Rise to Embrace [Rise of the Changelings, Book 3] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Read Free Page B

imagine his life without Brooke somewhere in it.
    Deluca gave Brooke a quick glance when they entered an area that seemed to grow thicker, denser. The trees compressed tighter together, and high above them, there were what looked to be naturally made homes.
    When Garrett had said compound, Deluca had immediately thought about concrete walls and high fences. Nothing like this had ever entered his mind. There wasn’t anything concrete here. Every hut, house, or whatever they referred to them as, was made from only things nature supplied. The porches were made of thick moss padding. The homes were leafy and, in Deluca’s opinion, looked like what amounted to freaking kid’s tree houses—only one hundred times nicer, plusher, and a hell of a lot bigger.
    “We can talk here.” Garrett pointed to the largest structure of them all as he came to a stop the center of this makeshift village. “This is where we have our meetings.”
    There was something in Garrett’s tone, as if there was an inside joke that they weren’t privy to. This only made Deluca even more weary of the coyote alpha. His gut was telling him that there was something very off about this guy.
    “I’d rather talk here.” Rick expanded his arms to indicate the wide open space of the forest around them. “On the ground.”
    Deluca could see the keen intelligence behind Rick’s grey eyes and knew the man wanted to stay out in the open just in case shit got funky. The worst thing that could happen would be to get trapped in one of those naturally made homes high up in the trees.
    Deluca agreed with Rick’s decision to stay on the ground. They were in enemy territory as far as he was concerned. He didn’t have a good feeling about this situation, but then again, Deluca hadn’t felt good about any of this since stepping foot in the mountains.
    Deluca and Brooke automatically began to position themselves around the weaker people who had come with them. All were changeling except them, Dorian, and Howard. But in Deluca’s eyes, Miguel, Benito, and Isabelle needed protection as well. Isabelle was with child and the other two were so damn short that Deluca just couldn’t make himself see them as anything more than grown teenagers.
    He knew both were eighteen, but that didn’t make them fighters. The two didn’t look like rebels. Instead, they reminded him more of college students out here for a hike in the mountains.
    “Suit yourself.” Garrett’s response was acerbic, making Deluca’s hairs rise on end. The man wasn’t pleased, and it showed in the fine lines around his mouth. Either the guy was up to no good, or he didn’t like having another alpha in his territory. Deluca knew the man had agreed to meet, but that didn’t mean his intentions were pure.
    This was a hostile situation that could go very badly. There were only eleven in their small group, whereas Garrett seemed to have at least seventy changelings around him, if not more.
    Deluca didn’t like the odds.
    “Don’t worry.” Benito winked up at him. “I’ll protect you.”
    Deluca gave him a small smile. He really did like the kid. He and Miguel were worming their way into Deluca’s heart. The two reminded him of kid brothers. He felt a fierce protectiveness toward them.
    “I’m honored,” he whispered back.
    Garrett led them to a wide open area, and then he took a seat on a large boulder. It rose higher than they stood, as if the werecoyote did this move on purpose to look down on them. “Please, have a seat and tell me what is going on with the detaining of changelings and the mass blood testing.”
    Deluca and Brooke continually scanned the area around them, including the trees above. He wanted to tell Rick to get everyone out of here, that this felt off, but the two alphas were busy talking and he knew Rick was on a mission to recruit as many changelings into this fight as he possibly could.
    But in Deluca’s opinion, they could do without the deceptive coyotes. There were