Shifted Fate (Amy)

There was silence in the office. Then Vince spoke up. “Garith, I don’t think that is really necessary.” He tried to push back, but Garith was having none of it.

“Pick boy.” There was an edge to his voice.

“I would listen to my father, Brandon. It’s not the end of the world nating the girl, is it?‘ She sighed. “I mean, look at your father. He still has his fun.” There was a pause. “Matings don’t have to be this sacred thing that some people make it out to be. Sometimes it’s just a way to leverage your position.”

“Leverage my position?”

Verity murmured an agreement. “Yeah. You use this one to entice others. When they see your bond isn’t something held in reverence that others are, it will give the stupid ones the idea that they could win you over, and they can become luna.” She laughed. “But keeping this one around might be better than you think.”

“How is that even possible?” Brandon sounded like a whiny toddler. I sneered where I stood.

“She is ambitious. But also dumb. She will do whatever she can to keep her spot as luna.”

Brandon was quiet for a moment. “Like my mother.”

Vince laughed this time. “Exactly. She has her uses. And she looks the other was instead of getting angry about the other women.”

I could hear Brandon’s tiny brain ticking away from here. I just shook my head. I wasn’t learning anything here, and I went to move on, but there I head Rowan’s name.

“Did Rowan actually send a response to the invite?” Garith growled out.

Verity sighed. “He isn’t going to actually show up.” She moved across th4e room, her voice fading away as she moved. “Believe me, he has been locked up in his office, knee deep in reports of the rogues and their attacks. He’s trying to map out their plan.” SHe laughed.

“I don’t know why you think that’s so funny.” Morgan sounded aggravated. He probably didn’t like how Verity was talking about Shannon. “If he figures out that every attack happens to a pack that lives by the caves, then we are fucked.”

Verity laughed again. “Who would think that all those caves are connected?”

The caves…

Holy fucking shit. noveldrama

I pulled out my phone out and sent a quick text to my father. ‘Dead caves are connected to others. Any pack that was attacked, there should be a cave close by. Be careful when you go in.‘

Three dots popped up, with the soft sound the accompanied the dance and I waited for his response. But I heard someone in the office shush the room. “What was that?”

I silenced my phone and cursed myself for making such a stupid mistake. I stuffed my phone into my pocket as the door slammed open, and everyone rushed out. The five of them searched the hallway and back, but Brandon sniffed. “I don’t smell anyone out here.”

“Can someone hide their scent with magic?” Vince turned to Verity.

She shook her head. “I’ve tried, and I wasn’t able to change my scent at all. My sisters learned to change their scent, but neither was good at it. It is possible to alter a scent, but not remove it completely.”

Brandon just shook his head. “Maybe you heard something from farther away than you thought.”

Garith growled. Verity walked over and laid her hand on his arm. “Can you scent someone?”

He looked down at her and I watched the hatred behind his eyes flare. This man has hated both of his children. But the emotion was gone in a flash, and he considered her words. “No. No, I don’t smell anyone near here. Do you sense anyone close using magic?”

Verity closed her eyes and I could feel her magic prodding against the shield. But I used my own to project the image of the wall behind me to her. Hopefully, if it worked, she would only see the solid wall behind me, and not that I hid in the shadows. I held my breath as I waited for her to make her declaration. She forced more power into the probing, making sure they were alone before her eyes opened.

“There’s no one around.” I breathed slowly out and closed my eyes in relief.

Nix snorted. She couldn’t feel us. You would think that her power would recognize ours.

Thankfully. Megan bumped into Nix. It’s a good thing that she isn’t strong enough to find us. I agreed silently as my eyes tracked everyone there. But my eyes kept jumping back to Verity and Garith. I kept searching their faces and matching similar facial features to my father. To my own. I shivered when I realized that Verity and I shared the same nose. I had Garith’s lips. Luna Brittney came around the corner. “The ceremony is in five minutes. You all have to get to you spots.‘ Brandon turned to Vince. “I don’t want to do this.”

Vince opened his mouth but Garith stepped up to Brandon and clapped him on his shoulder. “You either do this…or I kill you for ruining the brotherhood’s plans and your parents have another pup to start over.“