Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 128413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Auden wanted to snap back an even colder response, almost stopped herself. But then she remembered that Charisma had worked by her mother’s side. “That is no longer your concern,” she found herself saying, even though the words weren’t ones that made any kind of sense to her. “I am now in charge—or can you not see that?”
“Your mind is currently blanketed in a black shield,” Charisma said instead of responding directly. “We can’t get through…and to be frank, it appears to be an Arrow shield. Are you in trouble? Is the operation in jeopardy?”
What operation?
As for the shield, Auden kicked herself for not preparing for this. Of course Charisma had an eye on her mind in the PsyNet. Even as she thought that, her lips parted and words spilled out. “I have friends in many places, Ris.” She held the eye contact until it was aggressive. “Do you not understand that even now?”
Charisma seemed to flush, as if Auden had flustered her enough to beat her Silence. “Of course, sir. But you must forgive me for being wary—it has been a long time.”
Auden stayed silent, the words she’d just spoken an oily film on her mind that felt alien. Not herself.
Frost in the air, a shimmering blue web in her vision.
Another Auden in charge.
“So you’re feeling fine, medically speaking?” Charisma’s voice tore through the web. “Your pregnancy is stable? I can send a medic to do a checkup if needed. The biomonitors don’t seem to be functioning.”
“The monitors are functioning fine. I just didn’t wish to use them during my meditation,” Auden said. “I’ll reinstate them today.” Surely RainFire’s hacker could work it so that it appeared Auden remained pregnant. “I’ll be back home in four days regardless.” It was the longest she could expect Charisma and the doctor to stay patient. “I’m getting too close to full-term to remain in such a remote region.”
Charisma’s shoulders relaxed. “I’ll see you soon, sir.”
Auden’s heart thumped after she hung up, but she had no time to stress, no time to worry. Walking out as fast as she could, she met Remi’s gaze. “I have another request for your hacker.”
Remi gave a curt nod. “Just one question before I get him to work. What’re you going to name this gorgeous cub of yours?”
Auden replied at once. “Liberty. Liberty RainFire.” A name built of hope and heart. “Is that all right? To ask for her to carry the name of your pack until this is all over? Whatever happens, I don’t want her to be a Scott.”
Remi’s eyes gleamed yellow-green. “It’s more than okay, little cat. Liberty will always have a home in the heart of her pack.”
* * *
• • •
AFTER getting the hack of Auden’s own account and biomonitors underway, Remi turned to the specifics of Auden’s security detail. It would have to be at least two people—Remi could catnap with the best of them, but he wouldn’t be at full strength if he wasn’t getting good chunks of sleep.
At first, he considered that his partner should be male—leopard females could be deadly opponents, but Psy could be stupid about changelings. And this was about making a big visual impact from the start.
Then again…Auden’s mother had been the alpha half of the Scott pair. Auden hadn’t said that to him, but he had eyes—and even though he hadn’t been too interested in Psy politics before becoming an alpha himself, he’d seen enough news reports over the years to come to his own conclusions.
Shoshanna had been smart and vicious—behind a veneer of elegance. A slender brunette, she also hadn’t been imposing on a physical level. So yeah, maybe he could play on that. It was with that thought in mind that he called a meeting of his sentinels after Lark had had time to get a few hours of sleep.
It wasn’t that the pack kept putting her on night shift—it was that she loved the night shift and requested it more than any other person in RainFire.
“Why be born a leopard if I can’t slink about like a shadow?” she’d whispered while wiggling her fingers as if casting a magic spell. “Try to spot me in the dark. I dare you.”
Remi could of course spot her—but he was her alpha. She truly was a ghost to most people, even most cats, had made an art form out of using her leopard coloring to meld into the shadows. Now, she walked into their meeting in his aerie bright-eyed and freshly showered—and dressed in an adult version of Jojo’s purple overalls paired with a sparkly pink T-shirt.
“Hello, people!” She threw out her arms. “Alpha man, I need food.”
He groaned and threw her a croissant. “I told you I’d strip your fur if you called me that one more time. Also, where did you even get that outfit?”