There was a long silence after that speech. Everyone was staring at Ava, who seemed fixated on her nails like they were the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.

Coveney didn’t doubt her story. Not because it wasn’t insane - it most definitely was. He just didn’t think she was lying. Some shifters were trained to, of course, but it wasn’t easy. Their kind weren’t as astute as wolves, but they could still smell if someone started sweating, or see the slightest change in expression.

“But if it all happened thousands of years ago…” Ace started.

“Fenrir is still alive,” Ava replied, anticipating her question. “Everything else may be a children’s tale, who knows? But that part is definitely true. There’s a wolf who’s lived since then, he doesn’t even make his trail hard to find. He’s a known benefactor to his kind. These past few centuries, he’s even helped other shifters.” She bit her lip, before confessing, “I applied to this pride when I heard that he’d been in touch to help you a while back. I just need a way to contact him that won’t end with my head on a spike because of my surname.”

So, she’d wanted to use them. Coveney turned to Rye, searching his expression. There was a chance the Alpha might have taken that admission as an offense. But the poor guy just looked like he was developing a headache, like the rest of them.

Catching everyone’s expressions, he realized something. Shit. If she was telling the truth, and if the tales she grew up hearing hadn’t just been some stupid myth invented by a power-hungry family, their lifelines were linked to someone out there. They needed to find out, pronto.

“Helped us?” Daunte asked, confused.

Ava bobbed her head.

“Yeah. He doesn’t go by Fenrir, of course. Not really inconspicuous nowadays, I guess. Although Knox is hardly any better, really.”

Knox.

All the Wyverns turned to Ace, staring at her expectantly. Her mouth hung open for a beat, then she just laughed, so hard she had to hold her sides.

“Wait, you’re telling me Knox is that old super werewolf? As in, Knox, the obnoxious loner?”

Ava shrugged. “I think so. I might be wrong, but…”

“Oh, no,” Ace replied, vehemently shaking her head. “If you’re not insane, you’re definitely not wrong. It’s just so fucking typical. Basically, you’re right. He really doesn’t hide it.”

On that confusing note, she pulled her phone out, and started playing with it.

“Wait, what are you doing? We have to discuss this…”

“Yada, yada, yada,” she rolled her eyes at her mate. “Conclusion of the pointless discussion: we need to call him and get his ass down here. We had this whole episode with Tria just a few weeks back. I’m just fast-forwarding the process.”

Ava was seriously chewing at her lip. Coveney moved without thinking, cupping her face, and running his thumb over the red lower lip.

“Don’t do that,” he growled at her. If anyone was going to bite those lips, it was him. “It’ll be just fine.”

He didn’t have to look at them to feel his pridemates staring.

“Did I miss something?” Daunte whispered, before groaning when someone - probably his mate, or Ace - elbowed his stomach.

“Okay, we need to speak to the rest of the pride,” the Alpha female said. “And my parents. And everyone I fucking know. If there’s a First Shifter family in the feline world, we need to learn what we can. You get better,” she added, addressing Ava, no doubt.

Although Coveney didn’t see her, because he was still looking right into the eagle’s eyes.

They were so strange. Purple, almost.

“And, Coveney, you’re in charge of her, so your usual duties…”

“I’m taking some of my time off,” he retorted.

A short silence ensued.

“Right. That makes sense. Alien abduction.”

“Shut it, Daunte,” Ace retorted. “And let’s get out of here.”

He’d thank the woman later for that. He’d wanted and needed them all gone.

Fuck, what was she doing to him? The girl was a small thing; five foot two at most, but packing one hell of a punch.

He wanted her, that much had been clear at first glance. That part, he understood. He was a goddamn shifter; it might have started late for him, but he still wanted sex just like the rest of them.

He didn’t get the rest, though. He didn’t get why he felt the need to touch her, touch her lips, even in front of other people. Public displays of affection weren’t part of his M.O. Affection wasn’t part of his M.O. He didn’t understand why he needed her to stop worrying about Knox. Why he needed her to believe there was nothing to worry about, because he’d be right there, next to her, and ready to lunge at the wolf - immortal or not - if he made a wrong move towards her.

So, he was back to pondering about witchcraft.

“How’s the wound?” he asked.

Her cheeks heated up as she lowered the bedding to let him see her torso. He took in the angry red patch of skin, which had done a complete 180 in a few hours, then went a little higher, to look at her breasts. They weren’t huge, just a handful, but standing proudly, firm as fuck. The dark nipples were practically begging to play.

But she was self-conscious, more so than shifters usually were. He found it both endearing and strange, because the woman was gorgeous. The dark blond, highlighted waves, the fucking purple eyes, and the curves she’d managed to pack on her slim frame must have turned heads wherever she went.

“Better. Good. I guess I should think about getting you clothes now,” he commented out loud, which surprised him.

As he’d told her, he really wasn’t a talker.

But she wanted him to talk, she’d said as much. So, he did. Although it seemed irrelevant.

Witchcraft…

“Yeah. Clothes would be nice.”

He tilted his head. “Still thinking about it.”

Ava laughed, shaking her head as she pulled the covers back. “You’re definitely a guy.”

He was. An interested guy. But she was wounded, and frightened, so, however much he wanted to say he was going to make her scream his name and claw at his back, he didn’t.

“You think you’re up to getting out of there yet? I can bring some food up…”

“But if you do, the rest of the pride will think I’m hiding.” She grimaced, making it clear that she didn’t like that. “I can get up.”

Coveney tilted his head, curious.

“You’re hard to place. You’re pretty shy, and could use a confidence boost, but I don’t read a clear submissive vibe from you. Plus, you’ve applied as a fighter, or you wouldn’t have been called a few weeks back.”

Rye had asked a bunch of candidates to join him; people with fighting skills. Expecting the battle that had taken place the previous day, he hadn’t wanted to involve more members who needed protection.

“I’m dominant,” she nodded. “Just not very dominant. My animal makes up for it, though.”

“You let her do the fighting?” he asked, without judging her. A lot of shifters relied on their animal.

To his surprise, Ava shook her pretty head. “No, not often. She’s kick-ass, but in a one-on-one, I fight. I’m not that good. Never won against one of my siblings, not even once. But still, I was trained. Not too badly either, or I wouldn’t have made it out of Dale alive.”

Dale. One of the million bombs she’d launched at them over the last hour.

“There’s really a whole place that looks like ancient Rome, then?”

She shrugged. “Not completely. It is the twenty-first century, you know. We even have Wi-Fi. But, yeah, the architecture is still intact, and we have plenty of relics. Except, they aren’t all dusty and ruined like those they keep in the museums.”

Mind blowing.

“I’d like to see that someday.”

She sighed. “I think some part of me would like to see it again. But even if they all stop actively trying to murder me, I’m never returning to the flock. Most of the members of my family died before my eyes. I’m done with Dale.”