"Are most homes here built or reclaimed? They are beautiful and yet have a sense of not quite belonging to shifters," Rem asked, thinking back to her home in Ashmire. Her parents had taken refuge in an abandoned house.
"I think so. I know the homes in Warden Pack were reclaimed mansions from the humans. Of course, the Alpha picked first, and then the Betas, and so on. Although the Wardens built their own home for the Alpha… My gran and gramp don't like human homes. They still live in a wooden shack they built. In truth, we're living in quite a transitional period. The old and new, the humans that live among shifters, and sovereigns. None of it existed until half a century ago."
"That's just so odd. It doesn't feel transitional at all. It feels like it's always been this way."
"It kinda does for me, too. Hey, maybe we can walk back to Adam on another day and talk to more humans. Ask them about it,” Nia said with a gleam in her eyes.
Rem perked up as she smiled while looking to Nia. "I'd like that."
Nia returned the mood with her own grin. "I also like listening to their stories. They don't live as long, so it's important to get their knowledge sooner rather than later. It’s actually rather important that we still have him. He’s an oddity.”
It made Rem ache for her gran, wondering what she had known that she never got to share.
21
THE HOME OF MARCUS
R E M
They continuedto chat as everything slowly morphed back into the bustling city. Symbols of their beliefs were scattered everywhere, wooden statues of people Rem didn't recognize placed in grassy areas, and she swore she heard shifters having sex more than once.
“Rem! I thought I smelled you! You need to come with me. It's not safe in the streets," said a frantic voice that still bore no comfort to her.
Rem turned to see the other Elder Witch named Imari moving towards them, the clinking of her jewelry hard to miss. “Come, ladies. Off the streets. Now.”
Rem glared at Imari, her pulse pounding. "What? Why are the streets dangerous? What’s happeningnow?"
"Your scent. Yours is not terribly strong right now, but some Silvers have one, and it is attracting unmated males. It's completely ill-advised to be out here right now. Let us go," she beckoned, waving her arms to herd Nia and Rem.
Rem didn't move. While Imari had been the one to challenge Fiona, her trust in Elder Witches was nearly absent. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
She hotly sighed. "We simply didn’t know it would change this much prior to a full transformation. It grows stronger by the hour, it seems. Usually, this is never an issue. But being a Silver… It has to be the magic in your veins."
"You really need to get on top of things," Nia scolded.
Rem nodded, tucking the leather and silver fox fur closer. "Agreed. Where are we even going?” Rem asked, walking quickly along the dirt path that Imari guided them to.
"To another home, one that isn't so centralized," Imari said, flicking her wrists flippantly. "Come, let us move. This isn't a farce."
A sense of unease lingered in Rem's chest, especially as Nia seemed just as unsure on what to do.
"It can't hurt to have moved away from the streets," Nia reasoned. "Not everyone has the discipline Ronan has.”
A chill ran down Rem’s spine as they moved quicker through the trail, thinking about him exerting control over his sexual desire… And then alsonotexerting his discipline. "You mean others can't control themselves? That doesn't seem healthy," Rem said, trying to get her mind to focus elsewhere.
"Usually, you have claws and fangs to deny a male with," Imari said, stepping over a branch on the trail. "But Silvers don't. We are not used to dealing with this, and neither will the other males. It’s less that they will harm you, but they could get into unnecessary fights with each other. We have no idea if the scent of Silvers will make things worse, and we don’t particularly want to find out."
Rem sighed to herself, looking down at the fabric in her arms. Such a great day, mauled by a world she barely knew.
Rem wondered if they were going to the Elder’s area, where they drank the serum. It eased her anxiety to picture a slightly familiar place.
Someone shouting in Icelandic made Rem pause and pivot, spotting Loral, two more Silvers, and another Elder. The familiarity in the Silvers was like forming a pack in their own right.
"Where are we going exactly?" Rem asked once again with a politer tone. “I know you said somewhere centralized, butwhere?”
“We realized we needed to get the Silvers away from others. But we don't have many secluded, fortified homes. Then, there was a suggestion, and I pushed for it as soon as I heard it," Imari cautiously replied.
Rem raised her brows. "And that iswhere?"
