SableTrystan does just what he promises.I fall asleep in his arms, and although I wake up the next morning alone, I feel more rested than I have in a long time.The North and West packs arrive early, before the sun has fully crested the horizon. I manage to chug a single cup of coffee before we have to hurry out to join the gathering crowd and help get them settled in various places around the village.Of course we chose to combine all three packs in the smallest of the three villages. In hindsight, that was probably a terrible idea.But the East Pack steps up, every home graciously accepting entire families from the neighboring packs. We have to deal with the logistics of keeping children and the elderly safe by making sure they end up in houses that have basements where they can be sheltered during the battle.I spend several hours carting cots, pillows, and blankets into the meetinghouse for overflow, while Ridge and Trystan do a roll call with their packs, making sure nobody is

DareI take down another witch—a big guy standing over a dead wolf. I’m not pretty about it. He’s standing over a dead shifter, and as far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t deserve to die with his head attached.It seems like an eternity passes as I race through the chaos, but I know it’s only a few moments. There’s magic everywhere, and smoke hangs thick and heavy, obscuring my vision. The gunshots are fewer now, whether that’s because the shifters carrying the weapons are dead, or because they can’t see well enough to take a shot, I don’t know. There are witches all around me, but I’ve lost sight of the wolves.Cleo was right about one thing—if it were just the East Pack against the coven, the witches would decimate Archer’s people.As it is, we’ve given them a false sense of victory. Enough to hopefully make them cocky and stupid.I barrel into another male witch’s legs and throw the fucker off his feet. Before I can dart in and finish him off, blinding pain slams into my haunches, and

Sable“Sable!”Dare’s voice is almost as hoarse as mine was earlier as he cries out, running toward me. I barely have time to look up before I’m swept into his arms, pressed against him in a bone-crushing hug.I wrap my arms around him too, clinging tightly to him as I breathe in the scent of blood and smoke that clings to his skin.“You’re alive,” I gasp. “The others?”My heart stutters as I ask the question. I lost track of everyone when the magic overtook me, and as I remember the strange sensation of being nothing but a conduit for the power, a shudder runs down my spine.Did I kill any wolves in my attack? Did I hurt any of my mates? I wasn’t even throwing spells, just pure, raw magic. I had no control.“They’re okay.” I feel him nod, but he doesn’t loosen his grip on me at all. “What the hell was that?” he rasps.“Magic.” I swallow, tears pricking my eyes. “I don’t know what happened.”“It’s okay.” I can hear the strain in his voice. He still hates witch magic, and I almost can’

ArcherIt’s not that I didn’t hear him, but I can’t think of anything else to say.“Malcolm was a good man,” Trystan says, looking slightly uncomfortable in his own skin. Open displays of emotion still aren’t really his thing. “At first, I thought it was fucked how you, like, tag-teamed the whole alpha thing. But I didn’t know, you know? I didn’t know better. But I see why you did it now.”I jab at the button to set the coffee brewing, then turn to face him fully. “You do?”“Yeah. The pack needed Malcolm. Hell, they were lucky to have him. Fucking great leader. Really.” He pauses and brushes a hand back over his hair, then blows out a breath before he catches my gaze. “They’re lucky to have you too, man. And you’re going to be a great alpha even without him here to lead with you. You were great together. But you’ll be great alone too.”I catch sight of Sable over his shoulder, her blue eyes trained on us. She’s sitting at the kitchen table, though she looks like she’s on the edge of h

SableI stand with my face turned toward the early morning sun as it shines over the forest bordering the northern edge of East Pack lands.Somewhere nearby, perched in the trees, several chickadees whistle at each other and then flutter around like tiny wisps of light, while deeper in the forest, I can sense a herd of deer passing quietly—all of them aware that a couple hundred predators lie sleeping just beyond their woodland protection.The scene should be idyllic. I should be floating on cloud nine right now—I’m in love with four beautiful men, with a home to call my own and this glorious morning all around me. The sky is on fire, an aurora of pinks and golds being chased away slowly as the light blue overtakes them. My sharpened shifter senses mean I can smell everything, hear everything, even feel the sun’s heat on my skin with more intensity, feel the cool breeze off the mountains like a lover’s caress. Maybe if I could stumble through life wearing rose-colored glasses, I’d be i