Magic’s eyes narrowed to slits as he combed through the information. “The shadow clan’s coming after us, we know that now. But how long have you known?”
“Specifically about the shadow clan? Since you announced it in the clan meeting. But I’ve known we were in trouble for a lot longer.”
“How. Long.”
Mason blew out a breath and let his gaze wander over to the heated pool. It stayed open year round, fed by an underground hot spring. The springs were a strange and awesome gift from nature, supplying the lake and lodge with continuous warmth that kept the animal life thriving through the winter, and gave their guests a unique vacation experience. The mineral baths behind the Spa where he worked were among the biggest draw. What would happen to this place if they couldn’t protect it?
“October,” he murmured. “I’ve known since October, when Clara came.”
“October,” Magic ground out between clenched teeth. “You’ve known there was danger since October?”
“Yes. But to be fair, I thought I was going crazy. No way was I telling you about the voices. And before you say that we’re a family or some shit like that, remember what this clan was like in October. We weren’t a family. Not a close knit pack like the wolves. We were a group of werecats interacting as little as our humans would allow us.”
It was true, their animals preferred solitude, but being part human demanded an element of society. The issues they’d faced while learning to become true mates had gone a long way toward strengthening clan bonds. Now more than ever, they felt like a family.
But family could make you weak. Mason knew it, even if he’d always longed for one of his own.
Magic’s brow creased, considering Mason’s defense. “What do you mean, voices?”
“Destiny.”
There was only one other werecat he knew of who conversed with the Elders. The great wolf leaders who guided the packs under the alpha. They were foreseers, and wise, even if they weren’t aged as their name implied.
Destiny, mated to a wolf shifter from the Dirt Track Dogs, was a bobcat and several years younger than Mason. She’d first started speaking in his head the morning he found evidence of Clara breaking in to the spa after she’d been caught stealing supplies from the kitchen.
Don’t do it, Destiny had said as he made his way to the security office to show Gash what he’d found. The voice in his head was like the conscience he never knew he had. But he recognized her from the brief time she’d spent at the lodge earlier in the year, and thought his mind was playing tricks with him.
He’d gone all the way down the employee wing with her screaming at him. And she wasn’t very nice either. She was nine months pregnant with triplets and had no time for his bullshit.
They need more time. Eagan and Clara, they need more time. Can’t you see that? If you won’t listen now, then why am I even bothering? Because what comes later is going to be hella worse.
That stopped Mason in his tracks just outside Gash’s door. Hella worse? That meant really bad, right?
“What comes later?” he’d asked out loud, looking as crazy as he’d felt.
Trust me now, on this, and I’ll explain what I know.
And that’s how he became Cupid. He was going for guardian angel, but fell short and now he was this fat little baby with wings trying to set people up. In theory it was a good idea though. He hoped reality would prove it eventually.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Magic huffed.
“Destiny.”
“The bobcat mate from the wolf pack?”
Mason nodded. “She talks in my head. Tells me what’s coming, and that I need to make us stronger. She’s an Elder now, you know. She can do weird shit like this.”
“Make us stronger how?” If Magic’s brow furrowed anymore, his head was going to cave in like a fucking sinkhole.
Mason pushed away from the rail and turned to brace his hip against it. “There’s only one way I know of to make a shifter stronger, to make a clan stronger.”
The creases in Magic’s forehead melted away with realization. “Mating,” he breathed. “You… you orchestrated all of this? So we’d break the no-mating pact?”
“Not Eagan and Clara. With them, I just didn’t… ya know, interfere. But orchestrated is a strong word. I more or less just… coordinated.”
“Me and Josie?” Magic sputtered.
Mason shrugged. “More or less.”
“Which is it? More or less?”
Mason quirked his lips. Magic and Josie… now that was some of his finest work.
“Josie ended up staying in the room next to yours. The adjoining one. Remember that?”