“Thanks, it feels good.”


    Rik ps me on the back. “d | sparred with you when | did. I’d be lucky to take you now.”


    “What do you mean?” | ask him, not sure what he’s referring to.


    He tilts his head, looking at me. “Didn''t you feel it? The surge of power when you marked her?”


    “| did. | didn’t realize it was because she was a Guardian. | thought it was just the marking and mating process.”


    Rik and Anders both start shaking their heads. “Nope. That’s all from being mated to a Guardian. You felt her power flow through


    you, and now you share that power as well. Her gifts will be yours, but to a lesser extent.” Rik tells


    1.me.


    Well, shit. | knew Rik had gotten stronger and faster, but to hear that | would share in Angel’s Guardian gifts? That was new. |


    wonder how | should test that.


    Before | can think any more on the subject, my sweet angel walks into the room.


    Everything fades and my feet are moving toward her before | can consciously think about it. | know the smile on my face is too


    big for the asion, but | haven’t seen my little mate in hours and the smell of her as she enters the room. draws me to her. An


    immediate sense of calm washes over me and everything that felt off-kilter rights itself again.


    | take her in my arms, hugging her closely, burying my face in her neck. “I missed you.” | say as her arms wrap around me.


    “| missed you too.” She whispers to me.


    | pull back, keeping her in my arms. “Did you eat? Are you hungry?”


    “I''m famished!” She says.


    I turn to


    the room. “There''s food on the side dinner will be avableter if you can stay.”


    bar. Help yourself. A more formal


    Everyone makes their way to the food. | tuck Angel against my side, pulling her with me. | grab two tes, having to let go of her


    to dish up food for both of us. She grabs some bottled waters and then | take our tes to one end of the conference table. | sit,


    pulling her into myp. She gives me a look but | kiss her


    +15 BONGS


    nose and start eating before she can say anything. | feel her sigh before she starts eating as well.


    Once everyone has settled, | bring the meeting to order.


    “We all know why we''re here. Vampires are threatening Angel because she’s a Guardian. To locate her they have offered a


    multimillion—dor bounty. They kept her prisoner as a blood bag for seven years. Now that they’ve found her, it’s only a matter of


    time before more show up. When they do, they’ll realize that they haven''t found just one Guardian, but three. This puts both our


    packs in danger.”All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    “Agreed.” Rik says. “What do we know about vampires?” He asks looking around


    room. It’s Anders that speaks up.


    th


    “Not much. I’ve been looking through our old archives and vampires have left werewolves alone for most of our history. They


    don’t like our taste, we don’t like their smell, so we tend to stay away from each other.”


    The room goes quiet as everyone takes this information in. “They''re faster than wolves.” My angel says quietly.


    “That’s true.” | say. “I couldn’t see theming at me when they were about to attack me.”


    “You couldn''t see them?” Rik asked me.


    “No. Could you?” He nods.


    “Did you two mate before or after the vampire attack?” He asks.


    “After, why?”


    He looks between me and Angel. “Angel, could you see theming?” He asks


    her.


    “Yes, but | knew Liam couldn''t.”


    Rik looks back at me. “I bet you''ll be able to see them now.” He smirks. “Perks of being mated to a Guardian.”