Hastein was behind us. Which meant… he’s the one who was on the balcony. Freya asked me, “Are you going to chastise himabout his schedule changing now?” I answered, “Not yet… but now that I’m thinking about it… I’m probably right. Hastein is Kingsley’s mate… and it’s not just that they’d be cute together.”
“Gabe is asking for his brother. Hastein was outside probably because he was wondering if I would say anything about Kingsley. That’s why he stayed in the background instead of letting Xander or me see him.” Freya offered, “She could be Gabe’s mate.”
I replied, “The probability is low… I’ve always tried to get K with Hastein. The Hackura are stealthy. I don’t think Gabe would ask if she was his mate. They know the Resistance is off the radar. I have a feeling… I’ll have some additional shadows… until they meet… which they would’ve already IF HE HADN’T CHANGED HIS SCHEDULE!”
Freya teased, “At least you’re not holding onto that detail.” If I was anyone else, Hastein would demand an answer if he wanted it. This is a sticky situation for him because his mate is in the Resistance… and I’m his cousin's mate.
Plus, he and Xander are close… Hastein doesn’t know if my friends know Kingsley. They had to guess that Valentina shimmered me there… but he can’t ask her the way he would like because… she’s also his cousin's mate
Freya sighed, “Your brain is a complicated place. Fun, but so complicated.” Kingsley would want to meet Hastein though. This wasn’t a problem. Of course, my family wanted to discuss me being in the Resistance. Again… they clearly already knew that.
I barely kept a straight face when they all said they wanted to meet with my boss. I wasn’t sure if I had anyone in my life who would be considered a boss. I had a partner in Xander… but boss… not so much. Technically speaking… I could set up a meeting with EJ for them all. He was the lead Alpha. That had promise…and it would be a little funny.
Freya scoffed, “They do not want to meet with EJ.” Mom linked, “Whatever thought that is forming of meetings to set up with Dalton, Dakota, or EJ that’s not what we want.” I asked, “How did you…?” Mom cut me off, “I’m your mother. I know that look where you’re thinking over technicalities.” Well ok then.
Still, EJ was the head of the pack I was about to be a part of. That would be really funny… when you thought about it. Mom linked me again, “No, don’t do it. It’s not funny.” I gasped, “Did I link you that? I didn’t say out loud, did I?” I’d been progress on my inside thoughts. Freya snorted.
Mom answered, “No, to both. It’s written all over your face. None of the men in the room would find it funny” That didn’t seem possible to have thoughts written on my face. They wouldn’t even think anything of it until I said they wanted a meeting with my boss and then pointed to EJ.
I replied to my mom, “That implies you’d find it funny along with the other women.” Mom snorted, “The thought is amusing, but let’s not detonate your male family members. Your Uncle Duncan isn’t around to find it deeply amusing and laugh with you about it. That would help.” Uncle Dunca should be around, but his Alpha was trash….trash…I could probably kill now.
Freya snickered, “You’re thought of the meeting is funny.” I snorted, “I’m dealing with Fairies, and they would find it funny.” Freya pointed out, “You’re not dealing with just Fairies. There are wolves and Hackura too. Mom is probably right, we’d need Uncle Duncan to have any male be amused.”
Well, I’d entertain most of them that weren’t wolves. Cayden would laugh. I wasn’t certain I was going to do it yet… probably not, since mom seemed to think it was a bad idea. I did know that some people would smirk… I knew it. Some would laugh. Dylan Frost would definitely cackle, so that would be one wolf on my side.
My brothers wanted me out of the Resistance. That would be insanely complicated and not something I was willing to do. This was my fight, and my group. I wasn't going to just be out. Then we got into the things I’d developed, like Laxenread.
Tristan linked, “I don’t like you being in danger.” I argued, “Who I am mated to puts me in danger. Hell, my last name puts me in danger. Being a Supernatural puts me in danger… that’s a terrible threshold for this group.” My big brother groaned.
At least I could help out the Black Mountain scientists. I could even approach Alpha Emmett with the serum I’d developed for the Hood. Along with the one for the Wolves. I’d given Kingsley the one I’d done for her already. Paige could decide on the Witch serum and who to tell about it.
Freya snorted, “You evaded why you won’t back off being in the Resistance. You’re not backing down because they want Xander dead AND you run it.” Ok… so I just excluded one of the main reasons. I still gave them a reason though…and evasions were my jam.
I knew Eric hadn’t told Xander, or his siblings, how many people had come after them. I actually wondered if Haley had any idea how many times Eric and her family had stopped attempts on her. No one else was seeing my logic as to why everyone was after Xander, except Haley, Eric, and Xander’s uncles.
Eric linked me, “You know about how hard they come at my son, don’t you?” I answered, “I do. I know how many times they’ve come for him specifically… but I don’t think you ever knew why he was so highly targeted.” Eric acknowledged, “I did not.”
Eric explained that since I’d been gone no one came for Xander. Very few made it past us to come for the rest of the Conners pups. If they did… I had tipped off Eric. Somethingmy future father in law now clearly realizing where the tips had come from. He was definitely going to talk to me about that.
Freya said, “All the wolves are talking to me. I feel so popular and not because I’m a goddess. This is very new and odd for me.” Well, she’d already been aware she’d be popular, this was just a new facet to it all. I could not believe I had to point out that people knew who they were.
Cayden countered about the Hackura, which I had anticipated should he have ever proved I was in the Resistance. That was true. They could help… except it might look suspicious now that I was with Xander. Maybe not though….so long as they didn’t open a portal where people could see… which they were good at already.
People knew I’d been hanging out with a few Hackura people for years… but it’s not like Black Path would be talking about me. I was a subject they avoided… and still would. So, the probability the Hackura could help wasn’t nonexistent. They’d probably agree to my no opening portals where people could see them deal.
Mostly it hinged on me them meeting my boss… which was me… and how that would go down. Freya answered, “With you? Hilariously. There is no other option for how that meeting would go down.” I’d have to think about it.
Xander wanted complicated things. Some members of the Resistance were skittish about new people… and I went out with all the newbies. They really didn’t want people to know they were in the Resistance. It would mean death for them if we didn’t rescue them in time. We would, but scared people tend to be just that… scared.
This conversation was so not getting anywhere close to an ending point any time soon. I couldn’t help but smile when Kingsley texted me back.
Kingsley:I like this new plan much better than the original. I can’t wait to meet THE Xander in person. Kayda is thrilled that she doesn’t have to eat and regurgitate him until he agrees to be nice to you and treat you as you deserve. Meet me at this warehouse in an hour.
Ugh. An hour of talking about this… was not ideal because an hour in the human realm was MUCH longer in the Hackura realm. Kingsley sent the link. Well… it would be more fun to spend time in Spain than have this conversation.
I grabbed Xander and showed him where we were going. My mate must have agreed because he popped us out; much to my relief. I did not miss Hastein’s attempt to see my phone and grab Xander when we popped.
I knew it! It WAS him… probably. Freya linked, “What’s the probability?” I answered, “Since I have a bias in the situation because I want to be right…. it’s like ninety-five percent. I need to ask Xander about what happened at the meeting from his end.” Freya laughed.
