“Luna, you have no idea how much this opportunity means to my mate and me.” Sondi gushes as she collects her things to leave. “The Alpha and Luna from our old pack would have never trusted me to do something like this. Scott works in the hospital wing as a medic now, since there are no surgery positions open. We could really use the money to help bring our daughter here.”I feel my brow furrow. She’s separated from her child. Dad wouldn’t help them transfer their pup when he let them become pack members? That makes no sense.“Oh, you’re from another pack? Is your daughter with family back home?” I ask as I lead her toward the door. “What made you come to Blood River? The war?”“Oh, no. Our former Alpha, um, he sort of-” “Luna, security sensors are going off in several places in the building.” James bursts in. “Don’t leave your office. Lock the door. We’re going to check it out. Mrs. Eklund, you too. We’re on lockdown until we clear the building.”“We won’t go anywhere.” I take Sondi

Bronx’s POV“So… I can go wherever I want?” My heart feels like it might explode. “Well, to an extent. You still need to check into the Behavioral Health ward by ten p.m. every evening.” Doctor Tanaka writes in her folder. “I think we’ve done as much as we can on our own. We need to ease you back into pack life. We’ll meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, instead of Mondays and Thursdays to see how you’re adjusting. I know structure makes things easier for you, so I’d like you to find two volunteer opportunities around the pack to get you used to being around civilians again.”“Around civilians?” Saint sounds confused. “Lame. Unless our mate is a civilian. Cause if she is, game on.”“Saint, we talked about this. Being an Alpha means we’re responsible for a lot of wolves. It’s not just about being a warrior and finding our mate.”“Okay, but we still haven’t found her, so looking for her comes before other werewolves.” He argues. “Time’s a tickin’, motherfucker.”“Does Saint have some

Saint presses the wood deeper into the impostor’s neck, creating a thin red line of blood along the sharp broken edge. Half an inch and we could completely sever the artery. No one could save this bitch. I can’t let him kill her yet. She fucking deserves it, but we need to know what she did with Reggie and Minnie. We can make her life a living Hell until then. “Where is Reggie?” Saint’s lip curls in anger. I can feel his composure disintegrating. He wants the kill as badly as I do. The sooner she confesses, the sooner we can bleed her dry. “And what did you do with Minnie, you bitch?” “Saint, let me talk to Bronx. Please. Please, I’m not a witch or any other sort of shapeshifter other than a werewolf. And I don’t know where Minnie is, but I wish I fucking did, because she’s probably the only one who could talk sense into you right now.” The fake Reggie’s eyes squeeze shut. He tries to swallow, but the added pressure causes the skin to rip further open on the sharp wood. Bright red b

“Elder Randall, Luna, a treat for you.” An Omega comes into the room weighed down with another platter of snacks and flights of amber colored liquor. “We just received a delivery and wanted Elder Randall to get to try some rare bourbons before we offer them to the rest of the Council. Mrs. Miller put the brand and year for each one on the tray.”She sets the platter and long flight tray on the coffee table between Randall and me. She gives me a wink when she turns toward me to refill my wineglass. Then excuses herself from the room.“Wow, what a treat!” I feign surprise. “Elder Randall, you’re the bourbon aficionado between us. Why don’t you take the lead?”Randall’s eyes swim for a moment. He wipes his nose with his sleeve, then he picks up a glass. “Of course, Lenora. We’ll start with this one.”“He really is a vile creature, isn’t he?” Justice scoffs.“If there is a word worse than vile, he’s that word.” “A Stymphalist wandought.” She says, sounding disgusted.“Mmm, yeah… don’t ho

Outside the netting, I hear movements. I grip Milo a little tighter, praying he’ll wake up. Instead, he sighs contentedly and kisses my forehead. For the first time, I damn the medications that help him sleep through the night. “Justice? Can you tell what’s happening?” I try to hold still. “Can you feel it?” She whispers in my mind. “Mavri magea.” “What the Hell is mavri magea, Justice?” Every part of me wants to rip the netting off, but I stay in place like Hana warned. “Dark Magic.” She sounds like she’s in awe. “Lenora, don’t move. We're in danger.” She doesn’t come forward or help me heighten my senses. Is she enchanted? That would mean I am too, but I feel fine. “Dark magic?” I hone my focus to see if I can feel any magical effects. I can hear guard wolves in the distance growling at something and changing formation. I don’t smell any rogues. The air feels heavy and empty the way it did when the portal opened for Sin. Milo whines silently in his sleep and stretches his bod