I nodded. “Thanks to my mom, they were well hidden, even from their own kind.”
“Isaac said the Earth hides them,” Logan mused.
I nodded. “My mom’s magic came from deep in the core of Mother Earth.”
Logan raised an eyebrow. “Like Lava?”
I shrugged. “Who knows … but he’s trying to get me to light stuff on fire with my mind.”
Logan chuckled, bringing me closer to him, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I’d like to see that.”
“Not gonna happen anytime soon. So far I can only shoot a concentrated beam from my staff.”
“Any headaches?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Nope.”
He looked relieved at that. “Well then, I’d say you’re doing just fine. Come on, we’ve got a wild youngling to keep an eye on now.”
I snickered. “Did you see how fast she whipped that gun out?”
He nodded, looking impressed. “She’s got spunk. Reminds me of younger Nadine.”
We walked over to the group of people hand in hand. Casey was giving Hemlock an ear rub and listening to Danny tell an extravagant story about trying to steal a pack of bubblegum when he was nine.
I liked this life, having our little community up here on Isaac’s land. I didn’t like fearing the druids, but knowing we were offering a safe haven to Casey and those like her, put my mind at ease. It gave me a purpose in the world. I was taking up my mother’s work. And proud to.
14
Keegan and Sophie rolled in that night with a bus full of stone cold shifters, all bred to protect and slightly scary looking. They stared at Logan, Casey, Lynn’s family and me, like we were gods, mythical beings that shouldn’t exist. They brought another alpha with them, a female named Dee. A thirty-something woman with lean muscles and short-cropped blond hair, she had this look in her eye that said she didn’t take shit from anyone, but she also gave me a kind smile. When she shook my hand, I thought my fingers would break. She was like Keegan’s long-lost twin sister. The plan was that Dee would take half the pack and Keegan would command the other. In the grand scheme of things it didn’t really matter which pack we were in because we were sharing the land and would see each other daily.
Now, we all stood around the large bonfire as the sun set behind us. Keegan and Dee began to call off names, splitting up the teams into two. It felt a bit like middle school gym class and I was being picked for a soccer team.
“Logan, Sloane, and my team will stay with me. We’ll also take Casey,” Keegan announced as we all made our way to his side. Geoff and Casey had already become fast friends, complaining there were no video games or cable TV here.
Dee smiled. “Lynn, I’d love for you and your family to join us so that my shifters could protect you guys.”
Lynn cradled her belly, beaming. Tony and Geoff looked happy as well. How long had they struggled on their own? Now their family would forever have protection. They walked to Dee’s team, and everyone introduced themselves. I reached Keegan’s side, and when I spun around I noticed Nadine still standing with the group of new shifters.
Oh shit. I’d forgotten to tell Logan about her Gear drama. I’d been so overwhelmed with Casey’s arrival.
‘Logan, Nadine—’ I didn’t even get the words through our bond before Nadine stepped forward and faced the new alpha.
“I’d like to switch groups for personal reasons,” she stated loudly. She held her chin high, and avoided meeting Keegan or Logan’s gaze.
“What?” Keegan stepped forward, but my arm snaked out and grabbed his bicep. He looked back at me with a venomous gaze.
I just shook my head.
‘She loves Gear. Needs a break from seeing him every day,’ I told Logan.
Logan stepped forward, and met the blue-eyed gaze of his best friend and alpha.
He nodded. “Let her go.”
I heard a strangled noise behind me and turned to see Gear, face pinched in anxiety. When he caught me looking, he turned quickly and took off running into the forest.
Oh lord. Lovers’ quarrels were not what we needed right now. We needed money; I needed to light shit on fire with my mind; and we had Lynn’s baby to worry about. But I couldn’t discount my friend’s heart. She was hurting and that mattered.
“Alright, I’ll allow it,” Keegan said with a slight crack in his voice.
Dee had clearly picked up on the tension and drama but kept professional about it. “Alright, hun, you’re with me, then. Glad to have you.” She waved Nadine over.
Our tattooed shifter gave a tight smile and walked to stand behind her new alpha. Being on the opposite side of Nadine, even if we were all still on the same big team, felt wrong.
I stood on my tiptoes. “Your rules suck ass,” I whispered in Keegan’s ear.
He growled lightly but didn’t turn around. I didn’t know anything about being an alpha of a pack, but I knew that his current way of doing things wasn’t working. After the pack was split in two, I stood around with Logan and Keegan. Neither wanted to talk about Nadine.
“How much did that bus set us back?” Logan asked Keegan, pointing to the retired public transport bus he’d pulled up in.
“Twenty grand,” Keegan replied.
Logan winced. “We need more cash. I’ve got a plan.”
Danny, Dominic, and Eva were following Logan, Keegan and I in my car. We’d driven about two hours away from our land, and were intending to shift and give scales to Danny and Eva, who would then sell them at a nearby supernatural black market in San Francisco. Casey had begged to come. Even bragged about her beautiful blue scales. Said she hadn’t shifted in years and was dying to let her dragon out and help the cause, but Logan refused. Told her to stay safe with Roxy and the others. Eva had tried to use the Eye to see what Ardan and Steven were up to and make sure they weren’t close, but it was now clear they’d caught on and had some sorcerer protection.
“Pull over here.” Logan pointed to a dirt road somewhere in the middle of Fresno. “I want this quick, Sloane. You shift, we get the scales, and you’re human again. Understand?” He pinned me with his green-eyed gaze.
I wanted to make a snarky comment about not understanding his simple English, but thought better of it. He was stressed and I didn’t want to add to that.
“Got it.”
He nodded, rubbing his hands on his jeans in a rare nervous gesture. I leaned forward, placing my left hand on his shoulder.
“I’ve got this now, remember?” I shoved the purple crystal staff in his face. “I can shoot purple lightning from it, and probably take off someone’s limb.”
Keegan chuckled. “Or just make them keel over holding their nuts.”
Truth.
I hadn’t done human trials yet, but if the scorch marks on the tree trunks were anything to go by, I could do some damage if need be.
Keegan pulled up to an old dilapidated barn on some dusty farmland. “This is it. Danny’s uncle owns the farm. Thinks we’re doing a cool nude photo shoot. Won’t bother us.”