Cracked by Vanessa North Page A

Guide on the outskirts of the Amazon compound.” As murmurs broke out around the room, he held up his hands in a placating gesture. “For now, we are treating this as a family matter, an Amazon matter. However, because Sarita’s task is important to wolves as a whole, we want to make you all aware of it, and we want to ask for cooperation—should anyone among your packs have contact with the First Blood, please let Jack Murphy know. As the Guardian of the Amazon Pack, he’s responsible for Sarita’s safety.”
    The wolves around the table nodded, several of them pulling out cell phones to send rushed messages to packmates.
    “Okay, that being said, I’m going to have Bear, Sarita’s Guide, update us with what he’s learned. Gerard?”
    Bear stood, stretching slightly, his enormous chest puffing out and his hands clutching the top of his chair.
    “The Ahne and her servant are attempting to make inroads with Sarita,” he rumbled. “They want to enthrall her so that they can feed on her and keep her from being present at the time of the eclipse. The eclipse is just a few months away, we need to watch with vigilance between now and then. Once the Mother is released, She can protect Her own against the Blood-Drinkers. Until then, Sarita’s protection is my only concern. Sarita has a schedule of showings at galleries in New York, D.C., and New Orleans. While we’re traveling, we will be dependent upon local wolves to help conceal her movements.”
    “And me,” Kathy interrupted. “I can be a decoy.”
    “We do not demand that of you, Kathy Kirk,” Gerard said, meeting her gaze steadily as his voice took on a ceremonial gravity.
    “But I volunteer. It’s the least I can do to repay the Murphy family for the—” her eyes flashed a hint of her wolf “—kindness they have shown me. Sarita is perhaps the only true friend I have. I want to protect her. We’re roughly the same size. We’re both more or less gray wolves, and I can color my hair and pass for her from a distance. And I can lie to a Blood-Drinker even as they have their lips to my throat. Not everyone in this room can. Maybe not anyone.” Her eyes fell. “Please.”
    “Very well.” Annie stood, purring. “It’s done. Kathy will serve as a decoy.”
    Gerard nodded before turning his face to Fionn. “I’ll take Sarita, her bodyguards, Kathy and her own guards to speak privately. If you’ll excuse us.”
    “Of course, Guide, thank you.” Fionn waved them out.

    Sarita wasn’t surprised that her uncle Ted followed them from the room, taking Kathy aside. She snuck a glance at the two of them, foreheads pressed together, the scent of their wolves thick between them. Suddenly, the reason her uncle had never mated was clear. It wasn’t that he’d never found his mate, he’d just never claimed her. Heart breaking a little for them, she blushed and looked away again.
    “Sarita, have you heard a word I just said?” Mac was trying to get her attention. Still blushing, she shook her head.
    “I’m sorry, I was distracted,” she confessed. “What were we talking about?”
    “Travel arrangements. If you’re okay with driving to New York for the first show?”
    “Oh yeah, whatever. We can send the pieces ahead.”
    “Kathy, you don’t mind coming to New York?” Mac asked. Sarita looked back at Kathy in time to see Ted leave the room, his posture tense with aggression and deprivation. Kathy nodded as she moved to stand beside Sarita, absently throwing an arm around her waist.
    “I’ve always wanted to see the Big Apple.” She smiled at Mac.
    Please don’t tell anyone. Kathy’s voice in Sarita’s head felt like thousands of bubbles bursting across her nose.
    All this time? Sarita couldn’t help but wonder.
    I seem to have made some appallingly bad life choices. The bubbles flat now, Kathy’s head dropped to Sarita’s shoulder. With a pang of regret for Kathy and Ted, Sarita wrapped her own arm around the other woman’s waist and