Page 29 of Smoke and Lure

“The situation is too long to share in this form of communication.”Aodh paused.“That’s part of the reason I’ve reached out.Over.”

“I’m still not following.Over.”Chanin frowned and caressed a hand up the back of Morlie’s shirt, drawing comfort from touching her.

“There will be an end-of-life ceremony tonight in my territory.Over.”There seemed to be weight to Chanin’s council member’s voice.

“Is it Kai?Has something happened to my sister?”Morlie’s lips trembled, and fear filled her pretty, light-brown eyes as she clutched his shirt.

“Aodh, my mate is present.I’ll warn you to choose your next words wisely.Over,” Chanin growled, not giving a dozen fucks care if his words came out as a threat.When it came to his mate being hurt, he’d handle any force to protect her.

“Roger that.”Aodh’s textured baritone came through.“Our oldest dragon’s flame is snuffed out.The connection to your mate is familial.”

Family?Morlie met his gaze, confusion in her eyes.

Chanin tightened his arm around his mate’s waist, drawing her closer.

“Say again.”

“Our oldest Drahk passed.That dragon was kin to your mate and mine.Over.”The dragon-shifter repeated.

“Copy.How is this possible?Over.”Chanin was confused.He was mated to Morlie, and even if their bond weren’t fully complete yet, he would know if she had Drahk in her.Her gene was all wolf.No matter how much he desired her or wanted to as a mate, the beast would have shunned her if there were a single doubt that the match was not definitive.

Even as his wolf sat up on full alert within him, there wasn’t a question about Morlie.

“There’s too much to go into.I think it would be best for Morlie to hear it from Kai.My mate will need the support of her sister.Over,” Aodh declared.

Apparently, Aodh’s mate was not present.

“What do you need from us, Aodh?Over.”Chanin didn’t feel the need to discuss how Morlie wasn’t fully claimed, and this wasn’t the best time.He could feel the tremors shuddering through his mate’s body.He could only imagine what his Preternatural Council member was going through on his end with his mate.

“Outsiders are not allowed to be a part of the final flight ceremony.”Aodh paused.“However, I believe it would be best for you and Morlie to remain close.His blaze of glory ceremony will be set in the clearing west of our center at first nightfall.My mate should have her sister by her for what will come next.There will be clothing in the woods there for you both.I will send Liekki to collect you at the end of the ceremony.Over.”

“Copy.”Chanin held Morlie’s gaze.“We will be there.Over.”

“Thank you, Chanin.Out.”

Still keeping Morlie at his side, Chanin turned to Rudie as he handed her back her radio.He growled before his assistant could speak, “You care to explain how my mate’s face is covered in bruises?”

“Don’t be mad at Rudie.She helped me.”Morlie placed a hand on his chest.“When your mother—”

“My mother?”he growled.

Had she attacked Morlie?He glanced around the open area of his front room, dining room, and kitchen to see if he’d perhaps missed his mother between his response to Morlie and the radio contact.One deep sniff confirmed his mother’s scent lingered, but she wasn’t there.

All sorts of possibilities of why his mother may have been around Morlie ran through his mind.He hadn’t had a moment to properly introduce the two women or gauge his parents' reaction to his mate.He knew Rieka never liked Minsi and often snarled in the she-wolf’s presence, but he hoped his mother would approve of Morlie.

“What was she doing here?”He directed the question to Rudie.

“Rieka decided it was time for Morlie to start training.”Rudie slid her free hand into her back pocket, appearing relaxed.

Too relaxed for what she was telling her alpha.

His mother was a fierce and deadly fighter.Even at her age, he’d go into battle with her by his side without a second thought, so he was concerned about the training methods she would employ on his mate.

Chanin held Morlie away from him and looked at her.Most of her was covered in his loose sweatpants and t-shirt, but he still spotted more than a few additional bruises on her wrists and arms.“What the hell did she do?”

He started to lift her shirt and check her out thoroughly when Morlie took hold of his hands.

“I’m fine, Chanin.It was intense.”Morlie gingerly touched two fingers to her nose.“Painful even, but I learned a lot.”She smiled.“I think she likes me.”

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