The guards escorted roup up a flight of stairs before separating us into our own rooms. I looked around the room I was shoved into and found that the walls and floor were made with the same material as the building's exterior. Something about it shouted unbreakable to me. Whether it was or not, I wasn’t going to test it.

  A metal table and two chairs sat in the ter, looking as though they had been plucked out of every police drama out there. I almost imagined some officer ing into the room and smashing my o the etal table as they demanded answers.

  As I stood there, pting whether or not to sit down, the door behind me opened up. “Take a seat,” came a bored voice.

  While I had been fine walking outside, something about someone being behind me caused a shiver to ray back as goosebumps prickled my arms. I raced to do what they wanted more out of a o get away from them than to follow any order they gave.

  “Let's get this over with, shall we?” As I sat down, I finally got a good look at my interrogator. She looked almost built of muscle. “My name is Brandi Moongrove. Per the unified species order seventy, I o disclose that I am a Werewolf. As such, I have a heightened sense of smell.” So could she smell lies or something? And why would they require an officer to disclose their species to someone? Wouldn’t it be better to keep that information hidden?

  Before I could ask any of these questions, she tinued. “Please state your name and species for the record.”

  “Kyren Vulpier, I am a,” I started before stopping to think about what I should say. Should I lie and say I was just a foxkin or should I decre that I was a kitsune? From what I had seen so far, beastman were fairly numerous in this city. I just didn’t know if the same could be said about other races.

  “Kitsune,” She stated without iion or care. “Giold me before heading into her room. Now, tell me what you are doioday?”

  “I was following Xand…I mean Kai, to his meeting with the cil.”

  “Yes, I had heard he had been summoned.”

  My brows furrowed at her words. Just hoeople knew Xander? “As we were about to leave the meeting, one of the members spoke up and demahat I be taken to see an Oracle.”

  “Fairly standard request,” her eyes narrowed a bit as she looked at me. “Though it is a bit odd that he didn’t take you to see one of them as soon as you ehe city.”

  “I only just woke up.”

  “Woke up?” She sounded skeptical.

  “I used my SoulStone before trying to take on a demon.” I tried to make it sound like it had been nothing. That I didn’t o be saved.

  She didn’t look like she bought it. “And what did the Oracle tell you?”

  “I holy didn’t uand most of what the kid said.”

  “I am sure that Kai will tell us if it bees necessary for our iigation.” She took a sed to read over something in the space between us. Given that there was nothing there, it had to be on her system s. “What happened between the moment that the Oracle left yht and when you saw him?”

  “He walked into his room and then we heard a wailing scream.” Even now, the memory of that scream sent a wave of fear through my body. I felt my tail curl itself around my body before plopping itself into my p. Absentmindedly, my fingers rubbed the soft fur as I tinued. “I turo race toward the scream. The rest of my group passed me as they rushed into the room. By the time I made it ihe kid was already dead.”

  “So you did not touything ihe room?” As my voice failed me, I shook my head. “Then I think that is all we need. Do you know where you are staying? Just in case we o ask you more questions?” Again, I shook my head. When Xander left, would I be staying in his room or would I o get my own? How much would that cost? Where would I even look for a pce to rent? I just didn’t know.

  She must have seen or smelled something because her to from ral to something akin to motherly. “Do you need a pce to stay? I am sure that my pack wouldn’t miing you stay with them for a few days until you find a pce.” Was it weird that I was actually debating taking her up on the offer? Hell, it would get me out of Xander’s hair. Then his woman wouldn’t have to find some way to get me to leave so they could visit him. As I thought about it, I recalled how the snake woman from earlier got me to leave.

  But before I could make a decision, I had to ask the question, “Why? I don’t mean to be rude but you don’t know me. For all you know, I could be someone who will…” I rolled my hand in the air as I tried to think of something. “I don’t know, kill you in your sleep.”

  Brandi barked out a ugh. “Honey, I doubt you could kill a bunny unless you had no other choice.” Well, damn. Didn’t that bring back memories. Had it only been a week since my tussle with the army of fluff?

  “I will have you know I don’t fight those little cheaters. I simply blow them up.” I said without thinking. She facepalmed.

