likely be in the back, and he was the one that I sought.
I found my right hand in the armory, taking stock of the armor we hadn’t had cause to use in years. It was a blessing that these were relics of the past. Though we still fought, there was no more large-scale war. Long ago, the packs of Europe had clashed on the field of battle. Such frays had required armor, sleek and fitted to a wolf’s body. These days, packs didn’t always get along, but we managed to hash out our disagreements around a table instead of on the battlefield. There might be the occasional one-on-one clash, but nothing that required armor.
I’d consider it a success if this room stayed quiet and unused during my tenure.
When I stepped inside, Kenneth turned, his face relaxing. “Alpha.”
“Kenneth.” I nodded.
He tilted his head, frowning at me. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” The words came by instinct, but they were a lie. “Actually, of course I’m not. You know what’s happening.”
Kenneth’s jaw tightened, as if he didn’t like to speak of it. “I…”
“Ignoring it won’t help, you know that.”
He heaved a sigh and dropped his clipboard by his side. “You’re going to ask me to do what needs to be done.”
“If you must, yes.”
Pain flashed in his eyes. “Can’t we find a cure?”
“Perhaps.” Probably not. “More likely the best that I can promise is that I take care of the grisly task for you.”
Horror twisted his face. “No, you mustn’t.”
“Don’t worry yourself over it. I’ll do it somewhere you’ll never need to know.”
“This is too morbid, boss.”
Yes. It was.
“All the same, you must be prepared to act without hesitation should my eyes go permanently black. I would take myself out of the equation now, but there’s something I need to do before that’s a possibility.”
“Eve.”
“Eve. We need to find out what’s happening to her. The Maker is still after her, but like a spider spinning a web. He won’t approach yet, but he’s just as dangerous. And I must find Garreth. Can I count on you?”
He hesitated, then nodded, clearly hating every moment of this conversation. My second’s loyalty should warm me—and it did—but there was little room in the coldness of my heart just then.
“We’ll stop this,” Kenneth said. “Somehow, I know it.”
I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my mouth. “Perhaps. It would help if you could tell me everything you know about the Isle of Wyre.”
His eyes brightened. “Of course. That’s something I can do, no problem.”
Kenneth was our resident historian, knowledgeable in all areas of shifter and supernatural history.
“I’m going to get some transport charms from my quarters,” I said. “Will you meet me there once you’ve collected whatever you need?”
He nodded. “I’ll be there soon.”
Eve
* * *
After a quick shower and meal to recoup my strength, I joined my friends in the main sitting room. Beatrix and Seraphia had returned from their work at the dentist’s office, smoothing over the mess I had made.
They sat by the fire, Beatrix with her bright purple leggings and wild dark hair, Seraphia curled up in a long, flowing dress in a spring green that made her look like the earth goddess she was.
I sank into the chair across from them. “Thank you so much for taking care of that. What do I owe you?”
“Still sorting that out,” Beatrix said. “But you might get lucky.”
“Lucky?”
“Insurance!” Seraphia said.
“But the van hit the building in a way that is basically impossible via the laws of physics,” I protested.
“That doesn’t mean we could tell them it was magic,” Beatrix said.
“Good point.”
“We’ll keep you updated,” she replied.
“Thank you.”
Carrow and Mac came in from the courtyard and took their seats in the other comfy armchairs.
“Lachlan is coming,” Carrow said. “Just saw him enter the courtyard. Quinn is still on shift at the Hound.”
“Good timing.” I nodded, trying to play it cool even though my heartrate had just picked up the pace in a big way.
A knock sounded at the door a half second later. Even from here, I could sense that it was Lachlan.
Something stirred, somewhere in my soul. I rubbed my chest, frowning at the unfamiliar feeling. I’d thought I hadn’t had a beast. How wrong I was.
Carrow called out for Lachlan to enter.
He stepped inside, as handsome and powerful as ever in his jeans and a thin, dark sweater. It pulled at his shoulders, emphasizing his muscles in a way that I was sure was unintentional but certainly worked on me.
I