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“Ofcourseyoudid,”Igroaned,followinghimouttotheliving room.

  Thefourmenstaredwhenweentered.Nervousnesscoursedfrom theMainetrio,andhostilityrolledoffofCooperatanalarmingrate.He reallywasn'tpleasedwithhisbabysittingrole.Funnyhowhesurvived keepinganeyeonmejustfine.

  “Sowhatdidyouguysfigureoutduringyourlittleouting?”Iasked, needingtobreakthesilenceintheroom.

  “Nothing,”Coopersaidwithgreatannoyance.“Theyonlywantto talktoyou.”

  “Seriously?Theydidn'tsayanything?”

  “Notaword.”

  Cooperwashangingonbyathinthread.Hisdistrustwasapparent toallpartiespresent,andunfortunatelyforme,Seanwascompletelyon hiswavelength.

  “AndifIaskforanswers?”Seanasked,hisvoicecalmand menacing.

  Jannershruggedslightly.“Thatisanentirelydifferentmatter.”

  Coopergrowled.Idon'tthinkheenjoyedbeingone-uppedbySean.

  Idecidedtotryandsortthemessout,seeingthatitwasstilleither thatoptionorabloodbathinmylivingroom.Thelittlecooling-offperiod Seanhadmandatedtheboystakehadn'tdoneanythingtohelp.Therewas toomuchtestosteroneintooconfinedaspace.

  “Yousaidyouneedrefuge,”Istarted,tryingtorecallwhatJanner hadsaidearlier.“Butwhyhere?Whydoyouthinkyou'rebetteroffhere withme?With us?”

  “Becauseofwhatyouare,”Jannerstatedlikethatpointwas painfullyobvious.“Ihavetoadmitthatweweresurprisedthatitwasso easyto collectyouinthewoodsthatday.Wethoughtwewerepossibly goingonasuicidemissionevenattemptingtoapproachyou.Butoncewe sawyousittingagainstthetree,youseemedsofrightened―fragileeven.

  Wewerefarmoreconcernedwithyourwell-beingatthatpoint.Moreso thanourown.

  “Sowetookyouinandhelpedyou,whichaffordedusan opportunitytoseehowtherealyoustackedupagainstyourreputation.

  Pleasantly,wefoundyoutobefarmorerationalthanwehadbeenledto believe.Hadwenotseenyouinactionpriortothat,Idon'tknowthatwe wouldbeherenow,askingforyourhelp.Youseemasthoughsomehow, unlikeotherwerewolves,youandyourwolfarepolaropposites.”

  “Yes,well,Idoseemtobeabitofanenigma,”Irepliedwitha smile,tryingtomakelightofhisobservation.Hehadhitthenailonthe headanditmademeuncomfortable.Itseemedtohavethesameeffecton CooperandSean.

  “Sowhatyou'rebasicallysayingisthatyouwanttohidebehind Ruby'sskirtjustincaseyourbigbadalphacomeslookingforyou?"

  Coopersneered.“Youmadeyourfuckingbed.Figureoutawaytosleep init.”

  “Idon'thidefromanyone,youfuckingprick,”Alistairbarked.

  Cooperlaughed.“Iwouldn'tevenbreakasweatkillingyou.”

  “Well,Iguessit'sgoodthatnobodywillbekillinganyonetonight, sowewon'thavetotesttheveracityofthatstatement,"Iinterjected.

  “Notyet,”CooperandSeanchimedtogether.Thetwoslowlyturned tolookatoneanotherwiththemostunsettledexpressions.

  “Anyway,”Isaid,tryingtobringthefocusbacktotheissueathand.

  “YouthinkthatI'mgoingtotakeyouinsothatIcanjustinvitetroubleto mydoorstep?"

  “Myhope,Ruby,wasthatyouwouldconsideroursituationand thinkaboutitbeforereadilydismissingus.ThestoriesthatI'veheard neverspokeofyourdualnature.Youseemsoveryhumantome.I wonderifourplightcouldpossiblyappealtothatinflatedsenseof humanity.IfTobiasweretofindoutaboutourlocation...,"hesaid,letting hislackofcompletionspeakforitself.

