“So, I talked to Sylvia about the incident last night.” Kai’s voice was full of anger.

“It’s not her fault–”

He put a hand up. “I know, but someone drugged you and she said four witches associated with Prudence’s clan tried to jump you in the bathroom.”

I frowned. It sounded really bad when said out loud like that. That witch really needed to die.

“What do you think they wanted?” he asked.

My memories of that incident were hazy. “I dunno. Blood, capture. What do they always want?”

Kai’s phone rang, distracting him. He pulled it from his gym shorts and glanced at the number, groaning.

“Shit. I forgot about this meeting with the government. I’ll be in my office.” He answered the phone and dashed into the house.

Max shook his head as Kai left. “He deals with a lot.”

Suddenly, I felt awful for my mate. He dealt with so much shit on my behalf. All of this drama with the humans was because of me. He did it all to protect me. Saying goodbye to Max, I went to listen at Kai’s office door.

“Sir, with all due respect, my people will not be tagged like cattle!” He roared and I flinched.

I couldn’t hear what was said on the other end of the line, but Kai didn’t seem happy.

“Tell them we are doctors, lawyers, waiters. We are just as much a member of society as the humans!” His fist hit the desk, making me flinch again.

“Fine.”

I heard the phone slam in the cradle and I contemplated opening the door.

“Come in, Aurora.” He sighed.

Damn. Life was so much better when I was a human and could sneak around spying on people without being smelled.

I slowly walked inside. Kai sat at his large wooden desk, his tight black V-neck t-shirt clung to his large muscles, his breathing heavy, eyes yellow.

“What was that all about?” I cut right to it.

His lips pressed together. “The United States government has suggested we wear some sort of tag or tracking device.”

My mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding, right?”

He ran a hand through his thick, wild hair. “I wish I was, Aurora.”

He looked at me and through the mate bond, I felt his guilt at coming out to our people. His fear that it was the wrong choice.

Sitting on his lap, I wrapped my arms around him. “Hey, you did the right thing. Now humans are aware of the vampires. The militias have tripled our numbers. Dozens of feeder clubs and dens have been shut down. Who knows how many human lives we have saved?”

He draped his arms around me and pulled me closer. “In the short term, yes, I think I did the right thing. After the smoke has cleared and the vampire problem is solved, I’m not so sure the humans will be so welcoming.”

I groaned. “Tagged? Like, a microchip? They really said that?”

He had a far-off look in his eye. “They said it would be voluntary. A way of showing the reluctant humans that we aren’t hiding.”

Bullshit. “They want to know how many of us there are. What cities we are in, what jobs we hold.” Mist began to leak from my skin. All of a sudden, Luna leapt out from behind the curtain and hissed at me. Kai jumped up and I fell off of him, crashing to the floor.

“Jesus Christ! That cat. I didn’t even smell her.” He clutched his chest.

I busted out laughing and Luna came to purr and rub up against me. I winked at Kai. “A little spell I did to increase Luna’s odds at survival.”

Kai scowled at me. “Seriously? You took her cat smell? That’s not fair. She could be anywhere and I wouldn’t know it.”

I lay on my back as Luna jammed her paws into my belly. “The coven and I are trying to figure out how Layla and her vampires have no scent.”

Kai looked impressed. He inhaled again as Luna looked at him and hissed.

Kai’s eyes went yellow and he growled, sending Luna scampering up my shirt and flying across the room to hide behind a potted plant.

“Kai, you scared her!”

He smiled. “Just having some fun.”

He kissed my cheek. “I should bring this matter of the tagging to the council. Can you run the pack training session tonight?”

I nodded.

After he shut the door, I pulled Luna out from behind the plant.

“Don’t let the big, bad werewolf scare you. He’s harmless,” I told her.

“No, I’m not!” Kai said from the hallway.

I laughed but it sounded fake. I couldn’t forget what Kai said on the phone about tagging us, like animals.

Practice

We were gathered in the barn, all of the wolves and a hundred militia. A month ago, we had paired up, one wolf to one human, and we were teaching them how to fight. Teaching them how to kill vampires. Some of them had become friendly, would chit chat after practice, but some just came to learn and left. I guess you couldn’t expect everyone to be on board but it saddened me to see wolves on one side of the room and humans on the other. Max walked up on stage with me.

“I like when Kai’s gone and you’re in charge,” he said.

I chuckled. “Oh yeah, why is that?”

“Because it makes me second again.” Max was back, all of my witch wine drunken rant forgotten.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, get ready because I’m going to shake it up a little. We need some bonding time.”

Max looked at me like I was an alien. “Please tell me you did not just say bonding.”