Page 93 of Shift of Morals
“Same, Lord.” Lucas lifted his eyes. “I hate to ask this, but have you heard from my bride?”
No one had seen Rebecca for weeks. “I’m sorry, Lucas.” I knelt beside him and placed one hand on his shoulder. Power seeped into the younger wolf, healing the rest of his wounds. I scraped through his mind and found nothing damaged or off. Lucas was telling the truth.
Something had broken the grip on his mind and body.
My gaze went to my cell phone and the message she’d sent me.
Finn. The damage he took. The bouquet. And now my wolves returning home, free of whatever bondage that had contained them.
“There was a voice, Lord,” Lucas said, licking his lips. “Inside all of our heads. All of a sudden it was gone, and we came straight home.”
“Be welcome, Lucas. Rise. Simone will be here in a moment to escort you to guest rooms. Clean up, get some rest, and she’ll have the kitchens bring dinner up.”
Lucas and the others rose. I pressed a button under the table connected to Simone’s phone before escorting them outside. Once I spotted my Omega hurrying around the corner, I left them with the assurance I’d see them in the morning.
No matter how fortuitous and timely Lucas and the other shifters’ arrival was something wasn’t sitting right with me about the situation. I didn’t believe in coincidence, and that text from Evie had me wondering how she or Finn played into my rogue shifters returning home.
Tension had settled over the room when I walked back in. I grinned. “It looks like the issue of the rogue shifters is solved.”
Donovan’s cheeks flushed, his elaborate plans to seek dominion over my territory in its death throes. Rowan had perked up some, hiding a grin poorly behind his Scotch glass.
“We’ll need time to investigate,” Donovan said. “Your people might be home, but it doesn’t mean the threat is over.”
“And will the investigation take enough time for me to be married before it’s done?” I said, my voice soft and deadly.
Donovan cleared his throat. “There’s no way to tell how long it might take us.”
Thorvin snorted. “He’s not wrong, Caelan. We have to perform due diligence.”
Rowan rolled his eyes. Ethan sighed, and Soren, who’d been suspiciously quiet, stared at Donovan like he wanted to murder the guy where he sat.
I stifled a laugh. “We will keep these developments to ourselves. Is that clear?”
Nods all around, Donovan’s reluctant.
“We’ll convene later to address the wedding security. You may stay the night in the Keep if you wish, but now that Council emergency authority is rescinded due to new developments—” I eyed Donovan, allowing a hum of power to shine in my eyes, “I expect you to vacate the Keep no later than ten tomorrow morning. Understood?”
“Crystal clear, Caelan,” Soren said. “I have a date tonight. If it goes well, I won’t be back.” He wiggled his eyebrows and was the first to leave.
Ethan clapped me on the back. “I’ll stay as long as your chef plans to put out more of that breakfast quiche.” He kissed his fingers. “It’s glorious.”
“She does the quiche every weekend. It’s Simone’s favorite, too.”
Ethan’s eyes gleamed. “Is it now?”
Interesting. “That and the plum sangria on Saturday’s.”
“Thanks for the intel, Caelan. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Best of luck, you poor bastard.” Simone was notoriously difficult to get to know and even harder to get to agree to a date.
Ethan’s hearty laugh made me smile. We didn’t always get along, but when we did, I wondered whether, if it weren’t for our positions, we might all be friends.
Donovan slunk out without saying goodbye. I sent Simone a quick text, telling her to put a man on the Lord for the night. He was way too invested in Gianna’s success and my perceived failure for me to trust him.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