  “Youthinkhe'dbedissuadedfromcomingafteryoubecausethis seeminglytoo-humanwerewolfisactuallyaruthlessassassin."

  “Ifyou'recomfortableputtingitthatway,thenyes.”

  “SoI'mthe'justincase'plan?”

  “Inasense.”Hisexpressionwassurprisinglyunapologetic.

  Theironyofthesituationwastoomuchforme.Theywantedtobe nearmeforprotection,andIcouldn'teventakecareofmyselfbecause Scarlethadtakenaleaveofabsence.

  “Idon'treallyknowhowtotellyouthis,guys,butI'mnotreally goingtobeabletohelpmuchbecause―"

  “Ruby!”SeanandCooperyelledsimultaneously.Itwastruly bizarre.

  “IthinkwhatRubyistryingtosay,”Cooperstarted,“isthatshe'son atightleashthesedays.Shecan'tjustgoandtakecareofyourproblems withoutconsequence."CoopershotaglanceatSeanandthenbacktothe boys.“Hemaybehermate,buthersurvivalisdependentonkeepingher noseclean.Allyouthreeseemtowanttodoisdirtyitforher.”

  “Idon'tthinkit'llbeanissue,”Jannercountered.“IfTobiasknows thatwe'realignedwithyou,Idon'tthinkevenhewouldbedumb enough―orsuicidalenough―tocomeafterus.Heenjoysbreathingfar toomuchforthat.”

  “That'squiteagamble,”Seanadded.“Andonethatnoneofusare willingtomake.”

  “Agreed,”growledCooper.

  Flankedbythetwomeninmylife,Ilookedoveratthesomber threesome.Beckett'sfacewasimpassive,butJannerandAlistairhad looksofuncertaintyandtheenergytogoalongwithit.Theirshieldshad beendroppedtheinstanttheconversationstarted,andwhatevertheyhad hopedtoaccomplishbycomingtomyhouseduringthestormofthe centurywasn'tpanningout.Itlookedasthoughtheywererunningoutof hopeaswellasoptions.

  “Nowthatwe'veheardwhatyoucameheretosay...,”Seanbegan, motioningtowardthedoor.

  IwatchedasJannertookadeep,cleansingbreathbeforegiving SeanandCooperbothacurtnodandleadinghismentothedoor.Beckett followedwithoutargumentoracknowledgmentofanyofus.Ilookedon, feelingasthoughsomethingjustwasn'tquiteright.Itdidn'tfeelgood sendingthemaway.WhenIbroughtmyattentionbacktoAlistair,he stoodsteadfast,staringatmewithapainedexpression.Helooked desperatetosaysomething.

  “Ali,”Jannercalledfromthedoorway.“We'llfindanotherway...”

  Alistair'seyesremainedfixedonminewithapleadinggaze.He openedhismouthtospeak,thencloseditandstartedtogotohis packmates,aslightlydefeatedpostureovertakinghim.

  “Alistair,”Icalled,lungingtowardhim.Hestartledatmyapproach, buthaltedallthesame.“Istheresomethingyouwanttotellme?

  SomethingotherthanwhatI'veheard?"

  HelookedtoJanner,seekingpermissionwithhiseyes.Janner pressedhislipstightlyandsighedbeforegivinghimanodofapproval.

  Withoutskippingabeat,Alistairdroppedabombonus.

  “They'vebeengoingmissingforawhilenow,”hetoldme,jumping righttothemeatofhisstory.Itleftmecompletelybewildered.

  “Who?Who'sbeengoingmissing?”

  “Packmembers,”hesaidflatly.“Atfirst,wethoughtitwas coincidence.Oneortwohaddisappeared,buttherealwaysseemedtobea reasontoexplainawayanydoubt.Mostwerelowerrankingmembers whoweren'treallyinlovewithbeingapartofthepack.Theywould ratherhavebeenloners.Initially,wethoughtthey'dalljustbuggeredoff."

  Again,helookedtoJannerwithanairofuncertaintyclouding everythingaroundhim.Itwasapparentthatthiswasacardhe'dhopedto nothavetoplay.

