Page 112 of The Enemy to the Living
“What?”
“I can… I don’t know. Vlad told me to keep it to myself. But I can kind of see magic. Sometimes.”
“So you could see I was a wolf?”
“Yeah.” Grant frowns and wrinkles his nose. “You look different to the others, though. When we went to Quinn’s challenge, it was really obvious. Made sense then.”
“Because of all the other wolves?”
“Yeah.”
I nod, taking that in. Maurice might have worked out what I am by now, but his magic had no hand in it. Even most fae aren’t aware, though high fae seem to be an exception.
I understand Vlad’s hesitation when it comes to Grant’s powers, but keeping him in the dark won’t help him to develop them, and if the Huntsman is right about this all not being over…
“We’ll all help you,” I say.
“Why? Because you think I’m pack?”
“Because you’re part of the Hunt, too. We need to be better at working together.”
Maybe Rook and Saide wouldn’t have left if we were all closer. Maybe Moreau would keep us updated on where he is and what he’s doing.
The past doesn’t matter. We can fix this now.
“Okay,” Grant says. I know he still doesn’t believe me, but that’s okay. I’m a wolf. We keep our promises, but we’re creatures of action first and foremost. “What about Quinn’s pack?”
“What about them?”
“Are you part of his pack, too?”
“No, I can’t join it.”
“Why not?”
“I serve the Hunt.” An easy answer. Always the easiest answer. “The mating bond might be something the Huntsman accepts, but he would not like me taking a new alpha.”
“Oh. So you’ll be in two separate packs, then?”
I frown, thinking. There have always been creatures that existed between true pack boundaries—even before Deacon asked Kieran to create his pack and officially take care of that problem in London. Humans who know about wolves or marry in, covens that support one pack or another. My allegiance must be with the Hunt and this pseudo pack I’m creating, but if I want to be close to Quinn…
“I need to go,” I say, then immediately shake my head, but Grant is smiling.
“Go,” he says. “Trust me, I’m still gonna be right here when you get back.”
“Tomorrow,” I reply. “If I don’t get a job, we’ll start your training tomorrow.”
Grant rolls his eyes. “Next week. Spend time with your mate. I’m happy for you, Asher.”
I get to my feet and reach over, messing his hair up like I’ve seen Maurice do before. I’ll talk to him before I go, though I havethe strangest feeling that Jeremiah and Paxton will be staying at the base for the next little while.
“Thanks,” I say. “I’ll see you soon.”
I walk straight through the wards when I arrive at Kieran’s pack house, then stop mid-step. I know Sam must have modified them to let me through the other night, but now? Either he’s allowing me through or my connection to Quinn is; either way, I can’t help the half-smile that curves my lips as I make my way up the path.
Kieran opens his flat door after the first knock. Sam, Lucien, and Adam are sitting around inside, and they all watch in silence as I walk inside.
For a moment, I’m not sure what to do. I know why I’ve come here, but I haven’t formally introduced myself to Kieran and now I want to mate with a member of his pack and—
