Page 75 of Veil of Shadows

But are we killing them?Lieutenant Rhonda asked.

I pinned her with the same look.If your life depends on it, yes. But until we can get ourselves set up here and ready for a fight, we don’t draw it to us.

Lieutenant Mac spoke up next.Are you going to be in charge of the reinforcements to the compound?

I nodded.Yes, along with Troops C and D. While A and B are out there patrolling, C and D need to be inside this compound helping us to set traps. I’m sure Dom will have some advice and opinions on the matter once he’s well, but for now, we stick to what we can do tonight. We create reinforced walls of juniper, we have the healers get a head start on their potions, and we wait for Alpha’s return.

I looked out over my troops and waited for more questions. When none came, I nodded my head and silently dismissed everyone.

I walked to the middle of the meadow and stood.

I drew in a deep breath, despite the smoke and the absolute stench of those powdered donut carcass casings. I slowly lifted my hands into the air, feeling the ground shiver softly beneath me. I closed my eyes and felt my wolf come alive. My talons sharpened and my teeth protruded as I flattened my palms and slowly moved them around in the air. To any unsuspecting person, it looked like I was doing some form of weird-ass yoga. But as the perimeter of the compound creaked, a hedge slowly appeared seemingly from out of the ground.

It rose higher and higher as I encouraged it with my hands. I closed my eyes and dreamed of what I needed around the compound. A hedge wall, at least thirty feet into the air, close to the canopy of the forest around us. I pictured the juniper leaves and berries that covered the hedge, growing out of control as the ground hummed and churned beneath my feet. The ground split, ripping and tearing like the fabric of my clothes whenever I shifted. And as I opened my eyes, I slowly spun myself aroundin a circle, guiding the hedge that sprang from the ground at the beckoning of my hand.

I smelled the juniper as it grew all the way to the tops of the hedges around us.

See, wolf shifters like us have powers outside of everything the pack shares. Yeah, we can heal ourselves. Yeah, we’ve got groupthink. But once shifterhood is hit around eleven or twelve, two things happen: one, a fated mate is picked for the shifter; and two, their given powers start to emerge. For Voss, his super strength knows no bounds. For Dom, it’s his charisma. He can charm the hell out of anyone and get them to do anything at the drop of a hat. And me?

Well, nature yielded to me.

It’s what made me such a good commander general.

After the hedge was completed, towering over us and shrouding us in thick darkness, I started in on the vines. I paid attention to the juniper vines as sweat dribbled down my brow. My body shook with my efforts, but I didn’t care. Any vampire that wanted to get to us again would have to struggle with their goddamn lives. I sharpened my eyesight, staring at the juniper leaves on the vines from all the way across the compound. I used my hands to manipulate them, growing them into massive leaves that draped over the top of the hedges and expanded out over the compound’s houses. If those vampires wanted to get into our homes, they’d have to slide down a massive waxy leaf with a substance that paralyzed them from head to toe.

I blanketed the houses in those juniper leaves dangling from the hedge wall and finally heard him. I heard Voss bound over the wall that towered over us before he skidded to a grinding halt. I watched as he shifted back into his human form, his wisps of magic quickly piecing his clothing back together. His stare matched mine when he stalked toward me. His hands wereballed up at his sides. And no matter where I fucking looked, I didn’t see Bexley anywhere with him.

“Ronyn,” Voss snarled.

I shook my head and placed a finger to my mouth before I pointed to my temple.Emergency mode. Groupthink only. Remember?

Voss blinked before he drew in a deep breath.We need to pack up and head out.

I paused my efforts on the wall and turned to face my Alpha.Are you sure that’s smart? They expect us to pack up and move.

Voss tilted his head.You know, I’m getting really tired of you challenging me with every step we take.

Because you’re only thinking about the immediate,I quip back.You know you’ve never been good with long-term plans. It’s why I do them.

Well, right now? I’m invoking all Alpha rights. We start with the homes and get them to a safe place, and then we?—.

I cut him off.You’re not even considering Bexley in all of this. What if she?—?

Then, as if a fucking miracle had finally decided to grace us with its presence, Dom’s weakened voice entered our minds.

Ronyn’s right. Leaving’s only going to put more distance between us and Bexley, anyway. What if she gets away and comes back to us, only for us to not be here?

Groupthink came alive with every voice known to our pack. The uproar was so jarring that I had to temporarily block all of their thoughts out. Voss winced as he bowed his head, and I could only imagine the fucking craziness going on inside of his head. But, eventually, Voss lifted his head and nodded toward me.

So I waltzed my ass back into groupthink.Dom?

Yep?

I grinned.Good to hear your voice.

Likewise,Voss said.

Dom spoke again, his voice getting stronger with every word.I’m assuming you didn’t come back with her, Voss?

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