Mimi walked up behind them, a little gleam in her eyes saying she’d enjoyed the greeting, which had gone on longer than anyone could’ve anticipated. She’d clearly been the reason behind the mages coming last instead of first. Austin wasn’t sure what angle she was going for with that. He’d need to speak with her about it.
“Austin, welcome home,” Kingsley finally said.
“Alpha, it’s good to be home. It’s good to see you again.” Austin stepped forward, taking Kingsley’s hand and then turning it into a one-armed hug.
“You remember my beta, James.” Kingsley jerked his head at the guy next to him, a stocky dude with a layer of fat over a stack of muscle and gray at his temples.
“Beta,” Austin said in greeting, inclining his head.
Kingsley announced the names of the other guys and gals in his line. “If you or your people need anything and I’m not available, any of my team would be happy to help. Just say the word.”
“Thank you.” Austin put his arm around Jess, his hand resting on the small of her back. “You remember my mate and co-leader, Jessie.”
“Hello, Kingsley, nice to see you again!” She beamed at him, stepping forward with her hand outstretched. “Crap, sorry.” She struggled to contain her smile. “Alpha. It’s nice to see you again.”
“My people have been briefed on your situation,” Kingsley said, taking her hand, his eyes twinkling. “You can let slip a smile or two. Okay, no, the laughing is taking it too far.”
She laughed harder and stepped back, covering her mouth with her hand. “Epic fail on my attempt to have no expression.”
“Epic fail,” he agreed.
Austin went about introducing the important people, making note that his shifter beta wouldn’t be in until the second wave arrived tomorrow. He wanted to see their reactions when they first laid eyes on Brochan.
“One thing, alpha,” he said once he’d finished, “before I let Jess introduce her people. Some of the basajaunak showed up at the last minute. We’ll be adding them to our group. We’re also not entirely sure how many more gargoyles will be coming in from a cairn we’re friendly with.”
“Not a problem,” Kingsley said easily. “We have plenty of room. Now, Jessie, if you wouldn’t mind, can you give us a rundown of the creatures there?”
“Yeah, of course.”
She turned and did just that, having to stop a couple times for James to ask for more details, like what kind of magic a thunderbird did, or how Niamh chose between her two forms. At the end of her account, seriousness stole over her. “This is very important,” she said. “As a female gargoyle, I have the ability to form a connection with the people I fight beside. It’s like a blood bond. If you accept, we will feel each other’s whereabouts, I’ll be able to gauge your general emotional state, and so on. I believe it’s supposed to help me keep everyone organized and safe in battle. The offer is almost always unconscious. If you feel it, you are more than welcome to accept it, but know that I’m not sure how to undo it. Yet. Don’t carelessly accept.”
“And if we don’t want this connection?” Kingsley asked, his voice wary.
“Then deny the offering. It doesn’t seem to be hard.”
“It isn’t,” Sebastian said.
“Regarding those mages…” James said. “I beg your pardon, but how do we know they won’t turn on us? I’ve never met a mage who has liked shifters.”
“Have you met any mages at all?” Nessa asked him, lowering her gaze after a moment, clearly so he wouldn’t take it as a challenge.
James paused, and then answered with mild disdain, “No, I don’t expect I have.”
“Most mages haven’t met any shifters,” Sebastian told him, his gaze still bored. He didn’t lower it. “Not properly, at any rate. I’ll spare you the details of the work I’ve done with Alphas Steele and Ironheart. The bottom line is, if the enemy captures me, they’ll torture and then kill me. It would behoove me to help you to win, because that’s the only way I don’t die. Not that I’ll likely be much help, so it probably doesn’t matter.”
“How so?” Kingsley asked.
Sebastian lifted his hands and looked around. “This is a sprawling, isolated territory with very little cover outside of the township—from what I’ve seen so far, at any rate. Given the numbers that Momar is sending, there is no possible way Jessie and myself will be able to protect you all from