Aden knew he could stop potential sneaking off with a simple order, but that defeated the purpose of teaching Arrow young how to have lives beyond a certain rigid existence. He thought of what he and Zaira might have done had they had the freedom to act on the visceral tug between them, knew it was a rite of passage he needed to allow the teens in the squad.
“We’ll have to agree on rules of behavior,” he said to Remi. “My juveniles will do better with them.”
“It’s a good idea all around. Liable to be misunderstandings and hurt feelings otherwise.”
The alpha smiled and rubbed the hair of a cub who came over to lean against his leg, as if needing a rest, only picking up the thread of their conversation once the little boy had run back into the play. “As an example—teenage changeling tries something on a skittish Psy, gets rebuffed, changeling will back off totally. That’s part of our rules, so your kids will then have to make the move.”
Aden wasn’t sure Arrow teens would make any such moves, no matter how deep their need. “I’ll get more counselors assigned specifically to the juveniles.”
“Shit, Aden, these are teenagers. No matter how hard we work to prepare them, it’ll be a culture shock on both sides.”
“Some shocks are necessary.” The teens would figure things out once they had successful examples in the group . . . then he realized they already had an example. Sienna Lauren was a viciously powerful cardinal Psy mated to an alpha wolf. She was also young enough that the teenagers would find her relatable. The only question was if the girl who’d once been forced to be Ming LeBon’s protégé would want to return to the Psy in any way.
• • •
WHEN told of the squad’s request, Sienna made her decision in a heartbeat. “I want to do this,” she said to the wolf-eyed man who held her heart. “Those kids are me not that many years ago.” Lost and without hope. “I want to show them that we aren’t just our abilities, that we can have lives, fall in love, explore the world if we want.”
Hawke thrust a hand through the silver-gold of his hair as they walked through the corridors of the den. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
“You’re worried.”
“Ming was connected to the squad for one hell of a long time.” His jaw grew tight at the name of the former Councilor. “We both know he wants you dead if he can’t possess you.”
“All the information we have says the squad has broken away from him.”
“I’ll only be happy once the bastard is dead,” Hawke growled.
Sienna knew he was intensely frustrated that they couldn’t move against Ming, but for better or worse, the ex-Councilor was currently the biggest stabilizing force in a large part of Europe. Because of the innocents who’d be harmed in the chaos that would ensue should Ming be taken summarily out of the equation, Hawke had agreed to hold off on the op to eliminate the man he hated for what Ming had done to Sienna.
Her mate was a good man, a man she hadn’t dared dream of before she ended up in SnowDancer.
Wanting to kiss him until she couldn’t breathe, she slipped her arm through his and turned her thoughts to how they could make the situation with the Arrows work. “I can meet the teens in the compound set up for E trainees.” Situated on the border between DarkRiver and SnowDancer lands, the compound had intricate security protocols. “I’m sure the squad won’t quibble about that when they’re the ones who made the request.”
Wolf looking out of his eyes, Hawke cupped the side of her face. “Anyone lays a finger on you, I will shred them.” It was a promise.
“Ditto.” She tugged him into a kiss. Fire sparked along their bond, and when the kiss broke he raised an eyebrow. “Reminding me you’re dangerous?”
Kissing him again, she pressed her hands against the wide wall of his chest. God, he was a beautiful, sexy man, and he was hers. “Can’t have Your Alphaness seeing me as weak.”
He snorted. “I haven’t been taken in by you since you were a damn juvenile with a smart mouth and a big attitude.”
“I love you, too.”
Cheeks creasing, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they continued to walk. “I’ll organize a security detail for you. You can’t watch your own back.”
Sienna didn’t argue; she wanted to believe in what Judd told her Aden was trying to do—create a squad that didn’t just use up the gifted and dangerous, but provided a haven, a home for them. But she couldn’t forget that the squad had been born in darkness, and that Ming had dug himself into it for decades. Remnants of those loyal to him or to his policies might yet remain and it would take only one to end the joy she’d found in this new life. “Here’s my stop,” she said in front of the door to the communal room utilized by the junior soldiers.
Sienna could have requested a jump straight to senior—not because she was Hawke’s mate, but because of her abilities and proven strength in a fight, but she liked developing with her age group. Being a senior wasn’t just about fighting strength or skill; she still had a lot to learn.
Kissing her again, to the wolf whistle of another soldier who was walking in, Hawke squeezed her hip before lightly biting her lower lip. “Go drive Drew crazy.”
Sienna laughed and entered the session. Grabbing a seat next to Riordan on the comfortable and slightly ragged sofa as they waited for everyone else to come in, she found herself telling him what she’d been asked to do by the squad.