Camden was seated at the table with the council, Grant, Mae, and Doc. Griz stood, leaning against the wall.

The council had asked everyone to get comfortable before they made their announcement.

Griz had refused a seat, his voice a low growl as he’d proclaimed he was quite comfortable exactly where he was.

His arms—thicker than many large branches—were crossed over a broad chest. In his neck, thick with muscles, Griz’s tendons were strained from stress. His scar was white with fury.

Camden couldn’t tear her gaze from the fierce shifter with the scar. She didn’t feel fear, usually—a side effect of having a kick ass ice elemental. That’s not how it was with this Griz guy; for some reason, he scared the daylights out of her.

Now that they were all in position, it seemed no one was taking the step forward into announcing their decision.

Probably scared of that big ass grizzly shifter was Camden’s guess.

Finally, Laken rose to her feet.

Camden felt like cheering. She’d noticed when Laken left to use the restroom earlier that she walked with a slight hitch. She’d asked Mae if Laken was injured.

Mae had been beaming with pride when she said that Laken wasn’t injured at the moment, but she’d lost a leg to a landmine working overseas.

Camden had found herself admiring the panther shifter with the prosthesis. Laken had seemed likable when Camden had first met her, but now she was downright admirable.

Mae then continued to explain that Laken and Ky spent their lives overseas volunteering, but that her doctor had advised she come stateside now that she was fairly close to delivering, as she didn’t have a shifter doctor near wherever she’d been out of the country.

“You seem to know her well,” Camden had remarked.

Mae had nodded, a large smile plastered on her face. “I consider her family.”

At that moment, Camden wondered if she should ask Mae if she had sway with the council. If she could get them to back off. Camden and Eden were closer than anyone else in terms of assessing the situation, and technically they didn’t even know enough about this to decide that Tyler and Sean shouldn’t have the girls.

Just when she’d been ready to ask Mae, Doc had pulled Mae’s attention into a discussion with a council member on the other side, and Camden’s request remained unvoiced.

Then everyone had taken their spots. And now, here they were. The council had an answer, when by damn, not even Camden could figure out a definitive answer. The only conclusion that Camden had arrived at was that the twins loved Tyler and Sean and that Tyler, for sure—since she hadn’t met Sean yet—felt the same for the twins.

Camden heaved a sigh.

Laken cleared her throat and shuffled some papers, still standing.

Then Ky rose to his feet, standing catty-corner behind Laken, his own arms crossed over his chest. His eyes laser-focused on Griz.

Great. Just great. That’s all we need. Testosterone to solve everything. Even worse, male grizzly testosterone.

Laken read from the papers. It seemed they were templates, with blanks that were filled in with a blue pen. “In light of the irregularities of following protocol, the Council determines that the girls, Trista and Tessa, be placed with a Council-designated advocate while we research the matter. That designated advocate—” Laken’s voice was strained, breathless. “Camden Brazos—”

There came the sound of a whoosh.

Then, the room fell silent.

Camden could have heard a pin drop, even without her shifter hearing.

Camden glanced at the source.

Griz had uncrossed his arms and exhaled loudly. He shook his head. “No.”

Laken opened her mouth to reply, but Griz held up his hand.

“You don’t come to this area and decide that you will dictate policy to us.”

“Griz,” Mae’s voice was soft.

Griz looked at Mae, and the sadness that Camden witnessed in the depths of his eyes made tears well in her own.

Why? What was that about?

She realized whatever that sorrow in his eyes was, it was something that her panther was reacting to. Her panther knew something.

What am I missing, Camden wondered.

Griz kept looking at Mae, then he turned his steely gaze to Grant, then to Doc.

“No, Mae,” Griz said. “With all due respect, no. They can’t refuse to be a part of this society—this place we have built here, and then think that they can come in and dictate how we handle our business.”

Ky stepped forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his mate Laken.

“I’m new to the scene,” Ky began. “So, I don’t know the history that drives your statements, I don’t know what the Council refused to be a part of, but there have been promises, words were given, statements made, signatures affixed to agreements—”

“No.” The word rang out with the finality of a shot. Griz shook his head. “You’re right. You. Don’t. Know.”

Doc rose to his feet as well. “Griz, we’re on the same side.”

Griz waved toward the council members. “They aren’t on the side of the twins. They aren’t on Tyler and Sean’s side. And they sure as hell aren’t on my side. My body is covered with scars that show just how much they are not on my side. Where the hell was the council when this valley was under siege.” He looked at Mae. “Where the hell were they when Brad was killed?”

Mae gasped. Tears had filled her eyes. Doc put his arm around her.

Camden knew who Brad was. That was Mae’s first mate. Eden had told Camden she’d overheard Tyler talking to someone on the phone and Mae’s name had come up, how she’d been a widow for a long time, then she and Doc had become an item.

“That was a low blow,” Camden said before she’d realized she’d even opened her mouth. She raised her hand, almost clapping it over her runaway mouth, but stopped herself. She wasn’t going to back down. It had been a low blow.

Griz’s turned toward Camden, his eyes narrowed into a squint. “This is all your fault. If I hadn’t called the Order in…” He ran his hands through his hair, almost as if in defeat.

Then came a creaking sound

God, she knew that sound.

She stared at Griz. His face was beginning to realign itself.

Shit, he’s going to shift, right here, right now. And she knew that he would wreak havoc. And that ire would be headed in her direction.

She felt Avala’s presence becoming stronger, like being swept up in whitewater during a flood. Avala was barely simmering below the surface, but the temperature was rising to a frosty boil. She would be erupting a barrage of ice if Griz threatened Camden.

The next sound split the air and brought everything to a halt.

Griz froze, mid-shift.

Avala paused, becoming still as a statue within Camden.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the sound.

Laken’s mouth was open in a shrill shriek, her fingers holding the table in a white-knuckled grip.

Then she doubled over, nearly hitting her head on the table.

Ky wrapped his arms around her.

Camden noticed a stain on Laken’s gray dress. “Her water’s broken,” she whispered.

“What?” Mae practically screeched.

Doc leaned closer to Laken. “It’s true.”

“No,” Ky responded. “She’s early.”

“Early or not, it’s happening,” Doc assured him. “Let me check her out, see if we have time to get her to my place.”

“Should we get your kit, in case there isn’t time?” Mae asked.

Doc nodded.

“I’ll go,” Grant offered. “I’ll tell Chelsea to set up a room for you for now.” And with that, he was out the door, moving at shifter-speed.

Griz followed him out the door.

Half of Camden’s mind wondered if Griz was helping Grant, while the other half of Camden’s mind was concerned with Laken.

“Carry her to a room,” Mae instructed Ky.

“I can walk,” Laken said, her voice strained. She took a step and doubled over again.

Mae took her hand. “Let Ky carry you. Don’t try to be a hero and endanger the baby—or yourself.”

Chelsea appeared at the door. “Grant said you needed——” She looked at the situation, took it all in swiftly. “—oh, my. Follow me.”

The room cleared out, the council members headed toward the kitchen. Carrying Laken, Ky followed Chelsea, trailed by Mae and Doc.

Camden was alone, glancing about the room.

Then it hit her.

Laken just said that she, Camden Brazos was the appointed guardian of the girls?

No. This couldn’t be.

Tyler’s going to hate me for this.