Page 22 of Resurgence of the Pack

I did,she said blankly.I told you that we had to mate with him.

You didn’t make it clear,I started hotly.You— You know what? Never mind.

In my head, Esme let out a low whine and her tail went between her legs. I dropped my head into my hands.I’m sorry, okay? It’s just that I wasn’t clear about all of this and there’s been a bit of a balls-up all because of a stupid misunderstanding. And now I have a matter of days toclear it up and hopefully mate with Manners before the full moon.

There was a long pause before Esme finally spoke.You do know you don’t have to actuallymatewith Manners on the full moon? You just have to declare your intention to do so.

My jaw dropped.Are you freaking kidding me? We just need to get engaged?

Well, declare to mate. Yes, I suppose it is like your betrothal.

I dropped my head onto the desk. The whole time I’d been freaking out because I was worried I’d be forcing Greg up the aisle prematurely, and now I learned that it was little more than an engagement? An engagement that we could probably drag out as long as we wanted?

Assumptions hadn’t been treating me well lately, so I reached out to Esme again.Can we declare to mate and then not mate for a set period or as long as we want?

As long as you want, though it is traditional to do it sooner rather than later.

But we can wait a year or two? More even?

Well, yes. But until you are actually mated, Greg and Red could formally challenge us.

I thunked my head on the desk again; perhaps that could knock some sense into Esme. There was no way in hell thatGreg and Red would ever betray us. I rubbed my eyes and stood. ‘I’m going to bed,’ I said to Liam. ‘It’s been a long night.’

The tension had gone from his frame and he was looking at me sympathetically, maybe with a little pity. Ugh. ‘Good night, my Queen.’

I climbed the stairs to the bedroom and took the time to do my make-up removal, cleansing, toning and moisturising routine, then I brushed out my hair and climbed into bed.

I lay in the darkness waiting for Greg to join me – but he never did.

Chapter 12

I woke when the birds called to me, their corvid minds so tumultuous and full of panic that it set my heart racing. I reached out automatically to Greg’s side of the bed but it was cold and empty. The dark of the night and the fear slammed me back into a night a few weeks ago when Ben had been attacked.

That wasn’t now. I swallowed hard, trying to shake away my misery as I focused on the birds’ panicked squawks in my head. Because I was freaking out too, I hummed a quick ditty and reached out to them properly.

I looked through their eyes and saw fire.

‘Fuck!’ I swore. I didn’t waste time with clothes but I did take the time to reach out and grab Terrance and jam him on my head. I threw open the door, shifted onto four and we pelted down the stairs many at a time.

When we shifted back to open the door, I was still buck naked.Where are my clothes?I demanded of Terrance.

I can only keep that which you were wearing. Since you weren’t wearing a stitch…He trailed off. Bugger: I hadn’t realised that was the deal.

The front lawn was on fire, the rose bushes were on fire, and some twat was standing poised to throw a fireball at Nina.

Scoundrel! Brigand!Terrance shouted in my head.He must be stopped before he harms Nina!

I couldn’t agree more. A fireball left the fire elemental’s hand but instead of going to Nina, where he was clearly aiming, Terrance called it straight at me instead.Got it!he cried triumphantly.Hold steady, my Queen. I’ll absorb this little ember.

The ‘little ember’ was a raging inferno and I could feel its heat as it roared towards me.You’re sure we’ll be okay?I asked dubiously.

I would never risk you!he promised fervently as the flames came less than a foot from us.He hasn’t used any powder.I hadn’t the faintest clue what he was talking about.Okay, then: here goes nothing.

‘NO!’ I heard Greg roar as the ball of flames hit me.

The flames were hot – but suddenly they were less so. I had a moment of feeling warm and sun-kissed and then they were gone, absorbed into Terrance or the crown itself, I didn’t know or care which.

I crossed the ground to the fire-elemental intruder who was staring at me dumbly and punched him with all my might. All my might was a little bit too much might, and his jaw shattered under my fist. He promptly passed out. ‘Son of a bitch,’ I muttered, letting the unconscious body hit the floor hard.

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