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Mark was at my side. Always.
The trees gave way to a clearing.
There, waiting for us, were witches.
Aileen stood as we approached. Patrice stayed sitting where he was, off from all the others, eyes closed and legs crossed. His hands were on his knees as he breathed in and out slowly.
“Alphas Bennett and Matheson,” Aileen said, bowing low. It was the most formal I’d seen her since she arrived in Green Creek the night Ox had called the Omegas. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”
Ox and Joe bowed in return, eyes flashing in respect. I didn’t think we needed to stand on ceremony, but Thomas had drilled it into Joe, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. “We are well met in Bennett territory,” Joe said, sounding a little stiff. “You and yours are welcome here in the spirit of unity.”
Aileen looked as if she was trying to keep a smile from her face. “Indeed. The spirit of unity. Tell me, Alpha. Will you do what you must for your pack?”
“Yes,” Joe said without hesitation.
“I expected as much. Patrice has been meditating since the sun reached its zenith. The lan
d here, this place—it speaks to him. To all of us, I think. I understand why your family chose it. And why others have tried to take it from you.”
“They have tried,” Elizabeth said coolly. “Again and again. But they haven’t succeeded.”
There was the smile Aileen had tried to hide. “No, I don’t suppose they have. A message has been sent, I think. But I worry it will still be ignored by nonbelievers. This is but one ending. There are other things to come.”
“We’ll be ready,” Kelly said, standing next to his brother. Carter growled in response.
“I know you will. Shall we?”
The witches began to spread out around the edges of the clearing. I recognized a few of them when they nodded in my direction. They were all without a pack. I wondered what Michelle Hughes would think of them being here with us. If she wasn’t scared yet, she would be soon enough.
It was similar to how it’d been when we destroyed the door between Ox and the Omegas. Only this seemed bigger somehow, beyond anything that I’d ever been part of. Kelly and I sat in front of Patrice. The ground was wet beneath us, but I ignored it. Without hesitation, Kelly reached over and took my hand.
“All right?” I asked him quietly.
He nodded tightly. “If this doesn’t work—”
“It will.”
He squeezed my hand. “If it doesn’t, I need you to know I don’t blame you. For Carter. For Mark. For anything.”
“You should.”
“No. I shouldn’t. You did what you thought was right. And we’re all still here. If this doesn’t work, there will be another way. We’ll find it. I know we will.”
“Yeah,” I said, looking away. “We will.”
“Gordo?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m scared.”
“Me too.”
He let out a shuddering breath. “But we’re strong. All of us. Because there’s never been a pack like ours.”
“Nevermore,” I whispered, and somehow he knew what I was trying to say.
Mark lay next to me, resting his head in my lap. Carter did the same to Kelly. Our pack gathered behind us. Rico’s hand was on one shoulder and Tanner’s on the other. Chris touched the top of my head, fingers tangling with my hair. Elizabeth stood above her sons, her legs pressed against Kelly’s back. Robbie was next to her and, after a moment of hesitation, reached down and touched the side of Kelly’s face.
