“You can blame Maximus for that,” I said.
Maximus shrugged but didn’t offer an apology to our host.
“All the same, it’s good to have you here.” Cash took my arm, weaving it through his and pulling me right from Maximus's grasp. “Let’s head up to the penthouse so I can give you the grand tour.”
Maximus growled in protest, and it was Cash’s turn to ignore him.
Feeling a bit awkward, I could only nod and follow as Cash led the way to the elevators lining the back of the lobby behind a security desk. I marvelled at the marble floors and amazingly high ceilings until we were shoulder to shoulder in a metal box. I realized then that I’d never been in an elevator before.
Once we were all inside, Cash hit a button for the top floor, then keyed in some sort of code on a panel beside the rows upon rows of floor numbers. I barely felt it when the elevator lurched, only a slight airiness in my stomach as we rose. Then the doors chimed and opened. I guess elevators weren’t exactly something I’d missed out on during my early years.
“Welcome home, sir,” a man said the moment we stepped off the elevator. He wore a black suit and had his dark hair slicked back. His smile was friendly and his eyes warm as he opened an inner door for us to pass through.
“Thank you, Henry,” Cash said. “This is Ariana, our new Silver Shifter.”
Henry’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open slightly before he could right himself. “Oh, yes. Cash said you would be coming. I didn’t realize you’d be so...young.”
I wasn’t sure what had brought on the sudden awkwardness, but I shook his hand when he offered. I didn’t know what to say. I still didn’t feel like anything special, though every one of these alphas seemed keen on reminding me that I was.
“You will be a pleasant surprise for many,” Cash said. “You’re very different from the last Silver Shifter, and it’s been so long…”
While I wondered exactly what he meant, Cash led the way through the door to his inner sanctum, a long hall of black and white checkered floor lined by white columns and silver trimmed paintings of people throughout the ages.
“This is my home,” Cash said. Instead of gloating at the lavish architecture or glimmering marble floors like I expected, he gazed fondly upon the paintings in gilded frames. “These are portraits of my elders—past dragon alphas.”
I followed his gaze to inspect a few, but found it more pleasant to look at his perfectly sculpted face.
Cash led us down the hall to a large living room with white leather furniture, a faux-fur rug and a large fireplace with a pale marble mantle. He didn’t linger long, and I followed mechanically. I recognized the signs of wealth when I saw them. I’d known Cash must be wealthy from the way he dressed and his fancy car, but this was beyond what I’d expected. Unlike my former masters, he didn’t brag about the things he had. Instead, he drew my eye to his personal possessions: a shelf of ancient tomes, Greek statues, and vases passed down from his grandfather.
We passed a more informal living room and a hallway lined with doors before stopping in a kitchen with dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a man with a dark beard chopping vegetables for whatever was stewing in a large pot.
“Peter,” Cash greeted.
The chef looked up, his cheeks smudged with flour, and grinned. “Cash, welcome home. How was your trip?”
“It went quite well, thank you.”
Peter’s gaze slid from his alpha, his blue eyes shining as he met my gaze.
“The Silver Shifter,” he whispered with reverence. He stopped what he was doing, dropping his knife on the cutting board before circling the island at the center of the kitchen. “They’ve finally found you.”
I blinked dumbly, again struck by surprise. From what Maximus and the others had told me, the Silver Shifter only appeared once every hundred years, but they didn’t specify exactly what one did besides unite the clans. I didn’t understand why they looked at me with such joy, or why I was so special to them.
“We have,” Cash said when I didn’t reply.
Peter clutched my hands and kissed the back of them before he stepped away. “It’s good to see another. I only knew the Silver Dragon for a short time, but she was an amazing woman.”
“You knew her?” I wanted to learn more about these women who came before me. What were they like? How did they deal with this burden of peacekeeper?
Peter nodded. “I did, though I was young. She had a kind soul and a beautiful smile.”
