Page 18 of Curses & Kitsune

“Even if I did, Noboru, this is pack business.”

“Understood.” I hang up, unsure about how I feel. Should I try and track him down?

No. Fuck that. We’ll lift the curse without that bastard’s help.

There’s a knock at my door, and I welcome my pack members in. Ren sits beside me, and I survey the room. There’s a lot of tense faces looking back at me. “This attack against the Namikawa-kai will not go unpunished,” I promise my pack. “The Blades of the Onryo want to take over the city while we’re still recovering from Namikawa’s death. I deeply regret the loss of Matsumoto and Takahara. They will be avenged. Mark my words.”

“If Namikawa were still alive, none of this would have happened!” one of my men, Kirishima, erupts.

My hands curl into fists as my men throw Kirishima shocked and angered looks. Keeping my voice calm, I growl, “Watch your tongue.”

His face is bright red, eyes blazing as he snarls, “He wouldn’t have waited for the hunters to strike before declaring war! He would have done so immediately! Because of your inaction, our friends are dead!”

Ren glares at him. “Don’t speak to the boss that way.”

Another one of my men shakes his head in disgust. “Kirishima has a point. At least Namikawa wasn’t fucking a human.”

My blood pressure rises. Now that just won’t stand. “Keep Jinta out of this,” I say, voice low with fury.

“Humans make our kind weak. He’s turned you soft. This pack will be a laughingstock if anyone finds out! You’re a disgrace!”

I don’t have to take this shit. That’s the nice thing about being the boss. I pull myself to my full height and bare my fangs. “If you have a problem, then challenge me!” My voice thunders through the room. For several seconds, nobody speaks. Willing my fangs to shrink back to their normal length, I growl, “Ishida and the Blades will pay for attacking us. They think we’re weak? We’ll show them how wrong they are.”

Ren clears her throat. “The boss of the Atsushi-kai contacted me a few moments ago.”

Atsushi and his clan have been allies of ours for some time. They know our secret and though they are a human clan, they have never given us trouble for being shifters.

She says, “The Blades were skulking around his pachinko parlor.”

“What? Why?” It makes no sense for the Blades to target Atsushi and his gang. Hunters never target humans.

“No clue, but he needs our numbers. He thinks they are planning an attack.”

Then this is the opportunity to hit them back. Jinta will be pissed at me for this. My wolf whines at the idea of upsetting our mate further, but this has to be done. As if sensing my distress, Ren meets my gaze. I look away and address my pack. “Ready yourselves. Meet me at Atsushi’s pachinko parlor in an hour.”

My men bow. “Yes, boss!” One by one, my men file out of the room.

A frown creases Ren’s brow. “Hey…”

I tense, knowing exactly what she’s going to say. “Don’t.”

“You should sit this out.” When I jerk my head no, she sighs. “We need you strong and healthy, not bleeding out. And so does Jinta.”

“If I’m not there on the frontlines, more people will start to doubt me.”

“And if you get hurt, Jinta will be devastated!”

Guilt tears into me with fang and claw because, damn it, she’s right. The last thing I ever want is to hurt him, but I’ve got a whole pack depending on me to lead them into this coming war and out the other side.

“You’re going to have to choose. Jinta or the Namikawa-kai. You will only ever have one fated mate.”

Anger sparks within me. “No.” The word is a growl. I can have both. I’ll prove it. “Jinta is a grown-up. He knows the risks that come with being with me. As long as my world and his remain separate—”

Ren shakes her head. “You really think that’s possible?”

“What would you have me do?” I shout. “I can’t just leave the pack to frolic off into the sunset with Jinta! This is the only life I know!”

The look on her face can only be described as disappointed. Wordlessly, she turns and walks out.

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