Page 24 of Fated to the Wolf Billionaire

The libraryat the Maiden’s Enclave was the most beautiful I’d ever seen, except maybe at Trinity College in Dublin. This one was smaller, cozier, but somehowmore. Maybe it was magic. At this point, I couldn’t argue that it wasn’t as real as the stone walls that made up the place.

But the rich, burnished wood shelving and large, wingback chairs arranged around an enormous fireplace on one wall gave it a kind of hygge perfection I’d rarely experienced in my travels. It was quiet, the kind of quiet that seeped into its essence over the centuries, making it hallowed ground.

We entered, and the playful bickering immediately stopped as all of us stared around at the ancient-looking tomes and the beautifully carved corbels at the end of each shelf, supporting the second level of the library with alternating faces of wolves and women. The wolves were in various expressions as if they were snarling, but the women? They were caught mid-sigh, as if forever trapped in a moment of pleasure.

I shuddered, tingles running along my skin as I stepped deeper into the room.

“The section on magical species is over here.” Elodie spoke with hushed reverence, gesturing to the two middle shelves on the left side of the ground floor. “There are tables at the back where we can spread out.”

She pointed out an areabehindthe fireplace, which I hadn’t noticed at first, where two heavy-legged oak tables filled the entire back of the room, one of them long enough to hold all of us with empty chairs leftover.

Stepping into the stacks was like stepping through time, and I couldn’t contain my wonder as I ran my fingertips over the first spine and then the next. The glorious scent of old paper made me far too happy.

Many of the titles were in languages I didn’t know, and disappointment tried to creep in as I scanned over so many books that wouldn’t be able to help us. But Olivia was ahead of me, and she’d already pulled three thick volumes from the shelves. This wasn’t hopeless; if any library in the world had information about my magical ancestor, well, this one stood a good shot.

I spotted my first book with an English subtitle and grabbed it.Magical Maladies of the Middle Eastern Deserts.Granted, I didn’t necessarily need to know about illnesses, but maybe it would have a helpful nugget or mention a blue species who had the sniffles. After that, things moved quickly, with the seven of us pulling any titles we could read and stacking them in the middle of the table.

There were dozens of thick volumes, the pile chest-high and several stacks deep. I nibbled the inside of my cheek in trepidation at the sheer volume of work ahead of us.

But as six other hands all reached out and took a book off the top, tears prickled my eyes. Smiles and whispers, rustling pages, andcommunity. I could feel it then, the oneness that these women had, and it was like a visceral presence. A warm blanket, wrapping me up in acceptance. All of them helping me tackle what would be a terrifying question alone—without a hint of disgruntlement or annoyance at the task ahead.

“Fi? Are you okay?” Brielle looked up with a frown, seeing that I was still standing there, misty-eyed and frozen.

“I’m fine. I… Thank you, all of you. You barely know me, but you’re helping me. Fuck, I’m not even a wolf. But you really don’t care, do you?” I wrapped my arms around myself as the tears started to gather more quickly along my lower eyelids, turning the library watery.

Brielle smiled then, the genuine care in her expression impossible to miss. “You’re part of the pack now, Fi. We’ve got your back. I have no doubt we’ll figure it out.”

And just like that, I was accepted into the ranks of Pack Blackwater, mystery genealogy and all.

ELEVEN

Reed

Kane had gone off with Karissma and Head Priestess Marciana shortly after telling me he wanted a personal call scheduled with every single alpha who’d pledged their loyalty. He also gave me a short list of the remaining alphas who hadn’t pledged yet to contact, to set up initial meetings and get those pledges underway. It was part of his plan to solidify the wolf packs on our side, before news got out that Brielle was, in fact, an adult omega. I didn’t envy him those conversations, not one bit.

I’d called Lucien first to see if he had time to split the list with me since he was more connected than I was with the packs in this part of the globe, but he hadn’t answered or returned the call. Knowing him, he was probably on a weekend bender with a pair of blondes. I was irritated, but there was nothing to be done about it except get my phone charger and slog through it.

Several hours later, I was nearing the end of the list as I waited for the Japanese Alpha’s secretary to let me know what time he had available. Apparently, he was attending a very important tea ceremony and couldn’t answer himself.

“Makoto ni moushiwake arimasen, Alpha Monstru. Alpha Ito will not be available until Thursday afternoon. Does this work for the high alpha’s schedule?”

“Yes, that’s fine. But he’ll be meeting the high alpha after China and India on Wednesday.”

There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line. “Actually, a slot on Tuesday just opened up.”

“Imagine that,” I said, scratching the details out in the notebook I’d borrowed from the head priestess’s desk. “Thanks for your cooperation in this important matter.” I hung up the call and tossed my phone on my desk, groaning and stretching.

I hated the politics of pack life at this level, but I’d also known what I was signing up for, when I’d joined Kane’s pack. As the high alpha’s son, he was destined for this life, and so was I, once I accepted my place at his side as the pack’s third.

All the other names on Kane’s list were either going to call me back or hadn’t answered and didn’t have secretaries.

Time for a break, thank the Goddess. And well past time to check on Fiona. The need to see her was an itch under my skin, one I couldn’t shake until I saw her smile, those mesmerizing multicolored eyes shining up at me.

I walked down the hall, knocking lightly on Kane and Brielle’s door. After a long silence, I tried again.

A throat clearing behind me made me turn, spotting Dirge.

“They’re in the library. Have been for hours, apparently.”

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