“We were busy,” Lily shot back.
Donovan made a rude snort. “I bet! I want details later,” he said, giving Lily a wink.
“Not going to happen,” James warned him.
Nick threw up his hand in frustration. “Can we please focus on what matters here people… the vampire attack that’s coming for the girl! You know, that half sister of yours,” he complained, shooting Lily a glare.
“Not my fault you can’t get any,” Lily grumbled, earning a snicker from the fairy.
“Do you really want to go there?” Nick demanded at her with a glare.
Lily slumped and shook her head. “No. Not really. That would totally cross the TMI lines.”
“Exactly,” Nick said with a brisk nod. “Now if you all are done let’s get started. Thanks to Xin Qian, all of the outer guards have those anti-persuasion charms. Those I’ve deemed uninvested wolves, but I believe will take some direction I’ve placed about ten feet in as a second defence. Sanders, Evangeline, and Mitchell are still out and they’ll probably will be for rest of this ordeal.”
Lily gasped and her jaw dropped with a horrified look on her face. “What? Evan got hurt? How bad? And the others?”
James cringed a little. He’d forgotten she didn’t know anything about them. “They’re okay, but just got hit like you. Only not as bad,” he told her first then explained the injuries of each.
“Don’t worry. We’ll make them pay,” Nick vowed to her when James had finished. “With them out, the only wolves we can fully trust are in this room.”
James glanced over to Zander then back to Nick. The ex-alpha gave him a nod in confirmation that he still believed the boy could be trusted. While Lily slept, Nick had let it slip that he suspected the young wolf was hiding quite a few things from them. One of them being that he may possibly be mixed up with the Vampires. By the way Zander wouldn’t fully meet anyone’s eye, James was starting to agree with him.
“Lily and James, I want you two together here in the back,” Nick continued.
“Not that I don’t mind your company,” Lily said, giving James a impish smile. “But I think it’d be better if we split up. We both super wolves and having each of us in separate locations would make our defence stronger.”
“If you hadn’t been injured like you had, I would agree,” Nick told her. “But you nearly died and I’m not sure you’re a hundred percent despite you that you look it.” When she started to argue he pinned her with a steely glare. “Do you really want to risk your sister for your ego?”
She shot him a scowl, crossed her arms over her chest with a petulant, “Fine!”
Nick sent her a little smirk and continued, “Chris and I are going to be doing close proximity rounds around the hotel while Wendy and Zander will be stationed in the front of the hotel, near Tristen’s room.”
“Wait… what?” Zander blurted out, looking horrified. “No way!”
“What? You don’t want to hang out with your bestie,” Wendy shot in with a snicker.
“It’s not that,” he told her. “I don’t want to play guard duty to some stupid human!”
“Excuse me,” Lily snapped, giving him a icy glare. With her lip slightly curled, she gave him a little growl.
James shook his head and gave the kid a flat look. Was he suicidal? Did Zander not listen when James had talked to him earlier?
“Zander, drop the attitude,” Nick ordered him. “I need you out there with Wendy. You’re the only one I can count on to keep her out of trouble and act as backup for Tristen.”
“Hey!” Wendy shouted with an offended look on her face.
A pained look came over the kid’s face and he sighed as one condemned. “Fine,” he spat out.
“Good,” Nick said, with a pleased look. Now, the vampires will join us. They’ll be forming their own lines of defence, also with several vamps, the fairy, and Crow, scattered in several places between each line of defence. Night fall is in one hour and Moon rise is in two. I suggest everyone start getting ready and in place.” He gave a stiff nod, signaling the end of the meeting.
“I really am starting to hate that kid,” Lily growled when they were outside.
James rubbed his neck, a little nervous. Debating on what he should tell her or if he should tell her anything at all. “Why not? He’s just like you or how you used to be,” he teased.
“Yeah well then I was a real bitch,” she replied, then gave James a playful glare when he simply shrugged with a small grin. “This is where you’re suppose to say Oh no. Lily you weren’t a bitch at all. You were nothing short of perfectly reasonable, Jerk,” she shot, giving him a playful slap.
“And lie to you? Never,” he replied, grinning evilly and earning another slap and glare.
“You really are a jerk!” She said with an obviously feigned offended look. “Well he’s still a little punk and I’m about one snarky comment away from knocking his ass to the ground.”
“I think maybe you should give him a break,” James said, feeling a little hesitant. “I think he’s just been going through a lot. You got to know what that’s like.”
“Going through a lot? Him?” Lily demanded with a scoff. “What could he be going through? Besides acting like some spoiled little punk who wants to be a rebel but has no real reason to complain?” Something must have gave him away because Lily narrowed her eyes at him and grabbed his arm. “Why are you suddenly defending him? What happened while I was out?”
“What?” James said, trying his best to look surprised. “What makes you think something happened?”
“James,” Lily said, her tone held a soft warning.
“It’s nothing, really,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck again.
“Oh wow,” Lily said, with a soft scoff. “It’s got to be something really bad for you to lie to me.”
“I’m not…” he started.
“James,” she said, tapping her nose. “You’re sweating, your heart is racing, and you look as nervous as a crook in a room full of cops. What is going on?”
“Lily, the vamps are coming. We really should keep our focus on them,” he said, trying to stall her but the look she gave him told him she wasn’t going to be stalled by anything. James sighed and deflated. Well damn. “Alright, but if I tell you. You have to promise me you won’t maim or kill the kid. Got it?”