Song of Midnight Embers

by Dana Marie Bell

Well. That was surprising. Greer thought the alpha would pick all on his own, but with his mate being one of Mina’s, perhaps he’d wanted to include them.

  Mina stepped forward. “The person we both agreed on has been an enforcer for you all, has proven that she—” Gasps and cries of joy erupted among the wolves, but Noah didn’t pause for a second. “She is capable of not only protecting you but of listening to your grievances and dealing with them in a timely, if unusual, fashion.”

  Now Greer was totally lost. He looked around, saw the smiles on the faces of the wolves and waited. Whoever had been chosen, the pack seemed pleased, and that was enough for him.

  “Paisley Hayes, please step forward.”

  Only Greer, Ash and Paisley herself seemed surprised by the alpha’s choice. Paisley paled, pointing to her chest. “Me?”

  “Yes, you.” Noah’s grin was huge. “Get your ass over here.”

  Paisley hesitated. “Women can’t be betas. We’re taught that from—”

  “Fuck that,” Noah answered, growling low. It wasn’t menacing, it was a comfort for an uncertain pack member. “Allan told me how much you helped him whether he wanted it or not. He told me if anything happened to him, you were the one he’d want to take his place.”

  “Shit.” Paisley stepped forward, shaking her head. “I hope to hell you know what you’re doing. The other alphas are going to shit pink kittens over this.”

  Greer raised his hands. “How much do I have to pay to see that?”

  The pack laughed, easing the tension Paisley’s uncertainty had infused them with.

  Mollie tilted her head. “I bet it would be a hit on YouTube.”

  “Knock it off, you two. I have a beta to swear in.” But Noah was smiling for the first time since they’d gotten the news of Allan’s death. “Enforcer Hayes.”

  Paisley straightened her shoulders and tilted her chin up proudly. “Alpha Wulfenbach.”

  Noah nodded approvingly. “Do you swear to put the pack’s needs above your own?”

  “Aye.”

  “Do you swear to heed their call, day or night?”

  “Aye.”

  “And do you swear to answer only to me, in word and deed?”

  She said nothing.

  “Paye?” Noah’s tone was filled with amused irritation, as if he’d somehow known this was the only part of the vow she’d balk at. Paisley was notoriously independent, known for sassing even the alpha.

  Paisley rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Aye.”

  Noah chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulders. “We have a new beta.”

  The pack lifted their heads and howled, their human voices infused with the sound of their beasts. Paisley didn’t participate, simply standing there with Noah as the entire pack howled their approval of her.

  “Did you know they were going to pick her?”

  He glanced down at Mollie, who was watching the wolves greet their new beta with a smile. “Nope. I thought they’d pick someone in the Wulfenbach family, honestly.”

  “Doesn’t Noah have another brother?” Mollie frowned. “Isn’t he part of this pack?”

  “Yes, but he’s an omega.”

  Mollie’s expression became understanding. “Oh. That makes sense. Noah is alpha, one brother was beta—”

  “And the third Wulfenbach is omega.” The omega’s position was diplomatic, rather than geared toward fighting. The omega usually worked closely with both the alpha and the beta on fostering relations within and outside of the pack. As a peacemaker, omegas never fought with their claws, instead focusing on using their words to either fight or stop one from happening. “He’s going to have his hands full with Paisley as beta.”

  Paisley, with her edgy, multi-color hair and pierced eyebrow, was a complete contrast to the more conservative Carter. She didn’t know how to keep her mouth shut to save her life, but she was devoted to her pack and had won over the dryads with her cheeky ways and fierce determination to protect her people. Greer thought Noah had made the right choice in choosing Paisley.

  “So, now that we have a new beta, we have one other issue to address.” Noah crossed his arms, Paisley standing right next to him in her new position as his right-hand woman. “Carter Hayes, step forward.”

  Mollie gasped quietly but didn’t interfere. She must have known Carter would come under punishment for keeping things from his alpha, but until the alpha called for defenders of Carter, she wasn’t allowed to speak up.

