Page 40 of Forever Mine

The ring.

Jacob was wearing the same ring I had spotted on the hand of every notable mention in the room. He was clearly somehow connected, and it was obvious he did not want our friendship or whatever it was to be found out.

I politely excused myself and wandered about the room. I could hear whispered conversations and suddenly felt like eyes were on me everywhere I turned. A part of me cursed myself for letting my imagination and paranoia run wild, but my wolf was also struggling to maintain his composure among these people.

The ring was everywhere; almost every man present wore one and several of the women displayed similar pendants around their necks. It had to mean something. But what?

I wanted to pull Jacob aside and ask him so many things, but I knew that was a very bad idea. I made my way back across the room and out onto the balcony, which overlooked the Bay. There seemed to be less eyes on me and breathing in the fresh air helped calm my nerves some. I couldn’t help but wonder just want Jacob and Annie were into, though I suspected it was nothing good.

I startled at an approaching man that I didn’t notice until he cleared his throat. I tried not to visibly react. “Keep looking forward,” he whispered from where he stood ten feet away, keeping to the shadows. “There’s no one else out here but us. If you can hear me, and I know you can, run your hands through your hair.”

I took a deep breath and did as he asked. From my peripheral vision I watched him take a long puff of a cigar and blow it out in the shape of a ring. I waited anxiously for him to speak again.

“I’m a friend of Jacob’s. It wouldn’t be safe for him to speak to you directly again, so Annie asked if I could do it. Your kind isn’t safe here. You need to make an excuse and leave quickly. I’ll make certain you aren’t followed. Then get in your car and go home, Liam.”

“What do you mean ‘my kind?’”

“Don’t play games, Liam Michael Westin. Everyone here knows exactly who you are and what you are. You’re a bit of a celebrity actually, the first of your kind to ever accept one of Daniels’ invitations. It was stupid of you to do so. Things are changing. The Order is dividing and we don’t want to see you caught in the middle of it.”

“Who are you people? How do you know about my kind?”

“We are the Order of the Verndari. The Guardians. We’ve taken our vows to protect your kind seriously for many millennia. The Order is as old as shifters, but there’ve been changes within. There are those that wish to study you, for the betterment of humanity. They are pushing a new agenda, one that many of us cannot support. Things have been done that I’m ashamed of, but the opposition is strong. The medical benefits found through unsanctioned research is making others reconsider the principles we have always stood on.”

Humans knew of our kind? How? Why didn’t we know about them sooner? Verndari. I had never heard the word before, of that I was certain. Even when studying the history of shifters, nothing about guardians had ever come up.

“I’ve been here too long. I’ve said too much already. We aren’t supposed to interact directly with you, only watch, observe, and intercept human interest as needed. I must go. You should, too.”

“Wait. Jane and Oscar. Are they in danger?”

“Jane? Jacob’s daughter?”

I stared at him. I needed to see if he was telling me the truth. I wasn’t prepared for the look of complete shock that crossed his face.

“I-I never suspected,” the strange man said. “You’re certain?”

I neither denied or confirmed, unable to put them in further danger and cursing myself for ever asking.

“As far as I know, they are safe. No one knows of them, if you’re saying what I think you’re saying. I’m not sure how that’s possible, but Jacob and Annie love them and would never intentionally let harm come to them.”

That wasn’t good enough for me. I worried I had just unintentionally given away their secret and my wolf roared in fury. I needed to get to them and I needed to do it quickly. The man slinked further into the shadows. Without another word I turned and headed back in, much more in tune to the whispers and stares than even before.

Stephen Daniels was once again standing by the bar. I headed right for him with my biggest smile possible.

“Order you a drink?” he asked on my approach.

“No, thank you, sir, I just wanted to give you this check,” I said, producing the large sum I had written and signed earlier. “Unfortunately, I have a very early morning drive back. Something’s come up, and well, it’s work, work, work all the time these days.”

“No sleep for the weary.”

“Exactly. But it’s been wonderful to meet you, Mr. Daniels,” I said, offering him my right hand and the check in my left. He took both and we said an amicable goodbye. I was already beginning to second-guess the strange man outside, but as I passed Jacob and Annie, I saw the fear in her eyes and watched him turn away. I didn’t even so much as nod in their direction before making my exit. I knew I was being watched. I could feel their eyes on me.

Once back to the elevator, I punched in the number to my floor which I knew was two below Maddie’s. No one had gotten on with me, but if they were watching the lights, they’d hopefully believe I went right back to my room.

Once on Maddie’s floor, I walked as quickly as possible, trying not to draw any attention and knowing there were cameras watching the hallways. I banged on her door until she opened it.

“Liam? What’s wrong?” she asked sleepily, and I realized she and Oscar had gone to bed early. There was no time to waste.

“Look, I need you to trust me right now. Absolute trust, Maddie. Can you do that?” She slowly nodded, but I could feel the anxiety starting to build in her. “Is Oscar asleep?”

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