Page 53 of Mated in Darkness

My eyes widened. “Really.” I wanted to know more about these wolves, about all magics I couldn’t understand, but I wasn’t sure where I belonged.

“Why do I feel like you want to look at me under a microscope?” Reed asked dryly.

I shrugged, looking at my next slide. “It’d be interesting. Though I think Riaz is older than you. And I’ve already looked at him underneath a microscope.”

Reed blinked, smiled again. “He let you?”

“I wanted a baseline for what I was searching for. That deformed human or wolf or whatever it is. I wanted to know so I could help find it. I didn’t know it was going to be like this.”

“I don’t think any of us did. I’ve never seen anything like that in my long years.”

I looked up at the other man. “Truly?”

“Truly, and I’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve seen demons and witches. I’ve seen the end of our earth, a fiery blaze that could scorch the ruins of who we are. I’ve seen wars and battles. I’ve seen loss and births.” Reed smiled, and it lit up his entire face. “Did Kaylee tell you that I fell on my ass when the babies were born?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“No. We haven’t had a chance to talk about much of her life.”

Reed gave me a look, and I didn’t lower my gaze, but telling the man in front of me that I’d mostly been spending my time either naked with Kaylee or trying to find the deformed shifter, might not be the best thing.

“Josh and I fell on our asses when Conner and Kaylee were born. My wife loves to make fun of us for it.”

The thought made me grin, my shoulders easing. “And then you proceeded to have a few more kids. Did you fall for them?”

“No, probably because it was the whole twin thing.”

“Kaylee has all this energy and power. I can’t even imagine with two of them.”

“Don’t even get me started. Conner is this steadfast growl of a man. He’s honorable, almost to a fault sometimes. Kaylee is a quiet power, a determination that surprises me with each moment of every day. All of my children surprise me in the best ways.” Reed let out a breath.

“When you come up north, you’ll have to meet with the Alphas, and not just the Redwood Alpha, my brother Kade.”

I turned to him and frowned. “Because you think I have to, need to, or something else?” I asked, confused why Reed would bring that up.

“Because it would be interesting to see how you deal with all of them. You’re a very calm wolf, Jason. You’re like my brother, Maddox, when he was the Omega. Not that you are an Omega, the one that can help soothe emotions or control them or deal with the excess emotions that can threaten a Pack. But you do have a soothing part of your soul. I wonder who you will be when the time comes.”

“I don’t know about that,” I said, frowning. “There’s just the two Alphas, though, right? The Redwood Pack and the Talon Pack?”

“We’re also allies with the new Centrals and the Aspens.”

“Weren’t the Centrals part of the war with you?” I asked, confused, and hoping I wasn’t stepping on toes.

Something went over Reed’s gaze, and he nodded. “Yes, and then they were decimated. They’re back, though, learning their ways. Just like the Aspens are learning how to be who they are with their new structure. Things are changing, with the rogues, a darkness we can sense, but our packs are working together. Parker’s down here not only to find vengeance for Spencer but to work with Riaz and the Starlight Pack. We have connections with the Thanes Pack over in England. We are doing our best to create allies where we can because something is coming.”

“And you don’t think it’s this rogue that isn’t a rogue.”

Reed shook his head. “Not anymore. And that worries me.”

“Because if it’s not this, that means there’s something else out there.”

“Something is creating these rogues or pushing them or something. And we must figure it out.”

“I’ve got it, Father,” Kaylee said as she rushed in, her phone in her hand. Riaz, Brendan, and more of the Starlights followed. “We figured out who called Spencer. It’s a human, one who’s been on our radar for a while but went underground.”

I frowned, my wolf on edge as soon as Kaylee walked into the room.

“Who?”

“Kyle. Lieutenant Kyle Moore.”

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