  “Alpha.” Carter stepped forward and bowed his head respectfully.

  “You interfered in the mating of Greer Berkley and Mollie Ferguson, keeping Greer from rightfully claiming his mate.”

  The pack grumbled. A mating was sacred to wolves, and the knowledge that Carter had kept Mollie and Greer apart, however well intentioned, was not sitting well with them.

  Paisley held up her hand. “I hate to say it, but Mollie is just as much to blame here.”

  The alpha growled, this time a warning to a pack mate rather than comfort.

  Even so, Greer took that half step that put him between Mollie and the pack. While he understood Paisley’s defense of her brother, Greer had a mate to take care of. The pack would lay neither tooth nor claw on her while he lived.

  “No.” Paisley put her hands on her hips. “Mollie isn’t a wilting, woe-is-me little flower. She participated in this of her own free will. Let her step forward and explain to the pack why she denied her mate.”

  Noah nodded. “Very well. Mollie, if you would.”

  Mollie stepped forward, nudging Greer out of the way. Her chin was up, but her hands were shaking, and Greer wanted to shove her right back behind him. “We were trying to protect not only the pack but Greer as well. Any more than that has already been explained to the alpha and to Greer’s satisfaction.”

  Noah’s brows rose. “Is that right, Greer?”

  Oh, man. She’d put him in a hard place. If he denounced Carter, Mollie might never forgive him. Ugh. “I don’t like what they did, and I disagree with why they did it, but...” Greer sighed. “I can agree with the motivation behind it. If I had a choice between protecting my mate or claiming her, I’d choose to protect her as well, no matter how much it hurt.”

  “And it did hurt,” Mollie added softly. “But I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

  Noah nodded. “Very well.” He turned back to Carter, his expression still grim. Carter wasn’t off the hook yet. “You also hid information from me that impacted the pack.”

  “I couldn’t come to you without proof.” Carter held out his hands in supplication. “If I had, you would have ordered me to investigate anyway.”

  Noah ran his fingers through his hair. “All true, but you should have brought your suspicions to me.” The pack was growing restless, possibly reacting to their alpha’s anger. “For that, your punishment is to patrol the outer forest limits for six months.”

  Carter grimaced. It was the patrol no one wanted, and was often used as a punishment but rarely for so long. “Thank you, alpha.”

  Noah clapped Carter on the shoulder. “You’re a good enforcer, sometimes too good. Learn from this, and use this opportunity to grow.” Noah clapped his hands together. “Now, it’s time to return to your homes. Paisley will contact all of you with her email address, while Paul will add it to the monthly newsletter going out to the other alphas. I expect all of you to contact her if you have an issue for the beta to address.”

  “I’ll do my best for you all,” Paisley added as the pack began to disband.

  “Is that it? Are they done?” Mollie stepped back against Greer.

  Greer put his arms around her waist. “I think so.” He watched each wolf leave, growling when it looked like Carter might be coming over to say good-bye to Mollie. Lucky for him, his sister was smart enough to grab hold of his
collar and drag him away with the rest of the wolves.

  “Down, boy.” Mollie patted his hand at her waist. “You’ll get used to him.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” he grumbled.

  “Yes, dear.”

  He laughed softly. “Keep saying that. I like hearing it.”

  “Yes, dear.”

  He put his chin on top of her head, content just to stand there. Maybe, for her sake, he could learn to tolerate Carter’s friendship with Mollie.

  Maybe.

  * * *

  “A djinn?” Frisco whistled softly. “Are you sure?”

  Mollie shrugged. “I haven’t seen the body yet. Greer’s setting that up.”

  Greer nodded. “I think it won’t be a problem, but having Dragos on our side to pull some strings will help.”

  Rock put his hand on the headrest. “I agree with Mollie. Her theory is the best one we’ve come up with so far.”

  They were on their way to tell Dragos about Mollie’s theory, that Lily’s killer might be a djinn. Zander was dozing in the back seat between Rock and Frisco, Greer was driving and Mollie was riding shotgun. They were all used to Dragos’s unique schedule, so seeing him at one in the morning wasn’t unusual.

