Page 15 of Secrets and S'mores
Her amber eyes narrow. “Vale is still obsessed over his Raven girl. I swear, I’ve never heard the kid say so many words in the whole time I’ve known him as he did today.”
Slate chuckles, his hands skimming down Hazel’s thighs.
“Is he seeing her again?” Cedar asks.
“I guess she doesn’t have a phone, so he wants to go there and make a big romantic gesture.” Her head lolls back against Slate’s shoulder. “I need Marigold to come back here and help. I don’t know what to do with these teenagers.”
“You should have seen Indigo and Briar tonight,” Onyx mutters.
“Will you accept a new pack member or have him leave?” I ask, attempting to contribute to the conversation.
“I suppose that’s up to them,” Slate answers.
“Will Alpha Nyx cooperate in either instance?” My voice quiets.
“She should,” Hazel answers patiently. “She’s been opening up over the last year. She’s even meeting with the Ironcrest Pack soon.”
My eyes widen. Surely she misspoke. The Ironcrest Pack and the Raven Pack have been enemies for years.
“Are we okay with this information getting back to Granite Ridge?” Onyx asked softly, tipping his head in my direction.
My teeth click together, my jaw tight. So much for a friendly hangout. Anger rising in my chest, I wait forHazel or Slate to reprimand him. Not that I expect anyone to defend me, but how dare he question them?
Spots dance in my vision from staring into the flames. I can’t take any more teasing from Onyx, or worse, friendly sympathy. My teeth sink into the inside of my lower lip, a poor attempt to contain the chaotic energy battering around in my head.
“It’s fine,” Hazel says, her tone gentle.
“I suspect they already know. It’s not being kept quiet,” Slate explains. His calm energy starts to relax me, and I buck against the false sense of security.
Seemingly accepting his Alpha’s answer, Onyx sits back. Beside him, Cedar leans forward with his forearms across his knees. “So Nyx is actually willing to meet with them?”
“Yep!” Hazel says.
“I guess she realized hiding in her den is no longer a viable option,” I mutter before I can think better of opening my mouth again.
Hazel’s head bobs. “Exactly!” Her agreement surprises me, and my lips part silently. “I think the power dynamic is different now with mediation and all the groveling Zephyr has done over the last year.”
“Really? Like what?” I ask, feeling foolish for not knowing what was happening with our neighboring packs. It’ll be something to correct as soon as I get home.
Slate answers, “He paid to repair all the damage from the fight.”
Hazel giggles. “Zephyr seems quite taken with her, actually. He keeps sending gifts and she avoids him. This meeting is a big step for her.”
“It’ll be interesting to hear what they agree on,” Slate says.
“Have you been meeting with Nyx yourself?” I ask.
Slate brushes Hazel’s hair over her shoulder, answering without taking his eyes off his mate. “We’ve had a few calls. Not a lot. Ironcrest is always eager to talk, but both Raven Pack and Granite Ridge are still resistant to meeting regularly.”
Hazel sighs. “I wish Sienna would agree to meet with us again, but having Jasper visit is a good step forward.”
“So why the exchange? Do you really need me as a hostage to ensure his safe return?”
I wish I could suck the words back into my throat. Four sets of eyes regard me with varying emotions, from surprise to disdain.
“It’s not about that,” Hazel ventures. “We want to build relationships both ways, and besides, you’ve never spent time with your half-brother.” Her hand tightens over Slate’s.
“Right.” As if Slate wanted to get to know me. With some effort, I keep sarcasm out of my voice.
