Page 84 of Between Imminent Fates

It wasn’t more than ten seconds before Aidan spoke, his eyes full of his wolf. “They knew. All three of them. They went into that battle knowing what they were going to do, yet kept it secret.”

The rage behind his words made Celeste shiver.

Several chairs down, Rona voiced her agreement. Celeste knew that the last three weeks hadn’t been kind to any of them, but the wild grief in the vampire’s eyes emphasized how overwhelming the loss of their friends had been.

“Everything in that playbook was a misdirection,” Kaien scoffed. “Key said it herself.”

Ava shook her head. “That may be true, but Key needed us before that battle—we all contributed to the effort. And in the end, we won.”

“But at what cost?” Drake challenged. “Nina, Isaiah, and Key all lay comatose with no hope of ever waking.”

There was a pause in the rapid-fire conversation as everyone pondered what’d been said. It was the truth: theyhadwon. Key’s foresight was near infallible, and she’d thought through every scenario and every outcome. Following the battle, Celeste had read the playbook she’d crafted for the couples in this room. It was a work of genius.

“Nina had been acting strange for months beforehand.”

A strange sort of sorrow shadowed Remmus’ voice, guilt having threatened to steal his voice. Celeste gazed at him then, seeing the weariness that lined his features. It confused her: what guilt could be eating at him then was different than any other party here?

“As had Isaiah,” Rukia spoke for the first time, soft, and without any of her typical passion. “He’d been off for months, but he’d never tell me what he was looking for, nor why.”

“Why would Key lie to us?” Toni asked. “Why didn’t she just tell us what was to come and let us sort through the details?”

It was then that Nero asked the pivotal question. “Had she told you that your mates must give their lives for our victory, would either of you have let them?”

“No.”

The clipped answer echoed from both Zeke and Rukia in tandem, surprising no one. Nero’s features pinched, offering them the benefit of his own empathy.

“This was the end she’d been building to,” Nova murmured. “We just didn’t know it.”

No one spoke in response to the werewolf’s words. The thought that Nina, Isaiah, and Key had signed up for their deaths only made the situation that much worse.

“We need to talk about Rayn—the clanless Raeth that aligned himself with theCitizens.”

Nero’s monotone statement was met with a rumbling of growls and unhappy murmurs. The sovereign took no offense, merely fielding the explosive response with stoicism.

“No matter what we’ll end up doing with Rayn,” Remmus said, “the situation is so much bigger than him. Having a clanless Raeth conspire against us is indicative of a much deeper problem. This is not the first time one would have acted against the good of the many.”

Celeste knew it on a personal level—as did Remmus. Beside him, Ava’s hand linked with his. Once upon a time, it would’ve been Celeste comforting him. The reminder of her loneliness kicked her in the gut.

“Remmus is right,” Celeste confirmed. It had been an issue she’d struggled with bringing up before, but now was the time to step up. “The clanless Raeths go unprotected and unpunished. We can’t allow it to continue.”

Kaien nodded solemnly. “Many have joined clans post-Heat, but not all. We need some way to protect and supervise them. Raeths are the only immortals that aren’t necessarily linked up to a higher power. It’s to our own detriment.”

“It can’t continue.”

Zeke’s words had a lethal edge to them, and no one disagreed with him. If the clanless had been surveilled, the travesty of Remmus’ upbringing wouldn’t have occurred—and her own parents would still be alive. Shifting in her seat, Celeste spoke the words written on her heart.

“The clanless elected to be without the structure of a clan,” she said, “but that structure affords protection and security. Right now, clanless commit unspeakable acts against each other, or are the victims of cruelty, and no one intervenes. It’s to our own disservice. We’ve abandoned them. No one should feel forsaken.”

Sitting up straighter, she continued, “If we had a higher power—one that could preempt abuse and enforce law—we might’ve stopped this before it came about. I’m happy to lead an effort, but I’ll need assistance in forming such an organization.”

After locking gazes with her sovereign, Zia said, “Jeremiah and I will help.”

“As will I,” Remmus added.

After a tense pause, Aidan growled, “The clanless aren’t the only problem. Rogue werewolves injure people—and turn them—just as frequently as the clanless cause problems. I won’t allow it to continue. Ava and I have partnered with the alphas to re-integrate those lone wolves who’ve survived theCitizens. Nova and Riaz have taken the lead in their regions.

“Wolves aren’t meant to run alone. It’s long past time to bring them back into the fold, and I can admit my own fault in that delay. No longer.”

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