  It was, however, uncommon to have all four elemental leaders meeting with him at once. That they’d chosen to back her up had endeared them to Greer, but Mollie had known they’d have her back. They might not be as close as the four ruling dryads, but they’d known each other since childhood. Rock, Zander and Frisco would stand beside her unless they were given no other choice. If they’d found her guilty of Lily’s murder, Frisco would have been forced to denounce her or wind up losing his authority over the water elementals.

  Dragos’s home was as unique as he was. Part Addams Family mansion, part medieval fortress, anyone coming here to see Dragos for the first time was bound to be intimidated as hell by the stone structure and dark, heavy wooden door. Mollie had been young when her parents had first brought her with them on business, but she’d been to see the mayor often enough now that his home no longer gave her the willies. The warmth of the interior more than made up for the exterior. He’d kept the gothic woodwork but lightened things up with pale walls and bright window coverings. Thanks to modern times, the glass in his windows admitted no harmful UV rays, so Dragos could keep most of the mansion’s drapes open during the day for staff who worked there while the new town hall was being built. Rumor had it that Dragos was considering making the mansion the official hall and donating the new building to the Renfields, but Mollie wouldn’t believe it until she heard it from Dragos himself.

  Greer pulled up to the front door and parked. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Mollie got out and waited for the others before heading for the front door. She took a deep breath and rang the bell.

  A few moments later the door slowly creaked open. A hunched young man with a crazed expression sneered at them. “You rang?” he croaked, twitching madly.

  “Hey, Eddy.” Mollie walked past Dragos’s Renfield as the young man shuffled back.

  “The Master is expecting you.” Eddy limped toward Dragos’s office dramatically. Mollie noted that his Igor impression had improved since the last time she saw it.

  “Dragos giving you a hard time tonight?” Frisco was smiling. Eddy had a flair for the dramatic, one that had made the pairing between Eddy and Dragos’s brother, Trajan, the talk of the town.

  “Knock it off, or I really will start feeding you flies.” Dragos smiled at them, shaking his head as Eddy cackled like a lunatic. “He’s been like this since I got up.” Dragos was seated behind his heavy antique wooden desk. Papers were scattered all over it, as if he’d been going through them just before they’d arrived. The bookshelves he’d surrounded himself with held volumes both old and new, the smell making Mollie’s fingers itch to dance along their spines.

  “I could take him off your hands, my brother.” Trajan, who stayed at the mansion with Eddy, spoke up from the leather arm chair he currently occupied in Dragos’s office. He had a book open in his lap.

  “No, thank you. I need him to actually get some work done.” Dragos rubbed his hand over Eddy’s hair, his silver eyes twinkling with mirth. “Go, brat. Bring us some drinks.”

  Eddy snapped to attention, the hunch gone. “Sir, yes sir!”

  Dragos chuckled as Eddy marched smartly out the door. “I swear he will be the death of me.” The affection in his voice made Mollie smile. “So. What can I do for you all tonight?”

  “Mollie has a theory on how Lily died.” Greer sat next to Trajan. The dragon shifter still had a fond smile on his face, no doubt from seeing his mate relaxed and playing. “Hi.”

  Trajan held out his hand. “Hello, Greer. It’s good to see you looking better.”

  “Thanks.” Greer leaned back after shaking Trajan’s hand. He looked back at Dragos. “Mollie?”

  “I think Lily’s killer might have been a djinn, but I won’t know for certain until I see the body.”

  Dragos went still before a steady stream of curses erupted from his lips. Even Trajan, who knew his brother well, seemed startled by the vicious stream of obscenities coming from the mayor. “I’ve faced one before. They’re formidable foes.”

  “What are the odds that it’s working willingly with the demon?” Zander yawned, slumping down on Dragos’s sofa.

