An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(49)

Kade gestured toward the couches, and Finn took a seat while his parents sat across from him.

“You know the witches are just as much in hiding as we once were,” Kade said.

“Yeah, some are out, but humans don’t truly believe it.” Witches had been persecuted in every century—burned at the stake, drowned, murdered for being different. Some were out in the open, but humans didn’t truly understand their natures. Wolves mated to humans and witches just as much as wolves. In fact, his sister Gina was part fire witch thanks to her birth mother, and his Aunt Hannah was an earth witch.

“True enough. But the witches are restless.” His Alpha met his eyes, and Finn sat still. “They will be unveiled soon, Finn. Either on their own terms or by those that know too much. There is no hiding for them while we are out.”

Finn cursed. “We knew it was an eventuality.”

“Yes, but they are reaching out for help.”

“What do you mean?” They were on good terms with some covens, not all, but they’d worked with them in the past. Their wards were created not only by the moon goddess, but the witches within their Packs, as well.

“With the attack on Seth and Franklin, the one on you and Brynn, and the bombing near Talon land, things are getting hot. And yet we still don’t know if and how they are connected. We can’t survive on our own, and neither can the witches, not if the humans bring a full-on war to our doorsteps.”

Finn sucked in a breath. “So it’s the paranormals versus the world?”

Kade shook his head. “We don’t want it to be like that. We want to be able to move freely as we always have. But with the attacks on our wolves and the other attacks on Packs around the country? We’re at a precipice. One I hope to the goddess we don’t fall over.”

“What do you want me to do about it? There’s a reason you asked me here.”

“We’re forming another taskforce. This time with the witches. We’re going to have our Heir and Omega meet with the witches and ensure we end up on the right page. The Talons will be sending Ryder and Walker, as well.”

Finn nodded. “That makes sense. Are we using Drake or Maddox?”

“Drake,” Melanie put in. “Maddox has a lot on his plate and will one day be able to fully hand over the mantle of the Omega.”

Finn raised a brow. “Does that mean I don’t have a lot on my plate?”

“You do, and you’ll have more as time moves on. We all will.”

Finn stood and raised a hand over his face. “Let me know when we’re meeting. I need to get back to Brynn.”

Kade lowered his brows but nodded. “I’ll send over what I have, and the four of you can work everything out. I trust you.” His father stood, studying his face. “When you’re ready to talk about Brynn and have her meet us in a more formal way, let us know. We’ll figure it out for you, son. We will.”

Finn ignored the ache in his chest and nodded. “Thanks,” he said roughly. He wanted what his parents had. Damn if he’d let fate not let him get it.

He left the house and got in his car, quickly shooting a text to Brynn letting her know he’d meet her outside the wards for lunch. Him going on Talon land too often would be an issue until they’d planned their unique way of mating. He would have called, but he knew she was in a meeting with her brother Max about a council issue and didn’t want to distract her any more than he already was. After all, she was distracting him, as well.

By the time he got to their meeting place, he was on edge with wanting her. He didn’t even need to be inside her, damn it, he just wanted her near. He knew this was the man in him, not the wolf, but he had to pray that the wolf was somehow getting through, even if it were a bare whisper.

He stopped the car and got out, a smile on his face as he spotted Brynn.

She stood under a tree, her eyes closed, her face tilted to the sky. She was a goddess. So f*cking gorgeous he could barely breathe.

Unable to help himself, he gave a wolf whistle.

Her eyes still closed, she flipped him off.

He threw his head back and laughed.

Then the world exploded.





RYDER


Ryder didn’t speak as his Alpha and brother, Gideon, spoke of his new duties as a taskforce member for their work with the witches. The silence wasn’t all that uncommon. He didn’t speak often as it was. He was the quiet Brentwood. Of course, most of his siblings and cousins were quiet. They’d been through hell. What more did they need to speak about?

Gideon spoke softly to Walker about one of the pups that had found a thorny bush earlier that day while Ryder sat back and did what he did best.

Thought.

He’d ally with the witches if his Alpha asked him to. It would be for the good of the Pack. And as the Heir, he held the power to make some decisions in Gideon’s absence. He knew he wouldn’t be Heir for long since the title would go to Gideon and Brie’s firstborn son—or daughter, considering how the moon goddess liked to keep changing the rules.

For now, though, he would help his brother with the overwhelming task of being an Alpha wolf to a Pack that hadn’t quite healed, in the middle of a war that no one knew if they were truly fighting.

They’d lost one of their own recently, and Ryder knew it wouldn’t be the last.