Page 70 of Found Objects

“You cannot defy your alpha!” Justin screamed, even as his pheromones rolled over both Cole and me.

“I will defy my alpha because what he’s saying makes no sense,” Cole told his cousin, staring at him as he stepped in front of me, shielding me. “And you better stop with your fuckin’ pheromones or I will throw you off the goddamn porch!”

Justin’s eyes went gold, and Narah took a step toward Cole, but paused when he turned toward her, bracing for an attack.

“Cole,” she heaved out, and I could hear the pain there. “You cannot disobey your alpha and remain in the pack. And it’s your pack too. It was your father’s and⁠—”

“Something’s wrong,” he told her, his voice cracking. “I’ve felt like a pinball for the last few days, so many ideas bouncing around in my head, and right now the only thing that makes sense is that I’m supposed to be here, with Mere, and Evan.”

“I will not allow that!” Abel roared, and he made a sweeping gesture with his hand that sent both Reggie and Fletcher toward us. They had no choice—he was their alpha; they had to discipline Cole on Abel’s behalf.

“Please, I’m asking you to let whatever this is go.” Even though Cole was pleading with Abel, there was power in his words. He was angry and ready to spill blood if needed. “Don’t stand there and make me choose between my family and my mate.”

“Your mate?” Justin nearly screamed at him. “He would have been another conquest of mine if⁠—”

Cole scoffed. Loudly. “Are you kidding? He’s no more susceptible to your bullshit mind-altering pheromones than I am. He can’t be, he’s mine.”

I wasn’t anyone’s, but the truth of the matter was that I was far more likely to fall into bed with Cole than with his cousin.

“He’s not yours,” Abel bellowed at Cole as he, Reggie, and Fletcher came toward us. Cole stood between me and everyone else, not about to let me be hurt.

Things had spiraled so quickly. I hadn’t been ready to reveal to Cole what I was, not yet, but now I had no choice.

I was always so careful about who I showed my true form to, and normally only those who weren’t going to live long after my revelation were allowed to see. I wanted to show Cole, but I needed to talk to him first and explain so he wasn’t frightened. I needed to get everything straight between us, but there was no time and⁠—

“Why is everyone yelling?” a sultry, soothing voice asked.

Everyone turned to look, and there was Ondine, coming slowly up the stairs to the porch. She looked different than she had when she left; her now blond, shoulder-length hair was pulled up in a messy bun, her big blue eyes taking in every person there. The freckles, her smile, the leggings and oversized sweater hanging off one shoulder; none of it looked threatening in the least.

“You’re back,” was the only thing I could think of to say.

“I felt the pull to return early,” she murmured, starting to hum as she moved forward. She glided more than walked, graceful as a dancer, her knee-high brown leather boots with their heavy soles and high thick heels not making a sound as she moved.

No one could take their eyes off of her, and as she crossed to me, the humming changed to an achingly mournful Gaelic song of longing and loss that she knew I loved. It was beautiful as it rolled off her tongue.

As I watched, everyone’s shoulders relaxed, and they all exhaled deeply. Fists unclenched, Abel’s hands no longer sported claws, and there was quiet where there had been angry shouting moments before.

Easily, and so very quickly, she’d put everyone in a trance. From the beginning, I’d been amazed by her ability to simply pull people under into the deep, dark water of her spell.

“What the hell is hap—who’re you?” Cole asked Ondine.

Interestingly, there was no change in him at all. He was just as angry and ready to fight as he’d been before she arrived.

One of her thick golden eyebrows arched in surprise. “Well now,” she said to me, grinning. “Desire for you trumps the song of a siren? Very impressive.”

“Stop. We both know you’re only using the smallest portion of your influence.”

“Yes, but still.”

Cole turned his head to look at me, then went back to staring at Ondine. “Who are you?”

And just like that, so fast it was impossible to follow with the naked eye, she was the gyrfalcon from earlier, hovering before him, her wings flapping gently to keep her aloft.

His mouth fell open as he watched her soar up into the sky, disappear for a moment, then come diving back down toward us, flipping up at the last moment and returning seamlessly to her present human form—a stunning blond with sparkling blue eyes almost too big for her face.

“You’re his…what are you?”

“I’m his friend,” she said, holding out her hand. He took it immediately, without fear. That impressed her. I could see the approval and pleasure on her face. “You are as well, yes? Even though you fought the other morning over the ridiculous notion that you won’t be the alpha.”