  “If it even is a djinn.” Dragos rubbed his chin. “They’re naturally resistant to mental persuasions, so it’s possible a demon would not be able to get a hold on one that way. However, djinn are people as well. If they had a hold of something a djinn held dear, the djinn might work for it until the object or person were free.”

  Greer put his hand on Mollie’s shoulder. “So if we can take out the demon, all of this goes away.”

  Dragos stared at Greer. “Have we made any progress on that front?”

  “As far as I know, the witches are still working on it in conjunction with Dr. T.” Mollie held up her hand, stopping Dragos. “Until we have more information from them, there’s nothing we can do about the demon.”

  “Agreed.” Dragos sat behind his desk, shaking his head. “I hate the thought that it’s still out there, planning its next move on my town.”

  “We feel the same way.” Mollie bit her lip. “I need to see Lily’s body. I might be able to tell if it was a fire elemental or someone merely connected to fire, like a djinn, who killed her.”

  Dragos picked up his phone. “I’ll arrange that now, though I warn you there isn’t much left of her.” He grimaced. “Mostly ash and legs.”

  Mollie had seen her fair share of deaths in battles to protect the town, but Lily hadn’t deserved what had been done to her. Hopefully Mollie would be able to sense something, anything, in her remains, or this trip was for nothing. “That will be enough.” Mollie patted Greer’s hand and looked up at him. “We need to go to the death scene as well. I might pick something up there.”

  “I’ll go too,” Frisco volunteered. “She was one of mine. I owe her that.”

  They waited while Dragos made arrangements over the phone for Mollie to see Lily. When he hung up, he had a grim smile on his face. “It turns out Noah had already called and given permission as next of kin for you to view her. He’s also allowing you to look at Allan in case you notice anything out of the ordinary as far as his death is concerned.”

  Mollie frowned, confused. “Didn’t Allan die because of his mating with Lily? I thought the shock of her death had killed him.”

  “That’s what we all thought, but Noah was told there was something odd about Allan’s death. It seems he might have passed before Lily did.”

  “Are you freakin’ kidding me?” Mollie felt dizzy. “But how?”

  “We aren’t sure, but it might have been the reason Lily d
idn’t fight back. She might have felt her mate’s death, and when she was attacked, she was too stunned to stop the murderer.”

  “I thought she would have died along with Allan.” Mollie’s thoughts were racing. “No. She would have, certainly. The bond works both ways. If her lungs weren’t ash, we’d know whether or not they were singed or if she breathed in smoke.”

  “But because her body was burned to ash, there’s no way to tell.” Dragos began cursing again. “Was the original target Allan, then?”

  “If Bernadette was telling the truth about trying to become beta, it’s entirely possible.” Mollie glanced at Greer.

  “If I’m right, someone killed Allan, someone close enough to him to get into his house without alarming either him or his children.”

  “And we’ll find that evidence during the autopsy.” Greer inhaled sharply. “We need someone to guard his body while Dr. Kogon concludes his examination.”

  “Go see him. Find out if fluids have been sent to Dr. T’s lab for toxicology.” Dragos picked up the phone again. “I need to let Noah know that I’m sending you two in. You’re now officially our investigators for the town.”

  Mollie sighed. Damn it. She hadn’t wanted this. “Carter and I were undercover for a reason. We didn’t want anyone knowing what we were up to.”

  “It’s too late for that. I’m going to have Lore deputize you both.”

  “No.” Greer’s grip tightened on her shoulder. “Do not deputize me.” He tilted his head, that silly grin appearing once more. “I look terrible in khaki.”

  Dragos rolled his eyes at that, but Mollie understood. Someone like Greer, who considered himself an assassin, couldn’t allow himself to become a member of the police force. If the community ever found out what Greer truly was, having him act as an official deputy could blacken the police in their eyes.

  “Fine, you won’t be deputized. I’ll have you listed as a special investigator for the mayor’s office. And no, I won’t change my mind on that.” Dragos snarled at Greer, his eyes turning red, the pupils elongating. His dragon was close to the surface as he confronted Mollie’s mate. “On this, you will obey me.”