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He let out a loud yelp as Ox landed on his back, forcing him down on the ground. Ox roared in his ear as Carter twisted underneath him, trying to knock Ox off to get at his brother. The call of his Alpha startled him, breaking him out of his shift almost instantly. He panted up at Ox, whose teeth were near his throat. “Holy shit,” he breathed. “I didn’t mean to. Oh my god, Ox, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t—”
Ox snapped at him.
He fell quiet.
Joe moved toward them, motioning for Kelly to back away. I thought Kelly was going to argue, but he did as his Alpha said. Joe stood above his brother, his hand on his mate’s side. He said, “Carter.”
“Joe! I don’t know what happened. Okay? I didn’t mean to—”
And Joe said, “Show me your eyes.”
“It’s not like that. I swear. I just forgot for a second. I’m not—I’m not like that. I’m not like them—”
“Show me. Your eyes.”
Carter looked stricken as his blue eyes changed color.
Orange.
Only orange, as bright as always.
Joe sighed. “Ox, let him up.”
Ox stepped off him, but not before he leaned down and pressed his nose into Carter’s neck, a pulse of brother home safe home rolling through the threads. Carter curled into a ball on the ground, a wounded noise pouring from his throat. Kelly was at his side a moment later, putting a hand in Carter’s hair, whispering in his ear, telling him it was fine, everything was fine, it would be okay, Carter, I’m here, I swear I’m not mad. I’m not going to leave you, we’re gonna be okay.
Robbie looked as if he was going to go to them, but Elizabeth stopped him, a hand wrapped around his wrist. She shook her head when he looked back at her. “Let them be,” she said quietly.
Robbie nodded but turned back toward them, shoulders tense.
“What the hell was that?” Rico whispered.
“Dunno,” Tanner said. “Do you think…?”
“Does it happen that fast?” Chris asked. “I thought it was supposed to take weeks. Maybe it’s the full moon?”
“Would you idiots be quiet?” Jessie hissed. “They can hear you.”
“Right,” Rico said. “Sorry about that. We’ll just stand here silently, watching as two naked brothers lay on each other and cry. Aye. My life.”
“CAN WE beat this?”
I needed to hear it from her. I needed her to say yes. I needed her to tell me so that I could be brave.
Elizabeth didn’t look at me. “I don’t know. If anyone can, I would expect it to be us. But sometimes strength isn’t enough. We need to prepare. Just in case.” Her voice broke at the end.
I wanted to give her promises I knew I couldn’t keep.
But I couldn’t find the words.
I left her standing in the kitchen.
I REACHED out to some old contacts. Witches without packs, as I couldn’t trust those with wolves. Not when I didn’t know what Michelle was capable of.
Abel had told me once the moon had missed her love. That the wolves came to be because of that. That witches were created due to a last-ditch effort to stop the sun from burning those who sang to her.
It was bullshit, of course.
Once, when magic flourished, there were more of us. Magic hadn’t yet begun to fade, dying out with each passing generation. Covens existed, groups of witches that numbered in the dozens. Some were good. Some were not. Most of them burned.
