Page 39 of Emerald Flame
The words were right, but he sensed the undercurrent of sadness. As he watched the tender reunion, full of grief because of the wolves the couple had lost, his throat tightened. He felt for Ralph and Susie.
“I can’t believe we got them all out,” Fergus murmured.
Kiara finally turned her gaze to him. “You and your men did great.”
Fergus shifted back to her. “As did you, Kiara. This was nothing short of a miracle.” He glanced around. “So where do you want everyone?”
“Let me contact my staff. I think I’d like to have them come up and take the wolves into the refuge apart from your troops. It’s a process when there’s been so much trauma.”
“However you want it done.”
Kiara turned away from both men, reached into her satchel and withdrew her phone. She spoke quietly as she moved through the group of wolves in the direction of the front door. Most of the warriors had released the women they’d carried to safety, though a couple of the females were too weak and needed to be supported. The entire group was quiet.
Warren turned his attention to Fergus.
Fergus stared at him once more. “The entire time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen both your eyes. I’m stunned. So, she’s healed you?”
Warren shrugged. “Kiara thinks it’s something we do together. Beyond that, I have no explanation.”
Fergus gestured with a toss of his hand. “And all of this? I had no idea it was here. Did you?”
“No, the refuge was a shock to me as well.”
Fergus kept shaking his head, his hands planted on his hips. His gaze followed Kiara. “But how did she manage to build all this when her house is within a stone’s throw of both the Sand Pit and the Caldion compound?”
“I’ve asked myself that about a dozen times.”
Fergus whistled. “Your woman has power.” He smiled. “Almost as much as Mary.”
Warren wanted to protest that Kiara wasn’t his woman, but Fergus moved the conversation along swiftly. “You should stay put for the time being. Alessandro called and said Julio’s spies are still in place. In fact, our friend added another contingent to the north of the compound.”
“Julio’s not being subtle.”
“No. He’s not.” He looked Warren up and down. “I see you got your gear okay.”
“I did and you can thank Mary for me.”
Fergus grinned. “Women think about these things more than we do.”
Since at that moment Kiara was directing the rescued wolves into the house, Warren could only agree. “There’s something you should know. I’m developing warlock attributes that I can’t explain.”
“Any more than I could tell you why I could build a dreamglide when I first began connecting with Mary, but I could. So, I get it.” His warriors, now free of their charges, began moving in Fergus’s direction. “Where do we go from here, Warren? I’m thinking we should talk about an offensive. Whatever Julio has planned, he means business. We might be wise to cut him off as soon as we can.”
“I agree.” He glanced toward the house and thought about Kiara, the role she’d played, how critically important she’d become in the equation. She’d been the key to saving lives at the station the night before and now with Ralph’s wolves.
He’d lived in Five Bridges long enough to understand the importance of what was happening between them, however temporary it might prove to be. Kiara wasn’t just an asset, she’d become a critical component to the emerging war Julio had set in motion.
But he was also deeply unsettled as to what their future should be, even the rest of the night. He also needed to talk to her, to make sure she was handling the difficulties of the rescue as well as to explain about Tonya. Right now, this seemed more important than setting a strategy even though Fergus was right. They needed to plan an offensive.
He came to a decision and turned his gaze back to Fergus. But Fergus wore a wry smile. “She has alpha-mate capacity, doesn’t she?”
“It’s a nightmare. She’s a witch.”
Fergus ran his gaze over Warren’s face. “And a witch did this to you, so you’re not exactly inclined toward the species.”
“I hate the secrecy and the duplicity.”
“But Kiara’s a good woman. Anyone with half a brain can see that. She’s a witch who rescues wolves.”