  “Butlater...,”Iprodded,tryingtodragitoutofhim.

  “Later,itwasrandommembersofthepack.Andthelastonetobe taken,shewasmymate.SomeonetookmyJemma."

  Myshoulderssaggedwithcompassion.Thepainhefeltwas staggering,andpartofmeknewalltoowellwhatthatfeltlike.Theother partofmethatalsoknewexactlywhatthatfeltlikewasstilltooAWOL

  tocare.

  “When?”Seanasked,hisboomingvoicestartlingme.

  “Afewmonthsago,”Alistairsaid,tryingdesperatelytocompose himself.“Shelefttorunsomeerrandsonedayandnevercameback."

  “I'msosorry,Ali
stair,”Iwhispered.

  “Whatdoesthishavetodowithyoustayinghere?”Cooperblurted outfrombehindme.

  “Cooper!”

  “Well?”hesnarled.“It'sasadstoryandall,andIfeelbadforhim, butthatdoesn'thaveanythingtodowithus.MaybeyoushouldsendSean overtheretofigureoutwhat'shappening."

  “Havealittlecompassion,Coop!Howwouldyoufeelifyourmate weretaken?”

  Helookedatmeangrily,butIcouldseehimprocessingthat thought.Iteasedtheharshnessinhisfaceeversoslightly.

  “Pleasegoon,”Iurged.

  “Thereasonwekilledthelastalphaisn'tquitewhatweleton before,”hesaidwithhesitation.“Thetruthisthatweacquiredevidence indicatingthathehadbeensellinghisowntosomeonefortesting,but testingforwhatandbywhomweneverfoundout.Ioverheardhimonthe phoneonenight.HewastalkingtowhoeverhadJemma.Hetoldthemto killthebitchifitwasn'tworking.Hehadhermurdered.”Hepausedfora moment,squeezinghiseyesshuttightly.“TherageIfeltwasunlike anythingI'veeverexperienced.Itorehimtopieceswithmybarehands beforeIevenrealizedwhatIwasdoing.”

  “Andthat'swhyyouleft,”Iutteredasmyheartfellintomy stomach.

  “Wehadnochoice,”Jannerofferedfromhisplaceinthedoorway.

  “Hadwestayed,therepercussionswouldhavebeenimmense.Thenext alphacouldn'thaveallowedthatkindofmutinousbehavior,sohegaveus onechancetoescapewithourlives.Wetookit.Itwasonlylaterthatwe learnedthathemighthaveorchestratedtheentireevent.I'mquitecertain heusedus.”

  “Ifyouhaveservedyourpurposetohim,whyareyousoconvinced thathewillcomeforyou?”Seanaskedfrankly.

  “LikeIsaidbefore,hehasnohonor.And,tobehonest,Ithinkhe wasalittlefrightenedbyAli'sdisplaythatnight,"Jannerexplained.

  “Manyofthepacksawhoweasilyhetorethroughourlateleader.Iwas there.I'veneverseenanythinglikeitinallmyyears,thoughIdon'tthink itcouldbereproducedondemand.Hewasbeyondlethal.Tobiaswill havethatweighingonthebackofhismindatalltimes,wonderingif we'llcomebackforhim.HewasDeacon'sright-handman.He'sknown allalongwhatwasgoingonanddecidedtoplaybothsidesofthefence whileitsuitedhispurposes.I'mafraidhe'sstillcarryingoutwhateverhad beenstarted.Fromwhatwe'veheardthroughthegrapevine,pack membersarestillgoingmissing...”

  “Interestingtheory,butI'mnotbuyingit,”Coopersaid,moving closertome.

  “WouldyounotavengeRubyifsomethingweretoeverhappento her?”Aliasked,hisvoiceuncharacteristicallysoftanddistant.

  Coopergrowled.

  “Iwouldstopatnothingtotakedownanyoneoranythingthat harmedasinglehaironherhead,”herumbledthreateningly."Apoint thatyouwouldbewisetoremember― verywise.”

