Page 8 of In the Line of Fire
“I don’treportto the witches on the Council of Five. I serve the magic communityalongsidethem. And if dark practitioners are following Soleil, then the situation falls under the purview of the witch’s council, too,” I pointed out.
“There’s no way in hell I’m trusting my daughter’s safety to witches when that’s who she’s running from,” he growled with a shake of his head.
I clenched my fists to stop myself from pounding on the table in frustration. “The witches on the Council of Five don’t practice dark magic. I would never work with them if they did.”
Hugh narrowed his eyes, interlacing his fingers and tapping the pads of his thumbs together. “I spoke with Soleil about an hour before you got here. She’s willing to consider accepting the shifter council’s help, but she didn’t seem too thrilled that you were looking into her situation because you think she might be your mate. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s the first time my girl has ever sworn at me.”
The old man was definitely having more fun with this than he should, considering the situation. “Like I said, I’ll make sure she gets help either way. I understand why you’ve chosen to keep your distance from the shifter community, but she shouldn’t have to face a coven of dark practitioners on her own. That’s why the council was formed—to protect shifters. Soleil shouldn’t have been left to her own resources all this time. She’s lucky to still be alive.”
“If you think my daughter can’t handle herself, then you’re in for one hell of a surprise,” Hugh warned, leaning back in his seat with a grin. “There’s a reason she’s managed to evade an entire coven out to get her for so long. And it’s not just because she’s a phoenix like me.”
“If you’re trying to scare me off, it’s not working.” I tilted my head to the side and arched one brow. “All you’re doing is making me more convinced that Soleil is my mate.”
He didn’t look quite as satisfied as he asked, “How so?”
“Fate would have paired me up with someone who can handle me.” I flashed him a quick grin. “And I’ve been told that I can be difficult at times.”
“Growing up with Hugh, Soleil has had plenty of practice with difficult men,” Stella snorted.
Hugh made a harrumphing noise but otherwise ignored her teasing comment. “How long did you say you’ve been searching for your mate?”
“Three years.” And it had felt like at least twice that long.
Stella moved to stand next to him, shaking her head. “You know exactly how long he’s been looking since you told me so yourself last night, Hugh.”
With her last couple of supportive comments, I felt comfortable cutting straight to the point. “What’s it going to take for you to tell me where Soleil is?”
Hugh crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not going to hand my daughter over to the head enforcer for the shifter council. Not when you’ve been given a seat on the Council of Five and she has a coven of dark practitioners hunting her. For all I know, you convincing Connor she could be your mate is all part of some big ploy to use her as bait to shut them down because the troubles they’ve been causing have come to the attention of one of the witches on the council with you.”
I felt as though I was banging my head against a proverbial brick wall in my attempts to get him to see reason. “She needs help, Hugh. She’s been lucky so far, but eventually, those witches are going to figure out a way to capture her.”
“I don’t disagree with you on that.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped at the screen before setting it face down on the table in front of him. “Which is why I’m having her come here. If this is all part of some elaborate plan involving my daughter, then you’ll have to go through me to get to her.”
Stella placed her hand over his and squeezed. “And me. I’d gladly give my life if that’s what it took to make Soleil safe again.”
“I’ll do my best to never let it come to that,” I vowed, some of the tension leaving my frame now that he’d finally given in to reason. “And if it turns out that Soleil is my fated mate, I’ll spend the rest of my life keeping her safe.”
Stella grinned at her mate. “I don’t think fate cares, but he has my vote.”
“You’re such a soft touch.” Hugh pulled her onto his lap. “His promise wasn’t anything more than what any shifter male would do for their mate.”
“Maybe,” she conceded as she patted his scruffy cheek. “But none of those women are my daughter, and I like him for Soleil.”
I really fucking hoped fate liked me for her, too.