  “I am starting to see what Kai sees in you.” She mumbled into her palm. While my new, more sensitive ears were annoying at times, they sure came in handy to hear others when they didn’t expee to.

  Something twisted inside as I spoke, “We are just friends.”

  Her eyes looked through her fingers a mine as she spoke. “Sure, tell yourself that. The guy estering us for days to go find you. Theurns around and demands we help save you and damn the sequences. He was lucky that he found a piece of vital intel while he was out saving your ass.”

  “We are only friends,” I repeated. She dropped her hands and shot me a reproachful gre. I sted all of five seds before looking down and tinuing. “Up until he saved me, he thought I was male. Hell, I was male until that fug SoulStone.”

  “Ah,” Brandi looked like she suddenly uood something. “You are one of those.”

  “One of those?” I perked up. “You mean there are others in my situation? Did any of them find a way to ge back?”

  She shot me a fused look. “ge back? Why would you want to ge back?” Maybe because I preferred myself as I once was, but she didn’t look like she would uand that. She firmed that when she tinued, “Do you not like being able to cast magid if Kitsune are anything like the legends you should be able to ge into a fox. I know I love running around in my wolf form. Hell, my entire pack goes for runs whenever we .”

  “Sure,” I sighed as I realized she didn’t quite uand what my problem was. “I could handle being a Kitsune. But I would still prefer to be a male Kitsune.”

  Brandi ughed, “Well, I didn’t realize that you preferred to peg Kai, but to each their own.” My tail stiffened in my arms as my face burned. I was fairly sure that my ears were ft to my head.

  “Wha…why…ah…NO!” I practically yelled at her.

  “So you want to be the one…” She shrugged.

  “NO!”

  Before she could say anything else, someone knocked on the door before opening it. The Captain poked his head in. He must have noticed something on my face because he simply said, “The rest of their group is clear to go. Finish up here and release her.” Then he closed the door.

  My legs shoved the chair back as I raced to get to my feet. “Am I good to go?”

  “Sure,” Brandi nodded as she got to her feet. Her hand twisted the nob and opehe door. “But I meant it when I said you e stay with our pack. It might do you some good to go on a run.”

  I kept my response simple and non-ital as I moved to joihers in the hall. “I will think about it.”

  “Think about what?” Ginger asked. Xander simply shot me a questioning look.

  Yeah, there was no way I could get away with saying nothing or lying. Especially when the damned Werewolf answered for me. “I invited her to e live with our pack while Kai is off doing whatever he o.”

  “She just stay in my room.” If I didn’t know better I would have thought he was a beast of some siven the growly voice.

  “You want to leave a girl in that building, on her own, in your room. Even you know just how insecure that building is. I mean, how many times have you snuto someone's room to do something?” Ginger helpfully pointed out.

  Xander’s eyes bored into his sister’s. “Then you stay with her!”

  “Nope.” Pendragon pulled the fox into his chest. “We have quite a bit to do and catch up on.” I saw a shiver travel down her body as his nose lowered to the crook of her neck. I felt a bit jealous.

  “Fine!” Xander grumped. “Kyren go live with the fug wolves while I am gone.” He spun to face Brandi. “But if anyone so much as touches her I will kill every one of you.”

  “And if I want them to touch me?” My head dropped into my hands as I tried to hide from the surprised looks being shot in my dire. Why did I just say that? Where was the filter on my mouth when I ?

  Someone's hands gripped mine as they gently pulled them from my face. My eyes met Xanders. While his face looked ral and expressionless, the depths of his gaze revealed some of his emotions. He looked flicted. fused and sad about something. Before I could ask him what he was thinking about, someone ran up behind him. “Kai Ravenwood. You are hereby ordered to meet with the cil regarding your uping mission.”

  Xander didn’t turn to look at the person or aowledge them. His eyes looked into mine for another minute. A mihat was filled with whispers. While I wondered what they were all talking about, my attention was solely on the guy in front of me. Finally, he said, “Ginger is right. Go with the wolves. Take them up on the offer for a run. I will be back before you know it.”

  With those words, he turned and vanished around a er. The messenger looked like he was struggling to keep up with his charge.