Alliance of Shadows, Book 3: HUNTER

Coming Together

Initially taken aback by my brother, Kaden blinked at us in silence before letting out a small huff of laughter. Then he snickered. "It sounds like one of your brothers is as bad as the Trio. I wouldn't worry about them teaming up just yet, though. I doubt Logan will let them come here until he's ready to bring them himself. He's too smart for his own good sometimes."

Glancing between him and my brother, I raised a brow as a slow smile lifted my lips, amusement flickering beneath my expression.

"No," Peter snapped, his voice tight with irritation. "Not on your life, Hunt. I'm not doing whatever is in that head of yours. No." His arms crossed defensively, muscles tensed as if bracing for whatever scheme I was about to propose.

"It's simply a minor favor for our new friend here," I said calmly, maintaining an air of nonchalance. "You see, I require someone—preferably one of my amazingly wonderful brothers—to join me on a short little journey to the Druids' lands. That's all. It's as simple as that."

Peter glowered at me, his shoulders stiffening, skepticism written across his face. "Who else is going?"

Smiling, I shook my head. "Only you and I."

"Not Stan?" His eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his tone.

"No," I repeated, keeping my tone even, watching as the realization settled in his expression.

As if weighing his options, Peter fell quiet, his gaze flickering toward the floor before settling on me again. “Why me?” His voice was flat, but the tension in his posture betrayed his reluctance.

“Honestly, it’s because I could use your ability to separate truth from lie." I held his gaze, my tone measured. "I intend to use your power to assist in determining if this new person Master Leif and Master Dreson are dealing with is who they claim to be.”

Again, Kaden started laughing, the sudden break in tension making the moment feel almost absurd. Giving him a look, I asked why he was in stitches over the conversation I was having with Peter. He coughed a few times, shaking his head, before a woman's voice made him fall still and quiet.

Her eyes settled on Kaden, softening with love and honest-to-Goddess devotion. "Hey, babe."

Watching as Kaden rose to his feet, I took in the newcomer’s appearance. She bore a striking resemblance to Ember—long, white-blond hair cascaded down her back, honey-gold eyes gleamed with quiet confidence, and her umber-brown skin caught the dim light of the room, giving her an undeniable presence. There was something effortless about the way she moved, like she had long since mastered the art of command without force.

"s**t, sorry, Akita. I got lost in conversation with Hunter," Kaden admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm trying to help Jonah get a job."

Akita smiled, a knowing look passing over her features. "It's fine. I thought as much when I couldn't find you at the packhouse, so I followed your scent here. Was going to knock out a few i***t Vampires that tried to corner me, but this girl came to my aid."

Turning my eyes to the door, I spotted Regina leaning casually against the frame, her stance easy yet undeniably authoritative.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Was there anything you needed?"

Regina smirked. "Nope, just making sure that this gorgeous woman didn't end up hurt on our lands." She shifted slightly, placing a hand on her blade. "What will you have done with our men?"

I nodded, my voice firm. "Disciplinary action is required, so take the necessary measures as you see fit. I won't have that behaviour in my ranks."

"Understood, Sir. I'll send my report in the morning."

When she was gone, Kaden turned to me. "What was that?"

"She's my Lieutenant," I told him. "The army here belongs to me, you see."

Akita blinked, processing the information before speaking. "Does that mean that if the Alliance gets attacked again, we can call on you for help?"

"Yes, of course. We'd be happy to assist in any way we can." I met her gaze steadily, reinforcing my commitment without hesitation. "As for Jonah, I see no reason not to pay your brother and his Mate a visit to learn more about him."

Turning toward Peter, I held his gaze expectantly. He raised a single brow at me, unimpressed.

A groan slipped from his lips before he finally caved to my persistence. "Fine," he snarled. "I'll go with you under one condition. Logan gotta come, too."

Accepting his condition, I called Logan, who agreed at once.

The next day, we picked up Logan at the packhouse, where we also met with Kaden. As it turned out, Dreson's house was nothing short of a small manor, its sprawling lawn stretching beyond the main entrance like a well-kept testament to his wealth. Once inside, Dreson and Leif greeted us at the door, their expressions guarded but welcoming.