“I wish I’d known her,” I said.
Peter smiled. “Of course, that’s impossible. Only one can live at once.”
I smiled, not sure what to say.
“Peter, could you whip up something for my guests?” Cash asked.
“Of course.” The chef grinned and his eyes lit up. “I’ll get started right away.”
“Thank you.” Cash nodded and led the way out of the kitchen.
I watched him as he led us through a few more rooms, surprised by how much more at ease he seemed in his own element. Not only that, but he held himself differently. He was more commanding but had a gentleness to the way he asked for things. He didn’t look down on anyone who worked for him. In fact, it seemed like they were all great friends.
Something stirred inside of me as we continued, and my wolf began her typical mantra of mine, mine, mine.
Was Cash mine, too? This was getting just plain ridiculous. Was my wolf going to claim every alpha she met?
“Sir,” someone called from the end of the hall, stopping my train of thought.
Cash looked back over his shoulder. “Henry. What is it?”
The doorman slowed to a stop in front of them. “A messenger from the council has arrived. They want to meet with you and the Silver Shifter.”
Cash sighed. “Already?”
Henry nodded. “It seems so.”
Cash looked at me, a smile twisting his lips. “It seems we’ll have to finish our tour later. The Dragon Council aren’t a patient lot.”
14
Cash
Ariana’s small hand tightened on my arm. “Dragon Council?”
I sighed internally. I always hated dealing with the elder council. They were all stodgy old men and women, the very oldest of dragons. They constantly referred to the old ways and hated anything new presented to them. In my early days as alpha, they’d tested me constantly, not liking my new ideas on how to do things, especially when it came to strengthening the bond between the New York Clans.
“Yes, though I’m sorry we haven’t gotten more time together first,” I said. “It’s tradition for the Silver Shifter to meet the Dragon Council. Don’t worry, we won’t stay long.”
“The Dragon Council?” Maximus stepped closer. “You aren’t taking her there alone.”
Ariana regarded me with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. I couldn’t stop my gaze from lingering on them, so pink and perfect and kissable.
Stop, I commanded myself. Ariana wasn’t my mate, no matter what my dragon said.
As if to prove me wrong, my dragon hissed, Mine.
Ever since I’d laid eyes on this frail girl tumbling off a cliff, something inside me had shifted. Though I hadn’t known who she was until we’d landed, the sight of her made my blood burn and my breath catch. I wanted her like I’d never wanted anything else before.
And she belonged to someone else.
“I’ll be fine, Maximus,” Ariana said. Though her tone was soft, I could see the tiny twitch in her cheek. She was getting tired of Maximus's overprotectiveness.
My dragon rumbled. He didn’t like Maximus, either. He was too alpha, always trying to be the top dog. I smirked at the turn of phrase. At least Owen wasn’t like the wolves. He was far easier to get along with. Out of all of them, I’d been closest to Jett, though. Once, we’d been real friends.
“It’ll only be for thirty minutes tops,” I said to Ariana, shaking my gloomy thoughts away.
Maximus's gaze flashed
yellow as he looked between us. “Fine. Thirty minutes. Any more and I don’t care what your laws say, I will break up your meeting.”
I couldn’t really blame Maximus. If Ariana was mine, I would never let her out of my sight. Besides, I didn’t want to spend any more time than that with the council. In fact, I was hoping we’d be in and out in ten minutes. Maybe then I could steal some more time away with Ariana.
I froze, stopping my train of thought right there. My dragon was starting to get to me with all of his talk of Ariana being ours.
“Understood,” I said.
Ariana looked at the others once more before allowing me to lead her back to the elevator. She stayed quiet, her hand tight on my arm until the doors to the elevator shut behind us.
“What does your council want with me?” she asked.
I smiled. “Nothing bad, I assure you.”
She worried her lip between her teeth, and it was possibly the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. My fingers brushed her cheek lightly, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She froze.
