Reflected (Silver Series) by Rhiannon Held

all properly. “Why would any Were be calling during a full moon? I’d have thought they’d be too anxious to be on four feet to bother with long conversations.”
    “For Alaska, I suppose the full’s the only time his pack would be in human long enough for any kind of conversation.” John shrugged, then settled a comfortable arm across his wife’s back. “They do everything backwards like that.”
    Tom laughed and slipped over to prop up a wall at the back, to listen but not join the decision making.
    Dare drew a deep breath and grimaced. Down to business. Silver slipped her hand around his, and he nodded in thanks before he explained. “One of the Alaska pack fathered a child with a human, but they were too busy running around in wolf in the wilderness to even realize it. So now he’s a year old, and they need someone who can act like a normal human to sweet-talk the mother out of custody. They’re worried enough they’re willing to accept my word we won’t try to pull the pack under Roanoke’s authority.” The irony in his tone matched Silver’s own at that thought: as if they wanted to have to deal with all the stubbornly independent troublemakers rather than letting them sort themselves out and band together out of the way.
    “Is that all they want him to do? Just talk?” Death sat down and flicked an ear.
    Silver suspected a similar thought must have occurred to everyone, because wild selves’ ears swiveled to Susan, even though she hadn’t said anything yet. They should have known better. Silver knew Susan was too practical to object based on her own emotions toward her husband and child.
    Edmond was holding on to Susan’s leg, confused, and she petted his head. “If everyone’s expecting that I’m going to demand you let her in on the secret, I’m not stupid. It depends on the person.” She flicked a quick smile over at her husband. “No killing, though.” She held up a hand that she wasn’t done when Dare raised his eyebrows at her. “With modern methods for investigating murders, you’d create more problems than you’d solve. Lady above, give me some credit.”
    Dare nodded once, conditionally accepting a beta’s advice. “Too bad,” Death murmured. Silver gritted her teeth, certain his next dart would strike straight at the core of what was currently making her stomach twist into knots. She would never have cubs, not with the poison in her blood, and this man did not care enough about his to even know he existed.
    “Some prey is too easy,” Death said and stood again, drawing a wisp of shadow with him. “And you haven’t figured out the good part yet.”
    “Actually getting out to meet the pack will probably mean a lot of travel in wolf,” Dare said, tone too careful. Silver shoved away thoughts of cubs to look up at him. Lady damn it, he was right. Unfair once more, but better she support the inevitable in front of others, even others as sympathetic as those gathered here, rather than railing against it. It would turn out the same in the end, but one path would leave her with more authority.
    “I’ll stay here,” she said, even voiced. “Watch over things at home.” Dare kissed the top of her head. In his scent and in the grip of his hand on her neck, she felt a promise that there would be time for her to rail against the unfairness in private before he left. Thank the Lady for understanding mates.
    “And I have a job for you,” Dare told Tom, who had been looking decidedly confused as to why he was here. “Help Silver with anything she needs. I know you have your day job, but—”
    “I can help cover those times,” Susan spoke up. “I mean, I know it’s a status thing, to have a low-ranked assistant rather than needing a high-ranked Were to do everything for you, but—”
    Silver cut Susan off with a growl and crossed her arms, using her good to hold the bad up. “I don’t need that much help. It will be fine.” She’d have protested the need for an