Talk Over Tea

“I’m sorry, what?” I cough. “I mean, Drew and I are friends and…”

Mariana laughs even harder. “Don’t worry,” she takes a breath. “I was only messing around. I know that my brother is happily mated and married. They came by on their Honeymoon. Blake is way better than you for him,” she smiles, holding out her hand to shake, “No offense.”

“None taken,” I assure her, and Stella, who happens to be her Luna I soon learn. They’ve been married for 10 years and have two pups of their own.

They invite us over to their house just across the street from the pack house. Bash hits it off with their two sons, Jade and Fletcher, and the three of them play in their tree fort until late in the afternoon while the three of us talk. I explain my situation and the craziness at Gold River. I don’t go into detail about the Guardians or the island, but I do let them know we need to be very careful who we trust.

“So my brother, and his mate, are stuck in that hell hole,” Mariana is pacing back and forth, “A