I stilled too, not having realized what I was doing. Flirting with the Silver Shifter was one thing, but I had to keep my head. I cleared my throat and dropped my hand to pat the back of her fingers. “They’re harmless, I promise. They’re only a bunch of stodgy old fools.”
Ariana snorted.
We didn’t have to go far to meet with the council. We descended a few levels to the council’s private floor. I think they took the floor closest to me just so they could bother me with every inane thing imaginable.
The elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors chimed open. I stepped out, leading Ariana down a hall of dark marble floors and gold trimmed walls. Paintings of past alphas were placed every few feet, old sconces between them. The council liked their theatrics as much as they liked their money. As dragons, we all found our own vices to hoard. Mine happened to be nice cars and the latest tech toys, while the council seemed intent on finding every piece of dragon history possible to darken our halls.
We stopped outside a set of oak doors, and I glanced down at Ariana to make sure she was ready. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she stared intently at the door. She was so small, and yet so mighty. After all she’d been through her spirit was still so alive, so defiant. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the Silver Shifter.
I opened the door and motioned Ariana in first. She hesitated before letting my arm go and stepping inside. I followed close behind, closing the door before I turned to face a conference table with eight dragon shifters surrounding it.
Two chairs remained open for us, side by side closest to the door. At least it’d make for an easy escape should they take up too much of my time again.
“Cash. Silver Shifter. Welcome.” Virion, the oldest of the dragons and leader of the council, bowed his head in greeting. Though his hair was whiter than snow and his face creased with a thousand wrinkles, he still had a spark in his eyes. I knew that spark all too well—and how quickly it could grow into an inferno.
“Council,” I greeted before pulling out Ariana’s chair and urging her to sit. Once she did, I pushed her chair in and took my own.
My heartbeat sped up, and my palms began to sweat. I really didn’t enjoy being in their presence. Despite my words to Arianna, they had enough power to intimidate me. If I had my way, I’d abolish the council altogether, but the my clan would riot at such a break in tradition or I’d have done it already.
“What a beauty,” another councilman remarked. Anton didn’t leer at Ariana, but instead inspected her silver hair with fondness. Every member of the council had known my mother, the Silver Dragon.
“Thank you.” Ariana dipped her head slightly before straightening to return their examination.
“She’s very small,” councilwoman Genevieve huffed. “I hope you’re having Peter make her something to eat.”
I chuckled. “Of course.”
“I hear you had some trouble last week,” Laurence said, the youngest councilman and the one I most despised. Even now, his harsh black gaze scanned Ariana, giving her a look that made me want to tear his eyes from his head.
“Vampires,” I said, not wanting to elaborate further. They didn’t need to know specifics.
“You’ve both recovered well?” Virion asked.
“Yes,” I said.
Ariana touched her neck as if recalling her vampire bites. They were long gone now, but I’d never forget them either. My fists clenched at the memory of blood coating her pale skin. My dragon rumbled inside me, and I took a deep breath.
“Who ever heard of vampires attacking out in the open like this?” Laurence huffed. “It’s blasphemous to attack the Silver Shifter.”
“They clearly didn’t know who she was,” Anton said.
“That, or their queen is up to something,” Laurence said.
I shook my head. “We shouldn’t speculate. I have men on it. We’ll find out what happened.”
“Good, good.” Virion nodded. “Now, Miss Ariana, you were born a wolf, yes?”
Ariana shifted uncomfortably. “Yes.”
“But you were born outside the New York pack?”
Again, Ariana confirmed.
“And is it true you were a slave to a warlock?” Laurence asked.
The entire council went silent.
“That’s an awful way of putting it,” I snapped. I didn’t like how Laurence was treating Ariana, and we’d barely been in the room for a minute.
“But it is true, isn’t it?” He inclined his head and eyed Ariana like a predator.
Ariana set her jaw. “Yes.”
“And you were found acting like a savage animal?” Laurence asked.
