I was immediately relieved at how quickly Sal agreed. He could have argued or tried to find a way to save his own skin, but no, it seemed like he was just as dedicated to protecting his own people as I was to time.
“Castiel, you can’t do this,” Aunt Letitia objected. “It’s a bake-off. Maybe they’ve come because they’re amused.”
“I’d love for that to be true,” I answered. “But we need to be prepared.”
“I’m not going to let you just sacrifice yourself!” my mother hissed, and although her voice broke my heart, I knew what I had to do.
“Chris, can you get her somewhere safe?”
“And leave you?”
I fixed him with a steady look. All of Felicia’s calm that I had been admiring all day settled over me. I wasn’t looking forward to what was going to happen, but at least I could make sure my pack wasn’t punished for my idea.
“You’re my beta. I need you to survive and lead if…” I trailed off, not wanting to upset my mother further. She looked like she was about to cry. Seeing her like that made what I was about to do that much harder.
“I understand.” Chris’s voice cracked as he wrapped an arm around my mother’s waist to lead her away. She started to object, but I leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. When had she gotten so small? Sometimes it felt like yesterday when she showed me how to tie my shoes and put Band-Aids on my own scrapes.
“Please, Mom.”
Her protests died on her lips. “I love you, son. My alpha.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
With that, she allowed Chris to lead her away, and I turned to face the parking lot where the SUV convoy had arrived, lined up all in a neat little row along the curb.
Their doors opened in unison, and then figures began to step out. They were all tall, and willowy, dressed in impeccable designer suits right down to their overly polished shoes. Men, women, whatever other flavor fairies came in, it didn’t matter-they were all decked out to the nines in business professional finery.
I’d never actually seen a fairy in person, only heard descriptions of them. While I knew that they didn’t have wings or walk around in Renaissance garb, I didn’t think they’d look so… corporate.
All in step with each other, a dozen of the most powerful Wild Folk in the city marched toward us, shoes and high heels echoing across the ground.
“Alphas Castiel McCallister and Salvador Ramirez,” one of them said when they all came to a stop in the center of the activity area, dozing humans and terrified pack members surrounding them.
“That’s us,” I said, trying to put as much steel into my voice as I could. Who knew, maybe fairies would turn out to be allergic to that too.
“Both of your packs are in direct violation of the peace accords you are contracted under with our people. Penalties for such indiscretions include everything from rescinding your right to your ancestral lands, to banishment, or even execution.”
A tall woman in a pinstriped pencil skirt and matching blazer stepped forward. “You can find your violations highlighted here.”
She pulled a cellphone out of a breast pocket that suddenly appeared, then disappeared just as quickly. She showed us the screen, but instead of it lighting up with any information, a long scroll popped out of the bottom, dropping down to the ground and rolling all the way across the lawn.
“Sub-section Z-4, in yellow.”
I didn’t need to look at it, and I wouldn’t have had time to anyway, because as soon as Polly reached down to pick it up, it rapidly rolled back into the phone before disappearing entirely.
Convenient. For the fairies, that was. Heaven forbid we actually get to read the finer details of the deal that had been made long before any of us were alive.
“You are not allowed to interfere in human events. This is?-“
“I challenge you.”
A clear, calm voice cut through the air, and every single head of the conscious people turned to see Felicia standing at the center of the competition table, her hands on her hips.
“Excuse me?” one of the fairies said.
How was she even awake? When all the humans had collapsed and I hadn’t immediately seen Felicia, I assumed that she was asleep with the rest of them.
“I said I challenge you. It is my right to do, and as the ruling fairies of this region, you must answer a challenge to the court of fae.”
Wait, was that true? And if it was true, how did Felicia know that?
Much to my horror, the fairies all laughed as if she had just told them the funniest joke. “You need to study your bylaws, young one. If we had to rise to the challenge of any Wild Folk that was breaking the rules, none of our contracts would be viable. Contract supersedes any such thing.”
“That’s the thing. Your contract is with the wolf packs here and the wolf packs only.
I’m a human.”
The equivalent of pandemonium broke out amongst the fairies, with all of them exchanging looks and two of them whispering fervently to each other. As for all of us shifters, we were watching with wide eyes, completely shocked.
“If you’re human, how are you awake? Our magic should have you on the ground with the rest of your kind?”
Smiling, Felicia lifted the protection necklace that Gammy McCallister had given her, and I saw a little pouch hanging from the pendant.
“It seems that gifts willfully and openly given from elders of both packs have fully shielded me from your magic. That’s why you keep them separated, isn’t it? Because you’re afraid of what they could do if they weren’t divided.”
My jaw dropped. How had Felicia been so prepared for the fairies to arrive? More prepared than us shifters were.
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