Tatiana's smile fell when she saw that Varya and Grady were about to kiss.
"What are you doing!?" Tatiana snapped. "Until you become members of the Dark Howlers pack and pledge loyalty to Alpha Damon and Luna Talia, you are not allowed to mate."
"Or kiss!" Kalina was quick to add.
Varya looked at her sisters helplessly. Why were they treating her like a baby? Kalina was younger than Varya! But she knew Grady's background was a problem, and she didn't want to make things worse.
"Alright," Varya agreed. "We will do that if you promise not to give us a hard time after it. Do we have a deal?"
Kalina and Tatiana frowned, and Varya pointed an angry finger at her sisters. "I accepted your mates without questions asked. How would you feel if I stuck my nose into your relationships? I know you are worried about me, but I am fine. I know Grady is not a bad person. You need to believe me."
Varya wrapped her arms around Grady's waist, and he was quick to put his arms around her, happy to see that his mate was fighting for them.
Varya didn't know much about Grady, but she believed in him. The scene warmed his heart.
Varya was still glaring at her sisters. "We endured a lot in the last few hours, and we agree not to get physical until we join the Dark Howlers pack. In return, I want you to at least be open-minded about this and stop treating my mate like he is the biggest villain alive. Can you do that much?"
Kalina and Tatiana nodded stiffly.
Varya grinned and tightened her hold on Grady. "Hugging is fine, right?"
Tatiana snorted. "Why ask when you are already clinging to him?"
"I am afraid that if I let go, you will harm him," Varya responded.
"We agreed to be open-minded," Kalina said. "We won't harm him unless he does something bad."
"Why are you assuming he will do anything bad? What if someone provokes him? Do you expect him to keep quiet?"
Three Wilkow sisters bickered, and everyone wondered how much louder it would get if Lidia and Daria were also present. They all had fiery personalities, and Varya held her own in front of Kalina and Tatiana even though she was not marked by an Alpha.
"When are we heading to our new pack?" Grady asked Damon and Talia. He was eager to leave this place.
"We have a few matters to settle," Damon responded. "Until then, do your best to cooperate."
Grady forced a smile while wondering, how did he end up relying on two people who wanted to kill him first? Was this April Fool's Day? Or maybe all this was one of those reality shows where people with cameras will jump out and tell him how it was all one big prank, and he will be famous. Or was it a dream? He would take anything, as long as it was not real.
Grady jolted when he felt a palm on his cheek. Varya's hand was cold and slightly sweaty, telling him she was nervous. The electrifying sparks that prickled his skin were soothing, and he wanted more of them. All over his body, if possible.
"It will be alright," Varya said. "I won't let them hurt you."
Grady had never felt so useless in his life. All this was new and overwhelming, but the oddest thing was that a petite female said she will protect him. And the ridiculous part was that it was the truth. If Varya didn't step in, he would be dead. At least once.
"Maya," Damon called. "Can you check with Gideon to see when it's convenient to do the ceremony for joining the pack? If we can wrap that up before heading back, that would be great."
Maya agreed. "I'm sure Varya and Grady will be eager to do the ceremony as soon as possible."
Maddox was grateful that Damon and Talia were taking custody of Grady, but he knew it wouldn't be simple. Grady was a rogue whose group was responsible for killing many, including a warrior from the Dark Howlers pack. How will Damon and Talia explain that to the members of their pack? What a mess!
Maddox thought that Talia and Damon would leave to talk privately, but then he heard Damon ask, "James, can we have a word?"
Maddox raised his eyebrows at the scene of Damon, Talia, James, and Cornelia walking out, and Maya and Caden observing the scene like it was a totally normal thing. Since when were they that close?
James had a hunch what Damon wanted to talk about. It was about Grady. James wanted to talk about him also.
The fact was that Grady saw Cornelia performing magic, and James was not comfortable with the thought that the rogue will be alive and able to talk about it. What if the rogue exposes James' chocolate-colored Goddess?
The four of them went into the packhouse and used one of the empty rooms on the first floor for their discussion.
James was pleasantly surprised that his father didn't contact him so far. It was unusual that Alpha Edward didn't request a report on the situation, but James welcomed this silence. Was it possible that Alpha Edward was aware of what was going on? James wouldn't be surprised if his father had his spies. Heck, James wouldn't be surprised if his father had something to do with last night's attack.
James sat on the sofa next to Cornelia and held her hand in his. As much as the whole night was a mess, he enjoyed this situation where he could be with Cornelia openly. His mark on her neck was concealed under a layer of makeup, but James knew it was there, hiding… just how he was hiding how important Cornelia was.
"I wanted to talk about how to handle Grady," Damon's words snapped James out of his thoughts. "He is an asset, but also a liability. I'm sure you thought of some ways where we can take him with us, and he can be useful without endangering my pack."
"How are you going to assure that he doesn't talk about what he saw here?" James asked.
"Blood oath," Damon responded right away.
"Make sure to include concealing the existence of witches."
Damon's eyes darted to Cornelia as he understood why James was asking. "Alright."
"You might want to work with Alpha Maddox to stage Grady's death before you leave."
Damon didn't get it. "His death?"
James hummed in confirmation. "Tristan is not a fool, and the fact that he was not here last night proves it. Don't underestimate him or the ability of rogues to get information. Many eyes saw that rogue sitting in front of the packhouse with a Wilkow sister clinging onto him, and that would mean only one thing… mates. What do you think Tristan will do when he finds out about it?"
Damon nodded as he understood where James was going with this. "He will look for Grady."
James raised his finger in the air that slowly fell to point at Damon as James spoke, "Tristan will look for Grady until he finds him, and then he will use him against you."
