Page 96

No, Mei Ling Blackwood was going to kill me on the Hudson Parkway while singing along to a pop song.

I tightened my grip on the oh-shit handle as the SUV swerved sharply to the left. A horn blared somewhere beside us. Another answered from behind.

Mei Ling didn't seem concerned. She was far too busy belting out the chorus along with Britney Spears.

I couldn't see enough through the windshield to know what fresh horror she'd committed, but I could feel it. The sudden acceleration pressed me back into my seat. A hard turn threw my shoulder towards the door. Tires rumbled over something I was reasonably certain wasn't supposed to be driven over.

More horns.

Mei Ling sang louder.

I had faced armed men. Murderers. Alphas. Gunnar Blackwood in the middle of a primal chase. None of them had inspired me to cower in a corner.

By the time the SUV finally slowed, my fingers ached from gripping the handle. We curved sharply, stopped, rolled forward another few feet, then stopped again.

A door opened outside. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Blackwood."

The sound of keys. The exchange of a crisp bill. "Keep her close by. We'll only be an hour."

The hell I was getting back in the car with that woman. My first order of business after surviving whatever happened at lunch would be calling Gunnar and telling him to come get me.

Mei Ling came around the SUV and slipped her arm through mine. "Sorsha's already inside."

Just like that, the last of the humor drained out of me. My mother had spent my entire life teaching me that power was established before anyone said a word. Who arrived first. Who waited. Who was summoned. Who did the summoning.

Mother didn't stand when we approached the table. No greeting. Just a slow exhale through her nose.

I didn't need sight to picture her. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect posture. Some impossibly expensive dress without a wrinkle anywhere near it. My mother had dressed for battle.

So had Mei Ling.

The hostess led us to the table. Mei Ling didn't hesitate over where to sit. A chair slid out directly across from Mother. Queen facing queen.

There was another chair beside Sorsha. And one beside Mei Ling. I understood the board immediately.

For most of my life, I would have taken the seat beside my mother without thinking. Daughter beside mother. Lobo beside Lobo. The placement itself would tell everyone at the table where my allegiance belonged.

I pulled out the chair beside Mei Ling. Across the table, Mother's heartbeat missed a beat. Then it settled back into its usual measured rhythm.

Check.

“You're looking well,” Sorsha said as she sipped from her cup. “Considering the little debacle at your tea.”

Mei Ling laughed as she poured tea into my mug and handed it to me. “Please. Fenrir loves me in handcuffs.”

I choked on my tea.

“An Alpha is only as strong as the partner standing beside them,” Mei Ling continued as filled her own teacup. “Fenrir's strength adds to mine. Mine adds to his. Together, we're stronger than either of us could ever be alone. And now Gunnar has Rosalind.”

Her hand settled over mine.

“I couldn't be happier with the match, Sorsha. Your daughter has made my son stronger.” Mei Ling gave my hand a small squeeze. “And she's made the Blackwoods stronger.”

Another piece moved across the board.

Sorsha set her cup onto its saucer with a clink. “I know what Rosalind has been doing.”

“Do you intend to expose my daughter?”