“You can’t trust him like you do the men and women who supported you from day one,” Silver completed. “He must understand that.”

“He’s a bear, Starlichka.” An exasperated tone. “Why are you expecting him to be reasonable?”

“I’ll explain it to him if you wish.”

“What? By killing him?”

“I’ve gained control over my murderous impulses.”

“Hmm,” he said suspiciously. “I won’t take you up on the offer just yet. This is about union not division—I’ll give him chances to prove himself, regain his place at his alpha’s side.”

“You’re an excellent alpha.” Silver didn’t know why she said that. Valentin knew his own worth.

“I’m an excellent mate, too.” Words that held more than a little of the bear’s possessive wildness. “Never forget who you are to me. You say the word and I’ll be at your side, no matter the battle.”

Silver put down the empty protein-bar wrapper. “Even though I can give you nothing that changelings value? Not companionship, not touch, not children?”

“No. Matter. What.” A heavy pause, followed by, “Though I wouldn’t say no to a couple of pint-size Silver-Valentin hybrids. Psy do genetic matches, right? We’d make seriously tough, seriously smart kids together. Think about it.”

Silver didn’t tell him she’d already thought about it. “You’re right.”

“I am?” She could almost see his mouth drop open. “I think I’m hearing things. Give me a minute to thump sense into my skull.”

Ignoring his playful words, she told him the rational reason for her response. “The child of an alpha bear and beta Mercant is apt to be a threat on multiple levels. Also, I’ve concluded that despite those who would stop the tide, the future will be shaped by individuals who are the embodiment of Trinity.”

“You’re beta nothing.”

“As long as my grandmother lives, she is our alpha.” It was a matter of respect and of a position earned.

“Okay, I’ll give you that—I’m too scared of Ena to argue.”

Silver knew full well that Valentin Nikolaev was scared of no one.

“So,” he said, “you’re up for mingling supersmart Mercant genes with supertough, slightly aggravating bear genes?”

She rubbed her fingers over the shiny red flesh of the apple. “As long as you understand it will always be a full co-parenting agreement.”

“Huh.” A rasping sound that told her he was scratching his jaw, her mind filling with countless other times she’d seen him do the same. “I figured a Mercant—my Mercant—would be possessive and ask for full custody.”

“Attempting to take an alpha bear’s child from him would be a recipe for certain disaster.” Valentin would never give up rights to his child. “And a child with you and me as committed parents, and my family plus the clan as interested parties, would be safer than if we put that child in a vault.”

Valentin took too long to reply, so long that she thought he was about to reject her offer. She began to think up counterarguments because now that she’d decided on the clear advantages of this course of action, she refused to be thwarted.

“Sorry.” Valentin’s deep voice in her ear. “Had to pick up and relocate a wild bear cub that decided to go exploring and nearly fell into a small crevasse.”

The image reminded her of Dima and of how Valentin would throw the child high up in the air, then catch his screaming, laughing body in arms so safe, no child was ever scared when he was in the vicinity. “How is Dima? Has he recovered from his twisted ankle?” It was Nova who’d told her that bit of information during one of Silver’s calls to check on the clan.

StoneWater still considered her their alpha’s mate; it was her responsibility to live up to that status. If she didn’t, it would reflect badly on Valentin.

“He’s running around attacking unsuspecting clanmates like a champ,” Valentin confirmed. “And anytime you’re ready to create that hybrid of ours, just say the word.”

“I’ll consider the optimum timing.” Silver’s eyes fell on her timepiece. It was well past midnight. She needed to sleep so she could function at her best the next day, but she was having difficulty ending the conversation. The words “stay safe tonight” exited her mouth without her conscious volition.

“You get to bed. Dream beary dreams.”

She hung up before she could make any more inexplicable statements. When she slipped into bed not long afterward, the apple on her bedside table, it was to the realization that her headache was gone.

• • •

HUMANS Against Psy Manipulation mounted another series of attacks the following day, beginning at five a.m. Moscow time. None in the city itself, but Silver and her team were kept busy coordinating the massive emergency response that strained resources in several corners of the world.

Rapidly considering their options, she contacted BlackSea using the code she had for them under the Trinity Accord. While the water-based changelings were nominally part of the Accord, they were openly wary of it. To date, she’d only requested their help on rare occasions, because most of their people were out at sea.

At least two of today’s attacks, however, had taken place near large bodies of water, so BlackSea might have people who could assist.

The voice that answered was curt and male. “Malachai Rhys.”

“Silver Mercant on EmNet business,” she said before laying out her request.

“We’ll assist anywhere we have people,” Rhys responded at once. “What do you need?”

Silver read out her list.

Rhys told her which ones were doable before saying, “The first location is impossible. Too inland for any of our people to call it home—but there’s a small owl wing within a half hour’s flight. Not officially part of Trinity, but they’ll respond to a call for humanitarian aid.”

“Do you have their contact details?” After noting them down, she said, “If your people need resources on the ground, contact EmNet.”

“We can take care of ourselves.”

“EmNet has supply lines across all three races. Don’t be foolish because of pride or isolationist tendencies.”

A short pause, the next words Rhys spoke holding what might’ve been bemusement. “When I heard Valentin Nikolaev mated you, I thought it must be a mistake. Now I see you’re more than capable of handling an alpha bear. As you said, Ms. Mercant, we won’t be foolish, and we will access resources as needed.”

He hung up.

Silver continued to work.

“Silver?” Devi stuck her head around the corner of Silver’s office, the StoneWater clanmate having asked if she could intern at EmNet. Silver had cleared it on the understanding that the internship wouldn’t lead to a permanent position. Devi had to put in her time, gain the same level of experience as others on the team before she could apply for any such position.

“You’ve completed the phone contacts I asked you to make?” she asked the younger woman.

“Yes, but I have a call for you from Lily Knight. She says she can’t get through to you on your direct line.”

Silver glanced at the small mobile comm on her desk. Every single line was running hot, the calls going to her team while she dealt with the most critical matters. “Put her through on my private phone.”