“It seems my wolf recognized him immediately, but I ignored the cues she was giving me. I didn’t realize it until”—he kissed me senseless— “I made my full change. The vamps arrived immediately after. There was no time to process anything.” Then I said simply, “I will do anything to find him.”
The Queen cleared her throat as she descended the steps slowly, reveling in the show. “Dear, dear,” she murmured. “This is such a quandary. How will you ever find him on your own?” she mocked. “Do you know where Selene keeps her lair? Or I should say lairs, really. She has a number of preferred haunts, because she is a very powerful Goddess, you know.” She placed a bony white hand over her unbeating heart. “But how silly of me. Of course you know she’s powerful. She has already defeated you once.” But I’d made her bleed. I smiled, remembering. “I’m left wondering how you will ever conquer her and win back your mate all on your own. That seems an immeasurable mountain to climb for what meager strengths you’ve shown thus far.”
“I—”
“She won’t be alone.” My brother stepped forward, his voice hard and angry. “Her Pack will assist her, as our law dictates.” I watched Tyler struggle with the next bit, obviously trying to reconcile a number of things for himself. “We are duty-bound to accept all mates … even if they … even if they’re … of a different … Sect.” He rolled his shoulders back instead of shuddering, and I loved him more in that instant than I ever had. “She will not be alone in her search. Her Pack will assist her.”
The Queen glared at the interruption, looking vaguely put upon. “It does not matter in the least if every one of your wolves joins in the hunt, boy.” She waved her arm as a dismissal. “You will never find them in time—and even if you manage to bumble your way in, Selene’s protection is as vast as a deadly ocean. She will kill you on sight if her multitude of traps don’t kill you first.” She laughed, bright and hard, tracing her mercury stare to me. “Your only choice, little wolf girl, will be to swear an oath to me for one small favor of my choosing, and I will grant you two of my best and brightest trackers to aid you in your quest. Without them, you will fail. There is no other way.”
23
“Impossible,” my father’s voice boomed over the din around us. That one word held incredible power. Everyone quieted whether they wanted to or not. He dropped my arms and marched directly to the Queen. “Werewolves do not swear anything to vampires. Or anyone else for that matter. We have always fought our own battles and we always will.”
“Is that so?” The Queen stayed just out of arm’s reach, her accent even thicker now. “Why just last week a pack of mangy wolves, some of your very own precious young, eagerly swore their oaths to me. In return, I vowed to track down your daughter and bring her here.” She smiled shrewdly. “In fact, they were so taken with themselves, and swore so quickly, they didn’t even bother to ask me if I intended to end her life or if I was merely interested in chatting with her.”
My father’s expression stayed stoic, leading me to believe he was already well aware of the fracture across Packs and the new splinter group of wolves. I wondered for the first time where Hank and some of the younger wolves were, because they weren’t here with us now. I know I’d seen Hank in his wolf form behind my father in the clearing. Once he learned I’d ended Stuart’s life—his level of hatred toward me would skyrocket into the upper stratosphere. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing how that manifested itself.
“I can assure you, Eudoxia”—my father’s voice strummed low and fierce—”the wolves who allegedly swore to you were simply rogues and nothing more. They were wolves without honor and no longer members of any Pack. They will be hunted down by our own. No wolf with any notion of self-worth would ever seek the help of vampires. Wolves with honor have always fought their own battles, and we will continue to fight them in the future. No one will be swearing anything to you.”
“Really, Callum, how very old-fashioned and positively downright male of you. I think you will soon find that persons of the … feminine persuasion may feel differently about such things.” The Queen turned her bird stare on me. “Hmm, little wolf? Are you agreeing with Daddy here? Or do you actually wish to find your mate … alive?” Her power thrummed through the room.
No more playtime.
I bit the inside of my cheek.