Nick arched a brow at Shaya. “Have you forgotten what happened with Roni and Marcus?”
Roni, Nick’s younger sister and an enforcer, had mated with an enforcer from the Phoenix Pack. Rather than asking either of the couple to switch packs, Nick and the Phoenix Alpha male had blooded so that the mated couple now belonged to both. It hadn’t made the packs into one, but it had united them on a psychic level, making each one an extension of the other.
Nick continued, “They almost didn’t mate because a Seer fed them bullshit about Marcus’s mate being someone else.”
It was yet another example of Seers misusing their gifts. As Derren considered Roni a good friend, it had pissed him the fuck off—adding to his loathing for Seers.
Shaya waved a dismissive hand. “That’s because Kerrie is an evil bitch. It doesn’t automatically make Ally one.”
Marcus tilted his head, conceding that. “How would you feel about Ally being here, sweetheart?” he asked Roni, while lounging on the other sofa with his arm draped over her shoulders. The two were an unlikely pair in that he was a dominant, very sociable, easygoing charmer, while Roni was a socially inept, intimidatingly intelligent, and seriously lethal tomboy.
“I’ll only have a problem with her if she turns out to be anything like Kerrie,” replied Roni. “Honestly, though, I can’t see anyone being more evil than that bitch.”
Eli’s eyes narrowed at Roni. “Not sure you’re in a position to call anyone evil.” He ran his tongue along his teeth, which still had a slight pink tint thanks to Roni’s latest prank. The two siblings insisted on playing pranks on each other on a regular basis, merely for their own entertainment.
Roni rolled her eyes. “Are you still holding on to that?”
“You put red food coloring on my toothbrush! I looked like a damn vampire after I brushed my teeth this morning!”
“Well, if you hadn’t poured baby oil into my shampoo bottle, it would never have happened, would it?”
“So,” began Marcus before the siblings could argue any further, “you’re saying you’re okay with Ally being given sanctuary here?”
Roni shrugged. “I’ll support whatever decision Shaya makes. You?”
Marcus thought about it for a second. “I won’t have a problem with Ally being here, as long as she doesn’t share her visions with me. In my opinion, it’s best not to know the future anyway. It can just fuck up the present.”
Derren couldn’t have said it better himself.
“If you’re referring to what happened to Trey,” began Shaya, “that wasn’t the Seer’s fault—the blame belongs to Trey’s father.” Trey Coleman was the Phoenix Pack Alpha male.
Kent looked at Marcus. “What happened to Trey?”
“It’s Trey’s story to tell,” replied Marcus. “All I’ll say on the matter is that when he was a kid, the Seer of his pack told his dad he’d usurp his position one day.”
As everyone knew all about the deceased, violent, and totally fucked-up Rick Coleman, it was easy enough to conclude that the old bastard had punished Trey during his entire upbringing for something he hadn’t even done yet.
Cutting off whatever Nick was about to say next, the front door opened and there was a cacophony of exasperated voices. Three Mercury enforcers strolled into the living area, arguing. More accurately, Jesse and Zander were berating an eye-rolling Bracken.
Derren immediately summed up the situation, sighing tiredly at Bracken. “What did you and Dominic do this time?”
Dominic was a Phoenix Pack enforcer, who seemed to have no self-control and would probably fuck any female who stood still long enough. Though flirty and just as fond of sex as the average shifter, Bracken was a big gamer and preferred technology to people. It surprised everyone when the two enforcers became friends. Together, they had a talent for getting themselves in deep shit.
It was Jesse who responded. “Oh, they only had a threesome with an Alpha’s mate.”
“Intended mate, intended mate,” Bracken stressed. “Her father has arranged for her to mate some guy, but they’re not true mates. She wanted one last fling before the ceremony.” He looked at Jesse. “You’ve seen her—was I supposed to refuse?”
Jesse nodded. “Yes. That was exactly what you were supposed to do.”
“You’re lucky,” Zander told Bracken. “If the Alpha wasn’t absolutely terrified of Nick and our pack, he would have challenged you.” Nick had quite a reputation.
“We’ll discuss this later,” Shaya told the enforcers, gesturing for them to sit. “Right now, there’s a more important issue to discuss.”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” corrected Nick. “We’ve said all there is to say.”