I stood, hands slamming against the table. “That’s enough.”
“Calm yourself, Cash,” Virion said, though he glared at Laurence. “That is quite enough, Laurence. We already know these things.”
“I simply wanted to confirm,” Laurence said.
I barely held back a growl as I lowered myself back into my seat. “Are these the kind of things you really want to ask the Silver Shifter?”
“No,” Anton said. He too glared at his fellow councilman.
“In what order are you visiting the clans?” Genevieve asked, trying to clear the tension left in the air.
I took a deep breath. “Dragons, Bears, and then the Panthers.”
Anton raised an eyebrow at that. He’d been a mentor to me after my father died and I took over, and even before that. He knew my history with Jett.
“And what are your plans after that?” Virion asked. “The Silver Dragon foretold the next Silver Shifter would bring the four clans together. How do you intend to make this happen?”
“Yes, we’d love to hear it,” Laurence added.
Ariana paled and her lips parted. She had no more idea than I did. The clans had been at war on and off for centuries, and tensions had only gotten worse since the death of the Silver Dragon.
“Her plans will be under wraps until she assesses the state of the clans,” I said. I couldn’t leave Ariana alone in this. She’d hardly been with us for more than a couple of weeks. She had no idea how high tensions were.
Ariana gave me a grateful look, and my dragon purred. Actually purred. My chest heated, and I had to take a deep breath to calm myself and my dragon.
“A smart move,” Anton said. He inspected Ariana and nodded his approval. “We look forward to your thoughts after you’ve finished your visits.”
Ariana smiled stiffly and squeezed my hand under the table. Heat shot up my arm, and I entwined my fingers with hers.
Miiine, my dragon hissed.
My jaw hardened and my heart raced. I couldn’t help but wish my dragon was right, that somehow, some way, Ariana was ours.
“I’m sure your ideas will change the world,” Laurence said with a smirk.
I could taste fire suddenly, and I knew then that if I didn’t get out of this damn room, I’d burn it to the ground.
“We’ll take our leave now.” I stood, gripping Ariana’s hand firmly. She gave me a quizzical look, but I couldn’t take my gaze off Laurence.
“Enjoy your visit,” Genevieve said.
Ariana pulled on my arm, and I was forced to break my staredown with Laurence. She smiled, and all the anger building inside me fled.
“Thank you,” she told the council.
Upon the great Dragon God’s grace, we were allowed to leave, and as soon as the door shut behind us, weight lifted from my shoulders.
“That was… interesting,” Ariana said.
I shook my head. “That’s one word for it.”
Ariana grinned, and so did I. “Let’s finish the tour, shall we?”
She nodded, and I led the way back to the elevator, grateful when the doors closed on my least favorite floor in the entire building.
15
Ariana
Instead of stopping on the floor we had earlier, Cash stopped the elevator on the floor below it.
“What now?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at Cash. “Don’t tell me I have to pass another test, because I’m not sure I passed the last one.”
“That wasn’t a test,” he said, his hand landing on my lower back as he guided me out of the elevator. “And you were great, Ari. Better than they deserved.”
“Then what?” I asked as he nudged me towards a door at the end of the hall.
“You’ll see,” he answered, a wicked grin on his face.
“Why do I feel like I’m walking into a trap?” I didn’t feel unsafe, though. Cash had defended me with his life when the vampires attacked. I just wasn’t sure if I was the kind of person who liked surprises.
“Don’t you trust me?” Cash asked, his eyes sparkling with humor as he pushed open the door. I was greeted by a set of smooth granite stairs.
“I’m not sure,” I said, giving him some side-eye as I stepped into the stairway with him.
“I just thought you might need a break after all of those people,” he said. “Maximus and Owen will be waiting for us at the elevator. If we go up this way, I can show you around in peace.”
Her Wolf: A Why Choose Urban Fantasy Romance (Silver Shifter Book 1) Page 9