Over the mindlink between the alphas, I hear Zak scream: Charlie’s been taken! That was the beginning of these past two weeks of hell. My best friend has been taken by these leathery hags. We’ve been searching for her and the pup everywhere. It’s fairly obvious that the Riding Hoods took her. Bella, Citra, Hawk, and Marcus were able to find the trail that they used to get into our part of the pack. It’s circuitous, through streams and over bare ground, making their scent easier to disperse. The only reason that we knew the route that they took was because the witch used a huge amount of magick to cover their tracks. Apparently, magick leaves an imprint in the environment or some shit like that. Whatever it was, they could track them to a main road where the trail stopped. That means that they got into some kind of car. Why do I keep saying “they?” A rogue was with the Riding Hood. The rouge had to have been the one that carried Charlie, while the Riding Hood had carried

“Celeste told her that they’re in the warehouse district of New Orleans,” I tell the combined Alpha and Witch Council via a conference call. “And why should we believe her?” Kare asks? “It’s true. She’s a traitor. She could just be leading us on a wild goose chase so that we don’t find Charlie and Summer,” Sandra says. “I don’t think so,” Bella says, slowly. “She was really adamant that we save her coven, even if it meant her demise. I think she’s probably telling the truth so that we’ll save her coven when we get Charlie.” That makes sense, actually. “Great! Then let’s get going!” Zak has been busting at the seams to get out of here and go get our mate. Truthfully, I agree with him, but I know that we’ve got to come up with a plan. Our friends will probably want time to prepare and consult Selene as well. They are going to want to figure out how to get everyone there and even more people back, and it’s all just going to take more time away from us getting our mate ba

As soon as I get out of Morgana’s office, I slump to the floor, trying to catch my breath. She’s going to use me until I’m wrung dry and only then will she give me what I want. Will I even be able to carry Winnie’s baby by the time they’re done with me? No. This isn’t what I agreed to and I won’t go through with it. If I’ve learned anything about Morgana, it’s that she’s smart, but impulsive and vengeful. She’s going to take away some of my power, at least some of my power within the coven. So, she’s likely going to my magick and my power over Charlie. She’s going to reduce me to a common witch. Less than that, because I won’t have access to my powers. What do I do? Do I go back and help Charlie? If I can get the two of us out, along with Iris and the pup, I might be able to convince them to help me with carrying Winnie’s child. I would need to come up with a cover story. Something that would make them want to help me. Surely Liv and Leo would want to get revenge on t

“Ok, based on Charlie’s feeding schedule, they’ll be going into her room around 11:00. I say that Charlie and Iris escape then,” Kare says. “Yeah, but you’re talking about not going in until 12:30, making sure that the Riding Hoods are completely busy with the Crone coven. What are they going to do until then? Hide in the house?” Zak says. “Zak, your mate is fully capable of getting out. I know that she isn’t at full strength, but I also know that she has a lot of other skills. She can hide herself, Iris, and the pup and get them out and into the street. She’ll mindlink you the whole way and you can tell her how to get to us. If not, she’ll find another place to hide. Even if they do find her, they won’t kill her. They need her right now. We’ve gotta use that against them,” Sandra says. “I’d feel a lot better about everything that you just said if any one of us could get in touch with Selene. I’m assuming that you guys couldn’t get Hecate to speak to you either,” Brand

I can feel someone trying to get in touch with me through the coin, but I don’t let them through. There’s too much to do as we prepare for the Crone coven to arrive. We all know what’s going to happen. They will all die. But we’ve gotta make sure that we put on a good enough show. And we’ve gotta prepare for the disposal. Luckily, we’re right next to the levy. Won’t be hard to get rid of the bodies. New Orleans is a wealth of Cajun, Voodoo, Southern, and Native American lore and creatures. So many things that go bump in the night and will be greatly appreciative of an offering. So appreciative that they may help us with dispatching these pesky mutts in Texas. They don’t need to know that we’re coming for them later. No. We’ll keep that as a surprise for when the Red One arrives here. I’m busily ordering acolytes and warriors around to set things up for the Crones, but also for the creatures that will come after for the cleanup. The rougarou. Madame Marie Delphine LaL