My thoughts came back into the room when it hit me that the only ones left were The Three.

“Gotta admit, sittin’ on our hands and waitin’ for shit doesn’t sit good with me either,” Abel told the table.

“It’s smart and it’s safe,” Callum replied.

“It’s still irritating,” Lucien murmured.

“Your last battle was five hundred years ago, Lucien. Mine was last Christmas,” Callum said quietly. “We should be smart and we should remain safe.”

“I don’t disagree with you, Cal,” Lucien returned. “However, this…” He swept a hand across the fine china and silver littering the table. “It isn’t our nature. Especially when that’s going on out there.” He pointed a finger at the window. “Therefore, we need to remember precisely what our nature is so we don’t end up doing something stupid due to impatience or frustration.”

“Agreed,” Callum said. “So we prepare. I train Abel to fight as wolf and you work with Abel’s brothers to further improve their abilities.”

“Agreed,” Lucien repeated Callum’s word.

“That’s good with me,” Abel added.

“Uh, what do we girls do?” I asked.

Lucien, Callum, and Abel (yep, all three) looked at me, baffled.

Yeesh.

Men.

“We are in on this destiny of saving the world too,” I reminded them and turned to Abel. “Xun, Wei, and Chen offered to train me in some of their kung fu magic.”

“I want them going two-, three-, four-on-one with Lucien and Callum’s wolves so they can improve their ‘kung fu magic,’” Abel said the last three words like they amused him, then added, “And so they can stay alive again if more shit goes down.”

“Okay, so I’ll get in on that. Leah and Sonia can do it with me if they want,” I returned.

“Sonia’s practicing with her abilities, attempting to increase her affinity with wildlife by communicating with them,” Callum shared. “Perhaps you can go out with her.”

“And miss my opportunity at throwing a ninja star?” I asked.

Callum’s lips quirked and his eyes slid to Abel.

Abel’s arm slid along the back of my chair and I looked to him. “Pussycat—” he began, and I knew what was coming. I didn’t know how, but I did.

And all I could think about what was coming was, Oh no he didn’t.

“I get your protective instinct, baby, but I have one too,” I reminded him.

“The boys need to be prepared,” he reminded me.

“So do the girls,” I returned.

“True, but it’s doubtful any of you will see actual fighting,” Abel retorted.

“You don’t know that,” I pointed out, and his face got hard.

“I fuckin’ do,” he growled.

Oh man.

“Abel—”

“Let us do what we gotta do.”

“Abel!”

His face suddenly was in mine. “Lilah, let us do what we gotta do.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what about what we gotta do?”