jack glanced down briefly and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he stood and nodded. “We’re going to finish this. Together. What do you want to do?”There was the shifter I was hoping to see.“We need to gather those who want to fight,” Elena said. “But they need to be fully aware that this could be a fight to the death. Not everyone is going to make it back home. Not when the other side has a witch working for them.”He nodded and grimaced. “Let me see what I can do about countering Hazel. I’ve been stockpiling certain things for an emergency situation. I might have enough potions that I’ve traded for to make a difference.”His words reminded me that I had a whole house full of shit that I’d acquired over the years in my dealings.I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of that before, but if Amy could get me there without having to make the several-hours-long drive, then we’d have an advantage Jacob and Hazel wouldn’t be expecting.“Do you need help preparing your people?” Elena a

Without waiting to hear his response, I grabbed Elena’s hand and pulled her to my room, which had already been ransacked. “Fuck,” I muttered.Thankfully, I wasn’t a moron and had hidden most of my more important items, but still, we’d only be taking back half of what I’d hoped for.My dresser was toppled over, and the drawers were all broken. The closet door had been ripped from the hinges, and all my clothes were shredded and lying on the floor or on my bed, which had been overturned.Elena gasped next to me, taking in the destruction. “I’m so sorry, Atlas.”“They’re just things,” I said as I shoved the box spring and mattress out of my way.When I’d tracked down someone’s runaway teenager and only asked for cloaking spells in return, they’d thought I was crazy, but they’d sure the hell come in handy now.Quickly, I ripped the wooden slats up from the floor and unearthed three chests. One smaller and the most important, the other two larger and filled with weapons and other potions.

She looked up with admiration I didn’t expect. “I’m sure she’s proud of the man you’ve become.”I wasn’t sure about that, but there were other things we needed to be discussing instead of diving back into my past.“You should pick your weapon of choice,” I said, nodding to the other trunks sitting on the floor next to us.While Elena opened the first, I took the memento box and tucked it in the attached bathroom behind the pipes under the sink. It was as good a place as any for now.When I came back into the room, Elena was wielding a sword. It was one that required two hands to handle, but she didn’t seem to have any problems keeping it upright.“You want that one?” I asked as I opened the second chest.She peeked inside, then set the sword on the bed. “It’s a contender.”I handed her a set of matching daggers that she set next to the sword after swiping them through the air a few times. Then she tried out throwing stars that ended back in the box along with the nunchucks, a flail, a

Mark tried to hold her, but whatever power she was emanating didn’t allow that to happen.“This isn’t your fault,” he said sternly. “The heads-up you did give them will have helped, and so can we.”“Oh, yes. We’re going to fucking help. Help unlike anything they’ve ever seen.” With those final words, Lia charged forward, shifting into her pearl-colored unicorn as she ran.Mark ran after her, his hickory-colored wolf quickly coming into appearance as he gave chase.I glanced at Atlas once more. “Should we join them or search for Johnathon and Hazel?”“Join them,” he answered, then added, “for now.”Before we took off after our friends, his hand wrapped tightly around the back of my neck, jerking me forward until I was pressed flush against his chest. Our eyes locked in a battle of mixed emotions.“Be fucking careful,” he demanded before his mouth crashed down onto mine.My fingers gripped his shirt tightly, bunching the fabric until my hands began to hurt.I pulled back first, knowing

Jacob glowered. “Apparently, the coven didn’t teach you any manners.”“I only reserve those for people who deserve them.” I took another step to the right and a quick glance at the boulder. My eyes briefly caught movement that I hoped would be someone who could take Sammy from me.My Bear was dying to escape and rip these fuckers to shreds, but I couldn’t until I no longer had the boy to protect.“So, what do you want from me?” I asked again, hoping to buy myself some time. Plus, it would be nice to know why this fucker framed me for murder.His chin lifted slightly. “You were supposed to be mine.”My stomach churned, taking his words one way, but Jacob continued before I could verbally react.“Your mother was my fated mate,” he said hauntingly. “She was my life, and when she’d told me she was pregnant, I was the happiest man in the world.”Except I wasn’t his. I was Mathis’s child.“But my Rosy wasn’t far enough along for me to be the father.” His eyes darkened as he stared at me wit