Silence fell over the office. Then Vince spoke. “Garith, I don’t think that’s really necessary.” He tried to object, but Garith remained unmoved.
“Pick boy,” Garith said, his voice sharp.
“I would listen to my father, Brandon. It’s not the end of the world, mating the girl, is it?” She sighed. “I mean, look at your father. He still has his fun.” She paused. “Matings don’t have to be this sacred thing some people make them out to be. Sometimes it’s just a way to leverage your position.”
“Leverage my position?”
Verity murmured her agreement. “Yeah. Use this one to entice others. When they see your bond isn’t something held in reverence, it will give the foolish ones the idea 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 whined, sounding like a toddler. I sneered.
“She’s ambitious. But also dumb. She’ll do whatever she can to keep her spot as luna.”
Brandon was quiet for a moment. “Like my mother.”
Vince laughed. “Exactly. She has her uses. And she looks the other way instead of getting angry about the other women.”
I could hear Brandon’s tiny brain working. I shook my head. I wasn’t learning anything here and was about to leave when I overheard Rowan’s name.
“Did Rowan actually send a response to the invite?” Garith growled.
Verity sighed. “He isn’t going to show up. Believe me, he’s been locked 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 said, sounding aggravated. He probably disliked Verity’s comments about Shannon. “If he figures out every attack targets a pack near the caves, then we’re fucked.”
Verity laughed again. “Who would think all those caves are connected?”
The caves…
Holy fucking shit.
I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to my father: ‘Dead caves are connected. Any attacked pack should have a nearby cave. Be careful.’
Three dots appeared on my phone, accompanied by the soft notification sound, and I waited for his reply. But someone in the office hushed the room. “What was that?”
I silenced my phone, cursing my stupidity. I pocketed it as the door burst open, and everyone rushed out. They searched the hallway, but Brandon sniffed. “I don’t smell anyone.”
“Can someone hide their scent with magic?” Vince asked Verity.
She shook her head. “I’ve tried, and couldn’t change my scent. My sisters learned, but neither was good at it. It’s possible to alter a scent, but not remove it completely.”
Brandon shook his head. “Maybe you heard something from farther away than you thought.”
Garith growled. Verity placed a hand on his arm. “Can you scent someone?”
Chapter 531
He looked down at her, and I saw the hatred in his eyes flare. This man hated both his children. But the emotion vanished, and he considered her words. “No. I don’t smell anyone. Do you sense anyone nearby using magic?”
Verity closed her eyes, and I felt her magic probing against my shield. I used my own magic to project the image of the wall behind me. Hopefully, she’d only see the wall, not me hiding in the shadows. I held my breath, waiting for her declaration. She pushed more power into the probe, ensuring privacy before opening her eyes.
“There’s no one around.” I exhaled, closing my eyes in relief.
Nix snorted. She couldn’t sense us. You’d think her power would recognize ours.
Thankfully, Megan bumped into Nix. It’s a good thing she’s not strong enough to find us. I silently agreed, scanning the room. My eyes kept returning to Verity and Garith, comparing their features to my father’s and my own. I shivered, realizing Verity and I shared the same nose; I had Garith’s lips. Luna Brittney appeared. “The ceremony is in five minutes. Get to your spots.” Brandon turned to Vince. “I don’t want to do this.”
Vince started to speak, but Garith clapped Brandon on the shoulder. “You do this…or I kill you for ruining the brotherhood’s plans and your parents have another pup to start over.”