2

Biting the hand that feeds them was not a good idea because I was going to bite back, and my bite was so much bigger. Deadlier.

Stupid, naive humans had no idea how the delicate magic that held everything together always demanded something. Virgin sacrifices, an eye for an eye…nothing was free.

The wolves had been paying that price for a long time. For the humans. Where was the balance there? Or maybe this was a lesson for them. If it was, I was happy to let them learn it.

As long as Lorelai wasn’t a part of it.

“I don’t want you to find the other humans. I don’t care about them. Where is Lorelai, Tabitha? Find the baby, the link, I don’t care, just give me something.” I tried again, my mind just as blocked as hers seemed to be.

She shook her head again and placed a hand on my shoulder, kissing my forehead.

“Patience, sweetness. This realm would not have granted you such a blessing as a winter born alpha child just to rip it away from you,” she tried, but I was done with the patronizing.

I stood up and kicked my chair back, anger rolling through my body so fast and hot it ached core deep. My heart pulsed with dangerous beats that spread an enraged storm through me.

People died when I felt that happen. I was done caring about the balance and the rules. The humans had taken what was mine, and I was going to slaughter every single one of them until I found the ones responsible.

She had been at her mother’s last. I had left her there, stupidly believed she was safe, and yet her mother thought she had gone home.

So, I would start back there, knock down every house like the big bad wolf, make the piggies squeal until she was in my arms again.

And with the way I was feeling, that wouldn’t take long.

“Thanks for the tea,” I said and went to leave when Cain dared to step in front of me.

“Mom may be bound by the witches’ laws, but I am not. I am a hybrid.”

“Which means?” I demanded, giving him a second before I forcefully removed him out of my way by his nose ring.

“They wouldn’t let me take the oath that stopped me from using my magic against the humans.” Cain smirked, and Tabitha gasped.

“Cain. Son. Don’t. The witches’ anger is on the humans. You will redirect it if you thwart them this way,” she warned.

Cain shrugged. He flared some purple magic along his fingers, then snapped, and it turned to a flame in the air before dissipating.

“They already find me offensive, which is why my magic is not limited to their laws.

Let me try this, for her and for the child,” he said, and I raised a brow.

I wasn’t sure why he cared enough to try, but I wasn’t going to question it. I needed the answers he might be able to get more than my next breath.

“Do it.”

“Cain. You are not strong enough to do the spell needed. Not without the witches’

backing,” Tabby warned.

There weren’t many times I had seen her afraid, but she was now, which had me hesitating.

“What does that mean?”

Cain pushed my hand off his shoulder and shrugged.

“It means I’ll get what I can before my magic overwhelms me.

“It might be nothing, but it might get us something,” he said, then went to the candles, blowing each one out until only a single flame lit up the altar in the living room.

The one with all the ingredients used to make Tabby’s potions.

“You won’t die?” I asked, but he snickered.

“If it gets her back, do you really care?” he asked, and I pursed my lips.

No. The truth was no. I’d swap his life for hers in a heartbeat. He nodded and smiled.

“I mated, Kai. Yesterday. If she was in trouble, pregnant, I’d do whatever it took too,” he admitted, and I couldn’t help the shock that rocked me.

“Mated? The pack didn’t feel it.”

“I know. I want to keep it private for now, if you don’t mind,” Cain said, and I nodded.

He was lucky he could stop that from happening. I could stop the link to the pack hearing my thoughts or getting to mine, but I couldn’t stop the feeling that was always there.

The pack was always heavy in my mind, always letting me know they were safe or if there was danger. Cain could switch that off, but it meant the pack kept him at arm’s length.

“Help me find her, and I’ll keep your secret.”

“I already told you I would.” He smiled, then started mixing things like a madman in his little wooden bowl, crushing things together, whispering as he went.

Tabby stood back, watching warily. I stepped back with her, my wrist burning even more. I winced and looked down at it.

“It’ll get worse the longer you ignore it,” she whispered in the dark, but I said nothing.

I knew that. I knew every day I ignored the brand was a day closer to death. It would kill me. Eventually.

But I wasn’t giving in to the brand. I would rather give in to the darkness than let fate destroy Lorelai.

And it would. Seeing me mate with someone else would break her, especially with a child in her. Our child, all four of ours, one I desperately wanted.

“I won’t mate.”

“I know, sweetie.”

I held the silence, waiting with tense breaths as Cain made whatever concoction he needed.

“I need your blood, Kai. For the link,” he said, and I held my hand out.

Cain came over with the bowl then sliced over my hand. I squeezed it shut so the drops of my blood fell into the bowl. It sizzled at the contact, then steamed, a floral aroma filling the room, making me a little dizzy.

Cain drew it in, then grinned.

“I can sense her. I just have to see her,” he said, and I almost fell to my knees at the words.

“Do it then,” I demanded, and he nodded, closing his eyes, breathing in the steam again.

It fizzled louder, and Cain whispered some words. He frowned, and I watched, waiting, my heart pounding in my ears, my blood rushing as I tried not to get too excited.

Cain frowned again, sucking in a breath as he coughed. My eyes narrowed as he grunted and fell to his knees.

“Cain…”

“I got it, Mom. I’m almost there,” he breathed.

If I was a better wolf then maybe I would have told him to stop, but I almost had what I needed, and I wasn’t going to tell him not to go there. Not when Lorelai needed me, not when she was missing.

“Where is she?”

“I…” Cain coughed again, falling forward, clutching the bowl close to him, his other hand splayed as he trembled.

Blood started dripping down his face from his nose, and his breathing grew labored. He whispered some more words, then cleared his throat.

“There’s a door. A solid wooden one with an open grate in it. I think she’s behind it, but I can’t see through it. There are no windows, like a tunnel, or—she’s underground.

“This place, though. I’ve never seen it before, anywhere. The humans have her for sure. They’re everywhere. They’re easy to sense.

“They’ve been busy, Kai, and I’m pretty sure that’s why I’m allowed to see—” He collapsed to the ground.

“I can’t see her, but she’s there,” he breathed before he passed out, blood streaming down his nose onto the wooden floors.

Tabitha rushed forward, pushing the bowl away before running her hand over his forehead, pushing his hair back.