He should have known he wouldn’t be able to hide it from Brandon.
“I won’t hurt the Pack,” he growled out.
“Never thought you would. I’m more worried about you hurting yourself.”
Ryder turned to his brother. “Leave it, Brandon.”
Brandon just met his gaze, not quite a challenge, but close enough. Ryder was Heir, slightly higher in rank than the Omega. Their dominance couldn’t be changed, but they could piss off their wolves.
“What’s going on?” Leah asked as she came up to them. She’d gone to a nearby stream as soon as they’d made it to the meeting location so she could wash her hands. She’d been nervous and had needed the water for her magic. Ryder had been able to hear her the entire time, and would have run to her side in a moment if there were trouble. And since they were on neutral ground and not within wards, trouble could come at any moment.
Because they were in the middle of a forest, they had some cover in case there was an issue, at least. With the humans always on the hunt, and hate groups hidden around the area, Ryder wasn’t going to take chances. As soon as the Redwood Heir and Omega arrived, they’d make their way into the meeting area and get started. He didn’t like being out in the open as they were.
“Ryder?”
He shook his head at Leah’s words. “Nothing’s going on. We’re just having a brother issue.”
She studied his face then licked her lips. He wanted to do the same but held himself back.
The sound of two people coming through the trees, purposely stepping hard as to announce their presence, hit his ears and he turned on his heel, grabbing Leah’s wrist and tugging her close at the same time.
She didn’t pull away, but he did feel water sliding up his fingers. It seemed his little witch was more powerful than he thought.
No, not his witch.
He needed to remember that.
As soon as he inhaled and scented Finn and Drake, the Heir and Omega of the Redwood Pack, he relaxed marginally. He couldn’t relax fully, as he had Leah at his side and his wolf craved her more than air, but at least he didn’t feel as if he were in more danger than usual.
“You ready?” Finn asked, his wolf in his eyes. His new brother-in-law was one damn strong wolf and had recently increased his strength after almost dying for his bond with Brynn. It was good to have him on their side rather than the enemy’s.
Everyone nodded before taking deep breaths and starting their way to the official meeting place. Instead of meeting on anyone’s land, they were going to meet in an older building that was not claimed by either wolf or witch.
As soon as they entered the building, Ryder’s senses went on alert. There hadn’t been a sentry on duty, but there had been magic. He’d felt it on his skin, and Leah had let out a slight gasp. His wolf pushed against him, but she didn’t scent of pain, only surprise, so he didn’t mention it. He couldn’t let others know there might be a weakness.
“You’ve made it, wolf,” a deep voice with a slightly nasal tone said.
Leah’s hand brushed his arm discreetly, and he wanted to pull her behind him to shield her. Only to do so would undermine her own strength.
Ryder raised his chin and met the gaze of an older man with dark hair, sprinkled with white and grey. His pointed nose and chin made him look aristocratic, but he had Leah’s blue eyes.
This was the Coven leader.
Leah’s father.
The man who’d abandoned her, shunned her, and called for her death.
Ryder’s wolf growled, pushed, and scraped. Yet on the outside, he looked cool, calm, and collected. That was one of his strengths. It had kept him alive through the worst.
While his gaze was on the man in front of him, his senses were on the others around him. Six witches sat around the leader, men and woman in dark robes with frowns on their faces.
But they weren’t alone.
Dozens of spirits lined the walls. He’d never seen so many at once. His skin grew cold and his lungs seized. He couldn’t allow the others to see his reaction, couldn’t let them know what he saw. The spirits looked at him, frowns on their faces, as well. Some screamed. Others called his name, called for his death, for his life. They didn’t move forward, and he wasn’t sure if they could.
It seemed to him that these spirits were of the Coven, ancestors of the seven breathing witches that stood in front of him.
Interesting.
And scary as hell.
He’d been born with the power to hear and see the dead, been born with another, darker power, as well. And yet he didn’t know what to do with it.
However, this wasn’t the time. He met the leader’s eyes and set his jaw. The other man finally lowered his gaze, and Ryder’s wolf was satisfied. He might not be the Alpha, but he was damn strong, and this fucking peon in front of him couldn’t match his strength. He wouldn’t ignore the magic within, but he knew Leah was stronger than her father, as well. Knew deep in his bones.
He just didn’t think she knew that.