  “ThenyouunderstandhowIfeel,andyouknowitgivesvalidityto Tobias'fear,”Alistairadded.“Myrevengeisn'tcompleteuntilallwho hurtJemmaarecoldanddead. Allofthem.”

  SeanstirredbehindmeandIjumped;I'dnearlyforgottenhewas there.

  “ThisTobias,”hesaid,walkingtowardAlistair.“Doyouhaveproof thatheknewwhatwasgoingonorthathe'sstilldoingitnow?"

  Alistair'sexpressionwentgrim.“No,notdirectly.Everythingwe hadobtainedaboutDeacon'sinvolvementwasthroughTobias.Eventhe phonecallIoverheard;Tobiashadtippedmeofftoit.Whenweleft,all thatevidencewasleftbehind,andI'msurehasbeenlongsincedestroyed.

  WewerehopingthatmaybethePCcouldassistusinlocatingsomenew information."Sean'seyesnarrowedaccusingly.“Whenweheardabout Ruby,wealsoheardthatshemayhavehadsome... influencewiththePC.

  Wewerehopingthatshewouldhelpuswiththataswell.”

  “Sean,”Isaidquietly,“Iknowyou'reuneasyaboutthis,butAlistair isright.Youbothwouldgotoanylengthtohurtsomeonethattriedto harmmeoranyoneelseyoulove.Can'tyouempathizewithhissituation?

  And,really,ifthere'ssomepsychosellingoffpackmemberstoGodonly knowswhatfate,canyoutellmeyou'reokaywiththat?"Hestaredatme withoutresponding,soIpulledoutthebigguns.“Iwassoldoff...,”I whispered,movingclosertohim.“Please,Iwanttohelpthem.Youhave tounderstandwhy.”

  Ireachedupontomytoes,notcaringthateveryoneintheroomwas staring,andkissedhimsoftly.Hisforestgreeneyespenetratedmine, tellingmethathewaswillingtoconcede,butlessthanthrilledwiththe idea.

  “IwillhaveoneofthebrothersgotoLondontocheckonmatters there,”hesaid,speakingovertopofmetoJanner."AndI'llalertthose alreadytheretobeonwatchforanythingsuspicious.Perhapsamild crackdownwillstrikealittlefearintothisTobias'heart,ifhehasone.”

  “Thatwouldbemuchappreciated,”Jannerrepliedwithgreat sincerity.

  “Thankyou,”Alistairadded.Helookedsovulnerablestandingin themiddleofmylivingroom―youngandgrief-stricken.

  “Cooper,”IcalledasIturnedtofacehim.“Canyouacceptthis?”

  Heaudiblysighed.

  “Ican.Fornow.Butwe'regoingtohavetosetsomeseriousground rulesfirst.Ifitcomestoachoicebetweenoursafetyandtheirs,those bitchesaregoingdownanydayoftheweek."

  “Cooper,”Jannersaid,loweringhisheadslightlytoaverthisgaze.

  Anactofsubmission.“Wedonotwishtobringharmtoyouoryours.If itbecomesasituationwherethatisthebottomline,wewillhappilygive ourselvesupsoastodivertanyviolenceawayfromyouboth.Willthat appeaseyou?"

  “It'sastart...”

  “Okaythen,”Isaid,walkingdownthehalltothelinencloset.

  “Lookslikewe'regoingtohaveagoodold-fashionedsleepover."

  “No,”CooperandSeanbarkedjustsecondsapart.

  “Theyarenotstayinghere,”Seaninformedme.Itwasclearbyhis tonethattherewasnonegotiatingthatpoint.

  “Well,theycouldstayupstairs,”Iofferedincompromise.He lookedatmedubiously.“Sean,it'slate.Justfortonight.Itshouldbefine.

  Itwon'tevenbecomfortable;they'llbemiserable,doesn'tthatmakeyou feelbetter?"

  “Immensely.”

  Iloadedupmyarmswitheveryextrasheet,blanket,andcomforter Icouldfind.Ididn'thaveextrapillows,soIstoppedbythecouchto swipeallthetosscushionsIcouldfindoffofit.CooperandSean watchedmeintentlyasIdid,neitheroneofthemliftingahandtohelp.It wastheirsilentdeclarationthat,thoughtheyhadconcededtomydesire tohelpourlittlestraywolves,theyweren'thappyaboutit.Theywere growingmoreandmorealikeeveryday.

