She knew why Eoin didn’t suggest she accompany them. The other clan leaders might be hostile to her and he wanted to keep the meeting focused on finding feral Shifters. Eoin would never, ever take Rae into a place where she might be in danger.
“Zander, your opinion would be welcome,” Eoin said.
Zander shook his head. “Can’t. Have things to take care of. Tell me what you find out.” Without further explanation, he headed off into the woods, disappearing quickly from sight.
Rae watched him go with foreboding. It wasn’t like Zander to promise to help someone and then have others take over. He was up to something.
Eoin scowled in Zander’s wake but let him go. “Are you going to be all right here, sweetheart?” he asked Rae.
He didn’t mean physically. No matter how much the other Shifters in this Shiftertown blustered, they would never enter Eoin’s territory and touch the leader’s daughter. They’d want to keep their limbs intact.
Rae nodded. “I’ll meditate a little until the fire goes out. I’ll be fine.”
Eoin put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Rae. Goddess be with you, daughter.”
Rae hugged him back, the familiar feel of his embrace dissolving her tensions. She loved this man with all her heart.
“You too, Dad.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “Be careful.”
Colin turned from the path that led around the house and said, “Don’t worry, little sis. If anything goes wrong, we’ll kick ass.”
“This is a mission for information only,” Eoin growled as he released Rae. “Keep your claws in your paws. I mean that.”
Colin laughed, and the ring of it warmed Rae’s heart. “He’s so easy,” her brother said, winking at Rae. “He always thinks I’m going to dive right into trouble.”
“Because you usually do.” Eoin cuffed his son gently across the top of the head, then they went around the house together. A moment later, Rae heard the truck starting up.
That left Rae alone and in peace for the first time in many days. She breathed a sigh of contentment, seated herself cross-legged in front of the fire pit, and whispered a prayer to the Goddess.
“Tell me what to do,” she finished. “If you Chose me—why? What do you want from me?”
The flames flickered and crackled, giving away nothing.
“Hey.” Zander’s booted feet landed right next to her. “So, are they gone, Little Wolf?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Rae let out a yelp. She was up, the sword in its sheath held in front of her like a club before she’d realized who she faced. Her heart pounded, every nerve alert.
“Shit, Zander,” she said, lowering the sword. “What the hell? You don’t sneak up on a Shifter like that.”
“How should I sneak up on a Shifter?” Zander gave her a blank stare with his very dark eyes. “On my tippy-toes going shh, shh, shh?” He carried a backpack in one hand and had his swords slung over his shoulder with the other. “I wasn’t trying for stealth, sweetheart. You were out of it.”
Rae knew she hadn’t been that out of it. Zander could move incredibly softly and quickly, and giant polar bears shouldn’t be able to do that.
“What do you want, Big-Ass Bear?” she asked in irritation. “I thought you were off calling your friends all over the world.”
“Only a couple of them. Making arrangements.” He turned away. “Time to keep up your training, Little Wolf. Come on.”
He headed toward the trees at the edge of Eoin’s territory, expecting she’d follow. Rae, after letting out an aggrieved sigh, did.
Zander strode along the path they’d taken with Reid, but he veered off before it led to the clearing, and struck out south along the lake.
On the far side of this lake, which was about a mile across, was a small human town and a lake resort, where wealthy city dwellers came to get away from it all. The way to the resort was blocked off by a high fence and gate, so that the resort goers didn’t have to worry about Shifters running up to their cabins—or any wild animal for that matter.
Rae eyed the fence as they neared it—why humans thought Shifters couldn’t climb it or tear through it whenever they wanted to, she didn’t understand. Zander, for instance, calmly pulled out the links of the fence from the dirt, rolled it back out of the way, ducked under, and held the fence open for her.
“What are you doing?” Rae asked him. “This way is off limits to Shifters. If you want to go into town, we can drive. They’re used to seeing Shifters there—it’s where we shop.”
“Not interested in the town,” Zander said without changing expression. “I hear there’s a great resort over here, with private cabins right on the lake. A fishing and birding paradise, or just a place to relax. According to their website anyway. I booked us a cabin.”
Zander continued to hold the fence open as though wondering why Rae didn’t come through.
“Shifters aren’t allowed.” She took a step back. “Didn’t you hear me?”
“I wasn’t planning on telling them we were Shifters,” Zander said patiently. “I already checked in, so we don’t need to go through the lobby.”
“You already . . .” Rae shook herself. “Why did you book a cabin?” She eyed him in suspicion.
“Little Wolf, your dad’s great for taking us all in, very hospitable, but there’s too many people in your house. Nowhere to train in private, nowhere to talk without at least three people listening in. Daragh’s house is watched, so I needed an alternative.”
Rae blew out her breath. Zander was right that training would be easier if they had privacy, especially when she didn’t want to brandish the broken sword. But taking her to the humans-only lake resort was audacious—something only Zander would do.
“If we get caught, my dad will be held responsible,” she said. “Humans are touchy about the no-Shifters rule.”
“We won’t get caught,” Zander returned without worry. “The manager is a friend of Piotr’s, who vouched for me. What lady I bring in is my business.”
Rae gave a growl. “You know, you really are crazy.” She ended her trepidation by scrambling under the fence, coming to her feet as Zander arranged the chain links the way they had been. He knew what he was doing—anyone looking at the fence would never know it had been opened.