Felicity’s cheeks burned as she walked past all the soldiers outside. She probably shouldn’t have just blurted out the information about the mating, but her mind was spinning, and she’d just gone with it. The breeze slapped her face and rain sprinkled down, but she followed the metal hangar around another corner, her stockinged feet slapping the wet concrete. Trees covered the area past the concrete, silent in the breeze.

Zane followed right behind her.

She finally stopped and turned around.

For the moment, she could only gape. How was it possible the sweet boy who’d picked her flowers had grown into such a strong man? So big and dangerous looking. But his green eyes were soft nonetheless.

She smiled, her heart full. “How are Janie and Hope?”

He blinked. “Fine. Mom—”

“Fine?” She put her hands on her hips. “How are the girls, Zane?”

He shook his head, his dark hair spraying rainwater. “You just saw them a month ago at Hope’s first birthday party. They’re fine.”

Men. Even when you had known them their entire lives, they still didn’t know how to communicate. Felicity nodded. “Thank you. What would you like to discuss?”

His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

She bit back a grin. “Let’s just nip this in the bud now. You have an entire nation to worry about, and I can take care of myself.”

A vein in his neck filled. “Mom. I have no idea how Daire Dunne got you to go along with this ridiculous mission, but I promise I’ll take care of it. And him. You don’t need to stay mated.”

What a sweetheart. “I will decide whether or not I want to stay mated.”

“Ah, no.” Zane grasped her arm and tugged her closer to the building so the eaves shielded them from the rain. “I’ll take care of it.”

Wow. Sometimes her kid was a little dense. “I’ve got things under control.”

Zane took a step back. “Control? Are you kidding? You just robbed a bank.”

Warmth fused through her. “Yes, I did. Quite successfully.” She leaned in, even though the rain surely masked their voices. “I had two other banks robbed at the same time. I’m telling you, Zane, if the demon nation ever needs cash, I have some ideas.”

He shook his head like a dog with a face full of water. “We’re good,” he bit out. “No cash problems.”

Truth be told, the answer was a little disappointing. “All right.”

He crossed his arms. “What were you saying about a polar bear attack?”

“Oh, that.” She dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. “I was checking out the mines on Fryser Island and ended up in a little scuffle.”

He jerked. “In Norway?”

“Eh, close enough. I think there might still be some dissension about who owns the island.” She wiped rain off her cheeks. “We done here?”

“No,” he exploded, his cheeks turning a deep red. “We are not done here. What was that about a helicopter crash?”

She winced. Nobody wanted their mom to be in a helicopter wreck. “Daire and I flew from the island, but enemies shot at us and we went down.”

“In Barents Sea?” Zane shouted.

“Well, close. Sjenerøse Island is actually in the Arctic Sea.” She tilted her head. Her eldest son usually kept a much better rein on his temper. His face had now lost all color, and he was looking at her like she’d completely lost her mind. “I’m fine, Zane.”

He took several deep breaths. “I’m going to kill Dunne.”

“Why?” she asked.

Zane’s chin dropped. “Why? Well, how about his extreme bad judgment in taking you to the Arctic and getting you shot at, attacked by bears, and then in a wreck? Or how about his getting you shot in a bank robbery. Or how about his getting you shot at all?” By the end of the statement, he was yelling again.

She couldn’t very well tell Zane that she was on her own mission and had been lying to him most of his life about Ivan Bychkov. Zane had a baby and mate to worry about, and this was her fight. But she also couldn’t let Zane blame Daire. “I’m not working for Daire.”

Zane stilled. “You are working for somebody?”

Ah ha. “Yes.” She grabbed on to the idea the way she would a lifeline in the middle of the Arctic, easily creating a little cover story and lie. “I’ve been hired to do a job, and part of that includes researching the planekite situation.”

Zane frowned. “And bank robberies?”

“Yes.” She smiled. “I needed to get into a couple of safe-deposit boxes for my, ah, job.”

“You don’t need to work.”

She shook her head. “Honey, I’m only a hundred and twenty-five. That’s younger than most demons are when they first get mated. I can’t just sit around and goof off.”

“But, Mom, you’re—”

“What? What am I?” Anger and hurt careened through her. “Weak?”

“No.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Crippled?”

He sighed. “Of course not.”

Water soaked her socks, and she fought a shiver. “I can’t attack minds or teleport. So what exactly am I, Zane?”

His gaze softened again. “A grandmother.”

Well, geez. “Only because I had you incredibly young, and then you had Hope very young. I’m not ready to retire from life, Zane Kyllwood.”

“I’m not asking you to retire. I am asking you not to get shot at.” His shoulders seemed to vibrate as he tried to control himself. “Who are you working for, Mom?”

“Can’t tell you,” she retorted.

“Is it the Coven Nine?” he asked.

She smiled. “Nope.”

“Then why is Daire Dunne apparently accompanying you on every insane mission?”

Footsteps sounded around the corner. “Because she’s my mate,” Daire said evenly, a jacket in his hands. “Now stop bugging her.”

Zane tensed and his hands fisted.

“There will be no fighting,” Felicity ordered. Her phone buzzed in her back pocket. Thank goodness. She needed an update on what deeds had been discovered in the other two bank robberies. “Excuse me for a minute. You two play nice.” Without another word, she opened her phone and sloshed through water to a few feet away. “Hello?”

“Felicity. I can’t believe how soon we’re going to meet. Finally,” rumbled a hoarse voice.

She squinted. Adrenaline zinged through her blood. “Ivan?”

“Ah, how nice you remember my voice.” He chuckled.

She pressed the phone closer to her ear, a chill clawing through her. “How did you get this number?”

“Oh, it was in a phone I borrowed,” Ivan said.

Her breath whooshed out, and her head lifted. Oh God. “Whose phone?”

“That opens up our next issue. I have something of yours.”

No. She swallowed. “Is that a fact?”

“Yes. Here.”

A small scuffle sounded, and then the crunch of bone being cracked. “Fucker,” hissed a low voice.

Her heart stopped. “Logan?”

Ivan chuckled. “Your youngest has a head stronger than rock. I’ll enjoy chiseling through it. I’ll be in touch.”

Tears burned her eyes. She turned, her mouth agape, her heart shattering. Daire and Zane stared at her, both frowning.

She coughed, fear piercing right through her breastbone. “They have Logan,” she whispered.

Daire caught her before she fell and lifted her up. “Bychkov?” he asked.

She nodded, tears streaming down her face. “I didn’t think. I just didn’t even consider he’d go after Logan. Why didn’t I think?”

Daire hadn’t considered Logan being in danger, either. “It’s okay. We’ll figure this out.” He turned and headed for the SUV waiting quietly for him by the doorway.

Zane grabbed his arm. “Who is Bychkov, and where is Logan?”

Felicity wiped tears off her face. “Bychkov is an enemy, and I don’t know where Logan is. Yet.”

Zane opened his mouth and Daire held up a hand.

“Meet at my penthouse in thirty minutes to figure out a plan. For now, reach out to every ally you have and prepare them for war. Once we find Logan, we’ll need to go in and fast,” Daire said. He didn’t wait for a response but jogged through the rain to place Felicity in the front seat. She trembled, and her face had gone so pale that light blue veins could be seen under the skin. “We’ll find him, baby. I promise.”