Forged in Fire (Forgotten Series, #2)

Chapter Three

I woke up to a rather loud bang as my door hit my wall. I jolted upright as the same time Michael and Ezekiel were on their feet snarling at the intruder.

"Is this how I am treated?" Azrael's voice was icy and booming and I rubbed at my eyes. It was too early in the morning to deal with a tantrum.

"What? Did I over-sleep and miss breakfast?" My tone was tired but mocking as I waved at my two guardians. They pulled themselves from their defensive positions to sit at the foot of my bed, their eyes on the large mountain alpha.

"You brought a Baiter!" He hissed the words out and I paused. That was a word I had never heard before.

"I did what now?" I looked over at him as he crossed his arms over his bulky chest. He radiated an icy fury that set my wolf immediately to pounding against his cage. I sighed and shoved him away forcefully before sliding out of bed and grabbing a pair of pants.

"You brought a Baiter in to test me." The words were clipped and heavy with that icy fury. He was watching me and I could feel disgust mixing in with his anger.

I let out another confused breath. "A what now?" It was really too early in the morning to play the guessing game with the large mountain Alpha. Besides, he had given me a rather rude wake up call and I wasn't entirely appreciative of that.

"A Baiter!" He practically snarled the word and Ezekiel immediately growled and Michael's hackles raised down to his tail as he echoed the sound.

"I heard you but what the fuck is a Baiter?" I pulled on the pants but didn't bother with a shirt. I held up my hand as he opened his mouth. It was easier for him to show me the problem. "Okay, you know what? Just show me what has got you so riled up you disturbed my sleep." I walked towards the door and did my best to ignore his cold fury as he stalked away from my door and down the hall.

I didn't have to motion for my two guardians to follow, they were immediately at my sides the moment I moved. Their hackles were raised high and I patted their backs, trying to soothe their tempers. I followed Azrael down the stairs and he pointed as a very pissed off looking Bennett and a rather frightened looking Maricella who was trying her best to hide behind her mate. "That is a Baiter! You have brought a Baiter into test me. Is this what our friendship was? You not trusting me, Luka?" He was glowering at me and I blinked in surprise at his words.

"To be honest, I didn't really think you did friends." I watched as his face darkened and he took a step towards me that had Michael lunging forward. I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and yanked him back, a move I had done many times on him when he had gotten too exuberant with his prey. I shook him slightly in warning and he went limp in my grasp and I released him. "I don't know what you are talking about, Azrael. I don't know what a Baiter is. This is Bennett and Maricella. Part of my family." I looked at him and he narrowed his eyes.

I rolled mine and crossed my arms over my chest. "I invited them to stay for a week. Bennett is helping me with my little problem and I figured Maricella needed a break from Oblitus for a few days." I gestured to them before smiling at Maricella who gave me a rather timid one in return. Her eyes glanced to Azrael before she seemed to pull herself closer to her mate. Bennett shifted, making sure he was completely blocking her from the large Alpha's view.

"She's a Baiter, Luka." Azrael spat the words out and I ran a hand through my hair in agitation.

"What the hell is a Baiter, Azrael? You better tell me because obviously I have no fucking clue what you are talking about." I stared at him expectantly and he seemed actually surprised at my admission before he scowled again.

"A Baiter is a testing shifter. They can sense when another shifter is hiding their power and they test the personalities. There are two reactions when confronted by a Baiter, an urge to protect or an urge to attack. There is no in between. They are used by Alphas in negotiations to see who can be trusted and who can't." He looked at me expectantly and I glanced at Maricella. Well that certainly explained a few things. She fit the description. Hell, there were many times when she asked me when I would stop hiding my wolf, not to mention the urge I had to protect her that seemed to be a common theme of the people she stuck around.