Inside Dreson's home office, we met with Leif's daughter and her Mate. When we asked to speak to Jonah alone, Kenna went with Leif to spend time with the other two children, giving us the space we needed for a private discussion.

Peter was the first to speak, his gaze sharp. "So, your story sounds pretty plausible. New in town, bad blood with the homeland, Mated and looking for work. What are you hiding?"

Logan scowled at Peter, his arms crossing in visible frustration. "What do you mean?"

"Think, cousin," Peter replied, voice steady. "The power Grandfather gifted me is more complex than we thought. It seems that, along with seeing through deception, I can also sense when someone is not being completely honest with me."

"I only lie if I have no other choice," Logan muttered, his expression unreadable.

Blinking, I digested this new information about my brother, my mind briefly lingering on the implications of his words. "We need to know if there are any issues that will put the proverbial red mark on our dossier." My tone was firm but measured—this wasn’t about judgment, but clarity.

The Werewolf paled so fast I’d thought he’d died on us. His breathing hitched, and his fingers twitched against the edge of his chair as though gripping onto something unseen.

"Jonah?"

His eyes snapped up, sharp and wary, his jaw tensing as if bracing for a blow. "I got arrested for nicking food back in Wales, see. I was proper hungry, didn't have no pack to turn to, and there weren’t many options left. Had another Wolf with me at the time—a lad, my brother. W-we was starving, honest. Didn’t mean no harm or nothing. Just needed a bite to keep us going."

To my shock, Jonah abruptly stood, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, his posture rigid, his steps hurried as if the walls were closing in around him.

Silence settled over us, heavy and unspoken.

Before we left, we told Jonah he had the job with us, much to his relief. His Mate, thankfully, was happy with the news, her shoulders loosening as she pulled him into a quiet embrace.

A few years after returning to our homeland, after rebuilding and integrating our people into the local population, I got a call from the Grand Alpha himself. “Good evening, Grand Alpha.”

"I hope my calling you isn't a bother. Got your number off Logan," he explained, his voice carrying the easy lilt of someone used to cutting through formalities.

"Oh, it's no bother at all, Grand Alpha. What can I do for you, Sir?" I answered, keeping my tone steady but warm, a blend of respect and casual ease.

He laughed, a rich, knowing sound. "Grand to hear, lad. Always good to see manners ain’t gone out of fashion. But listen, I’m not one for long-winded chatter, so I’ll get straight to it. The Alliance met again today about your standing with us. Got to say, I’m impressed—without even bein’ part of our crew, you stepped up to help Dre and Leif without a second thought."

A brief pause, then a shift in tone, lighter but still carrying weight. "That Wolf behaving himself, then?"

"Jonah has settled in nicely with the others. His construction skills impressed my brother Vincent so much he's taken the Wolf on as an apprentice. He got certified through the local college, too."

Henry let out a short laugh, the sound more of a grunt than real amusement. "Ah, is that right, then? And who’s footing the bill for all that, eh?" His words carried a lilt—familiar, easygoing but edged with sharp curiosity.

"Vincent is taking care of both his schooling and Jonah's paychecks. It's no bother, Sir. We've more money than we know what to do with, so we put it to good use as often as we can," I told him, my tone calm but firm.

Henry hummed, the sound considering. "Well now, hard to argue with that. The Howlers are out doing recon training today, so I figured, why not place a few calls? Dre, Rowan, and Liz are on board with your people joining the Alliance, and I’m good with it too." He paused briefly. "Theodore Snow—the Sorcerer Ambassador—said whatever Liz decided to do was fine by him."

His next words came slower, as if weighing the significance. "Logan, Neil, and I all agree you’re no threat. But Clayton? Well, he’s the only one diggin’ his heels in."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Does this mean what I think it does, Sir?"

Henry chuckled, the sound low and knowing. "It’s been eight years in the making, lad, but yeah. The Alliance has agreed to let you stay and to join our ranks." His tone shifted slightly, lighter but with an unmistakable edge of expectation. "Now, as for financing—I don’t suppose it'll be much trouble for you lot to lend a hand where it’s needed, will it?"