  “Here,”Isaid,loadingupAlistair'sarmswiththebedding.“Follow me.”

  Imademywayoutontothelandingandledthetriouptothethird floorwithSeanandCooperpullinguptherear.Iopenedthestudioupand flippedonthelight.Withagrandsweepinggesture,Ishowedmyguests theiraccommodations.

  “It'sthebestIcanoffer.”

  “We'rehappytotakeit,”Jannersaid,lookingaroundtheroom.“I'll geteverythingelsesetuphere.It'sbeenalongnight.Youshouldget somerest."

  “Shedoesn'tneedyouradvice,”Seanthreatened.

  “Ofcourse,”Jannerrepliedwithasmallbow.

  Withthat,Iwasushereddownthestairsandbackintomy apartment,whichwasfinebyme.ThetestosteronecocktailI'dbeen swimminginallnightwasstartingtodrownme,andIwasthankfulto findmyselfinmyhousewithonlyhalfasmuchofittodealwith.

  Coopermadeashowoflockingthedoorbehindusbeforemaking hiswayovertometogivemeahugehuggoodnight.Seanseemedtotake itwelluntilCooperplantedalongandgentlekissonmycheek.Itwasn't sexualatall―hisenergytoldmeasmuch―butheknewitwouldrattle Sean'scagesohediditforonelastjollybeforehewentintohisbedroom andshuthisdoor
forthenight.

  Sean'seyesweregluedtothehallwaythatCooperhadjust disappeareddown.

  “Youknowhejustdoesittorileyouup,andyoutakethebaitevery time,”IinformedhimasIheadedtothebathroom.Hedidn'tfollow."Are youstaying?”Iaskedwhilemystomachdidalittleflip.

  Heeyedmestrangelyinresponse.

  “Ofcourse,I'mstaying,”herepliedasthoughmyquestionhadbeen utterlyridiculous.Perhapsitwas."ButIthinkI'llbestayingouthere tonight.Wouldn'twantoneoftheboystowanderinwhileweallare sleeping.”

  “Throughthelockeddoor?”Iaskedincredulously.

  “Exactly,”herepliedwithamischievousgrin.Ilovedthatgrin.

  “Suityourself.”Ishruggedandcontinuedonmypathtothe washroom.“It'sreallytoobadthough.Iwasn'tquitereadytogotosleep."

  Iflashedhimamischievousgrinofmyown.

  “JesusChrist,youtwo.”Cooper'smuffledvoicegroanedfromhis bedroom.“IfIhavetoputupwiththisfromnowon,I'mmovingout."

  “No,you'renot,”Iquipped.“Whowouldyouhavetobossaround allday?Youknowthat'syourfavoriteactivity."

  “Ugggh,”helamented.“Ihateitwhenyou'reright.”

  “Loveyoutoo,Coop.”

  IlookedbacktoseeSeansmilingatme.

  “Iseeyoutwohavestraightenedafewthingsout.I'mgladtosee that,”hesaid,withanimpishgrinthatimpliedheknewCooperwasmy alpha.Idon'tknowwhyitsurprisedme.

  “Yep.Wesuredid,thoughitprobablywouldhavebeeneasierhad youjusttoldmeyouknew.”

  “Itried,”hesaid,suddenlyrightinfrontofme.Icouldneverget usedtohowquicklyhecouldmove."IwasrudelyinterruptedbytheRev atthetime.Afterthat,therewasalwaysacrisistoattendto.Thatseems tobeyourgoldstandard,doesitnot?”Thewattageonhisplayfulgrin turnedupevenfurther.

  “Itcertainlyis,soI'llletyouoffthehookthistime,”Isaid,leaning intokisshimgentlybeforecatchinghisbottomlipbetweenmyteethand givingitalight,punishingtug.

  “Howgraciousofyou,”herepliedwithawhisper.“Now...how aboutwegoandtrytoremedythatlittlesleepissueofyours."