reid might do to Dylan.
Tiger held Peigi with his golden gaze. “Congratulations. My mate told me to tell you, ‘It’s about time.’”
“I haven’t accepted yet,” Peigi said quickly.
Tiger looked Peigi up and down in silence. As Dylan began to speak, Tiger mouthed to Peigi, Yes, you have.
Peigi flushed, but Reid had to switch his focus to Dylan before he could think about what Tiger implied.
“I’d like you to go back to Faerie,” Dylan said. “As you probably guessed I would ask you to. It’s important.”
Reid frowned. “Why? To help Cian and the dokk alfar? Or to scout for you and your upcoming war?”
“Both,” Dylan answered without missing a beat. “You can find out more easily than most which hoch alfar are gearing up, where, and with what. If the dokk alfar have a spelled iron talisman that can stop them, so much the better.”
Reid didn’t move. “If you mean, when I find the karmsyern I should deliver it to you instead of Cian, you are talking to the wrong man.”
“I mean no such thing. The karmsyern ought to be returned to Cian and protect the dokk alfar people. I’d never steal something so important.” Dylan stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. “But I might ask to borrow it a while.”
“I can suggest it to Cian,” Reid said. “He might be amenable. Then again, he might not.”
“Huh,” Graham broke in. “I bet he tells you to take a flying leap. Why would this dark Fae care about protecting a bunch of Shifters, especially if it means his own people might be mowed down in the meantime?”
“That’s why I’ll ask,” Reid said. “Not simply take it.”
Was Dylan disappointed? Hard to tell under his poker face. Dylan liked to get his way. That way usually did a lot of good, but at the same time, he could bulldoze over people to make things go as he planned. Dylan was reasonable enough to know he had to compromise, but at times he’d throw compromise to the wind and be utterly ruthless.
“What I’m proposing is an alliance with the dokk alfar,” Dylan said, an edge to his voice.
“I know.” Reid refused to back down. “And I’ll ask. That’s the best I can do.”
They went silent, matching stare for stare. Dylan was used to Shifters dropping their gazes before