ADDIE POVJames came storming into the room and slammed the door behind him. I turned to look at him.“What are you doing up?” James asked, rushing to me.“I’m feeling better and would like to go home,” I said, smiling. “I thought if I showed you I was fine you’d be more inclined to take me.”He walked over and kissed my head. “I will gladly take you home, little pup. But there’s something we have to do first.”I looked at him. I could feel the fear and anger radiating from him. “What is it?”He sighed deeply and then pulled me on to his lap. “The witch burned Runes into your torso,” he said. “We have to change those Runes so no one can ever use them to take your gift from you.”I stilled. “How do we do that?” I think I knew, and I wasn’t thrilled about it.He looked at me with a look of anguish. I took a deep breath. “Okay,” I said. “Let’s get on with it, then. I don’t want to have to sit and think about it.”James took my hands in his. “I wish there was another way.”

ADDIE POVI fell asleep on the ride in and woke up when we got to the Packhouse. James reached into the back the SUV to help me out and I snuggled into his arms, letting him lift me. I really wasn’t in too much pain, but I liked the extra attention I was getting from him so, I admit it, I played it a little bit.The Omegas that gathered in the foyer to say hello to us when we arrived looked shocked to see me. I was a little affronted until I caught sight of myself in a mirror. And then I realized I looked bad.James tried to get me to go up to our room and rest, but I had just woken up and I wanted something to eat. I slipped into the kitchen and shooed Sophie out when she wouldn’t stop wringing her hands and telling me she could make whatever I wanted. James leaned against the counter and watched me whip up a pan of caramel with amusement.“What are you going to do with that?” he asked. I smirked at him and didn’t answer, reaching for a bowl of fruit.I sliced up mangos, appl

UNKNOWN POVHe climbed over a downed tree, the swampy air making him cough. He inwardly cursed the witch that made herself so unavailable that the closest he could bring his rental car was within a half mile to her house. He looked down at his expensive shoes. They were definitely ruined. He had thoughts he could salvage them until he accidently stepped ankle deep in some stagnant water.He finally made it to her house and his lip curled up in disgust. Why do dark witches have to be so disgusting, he wondered. Gransha was no exceptions. The tiny yard was littered with tools and implements, half rusted, and the carcass of some large animal hung from a tree in the middle of the yard. It was half skinned and pieces of its bones had been chopped off, probably for some sort of ritual. He was sure she wasn’t eating it. The carcass was half rotted and the smell brought tears to his eyes.Gransha met him on the front porch and beckoned him to come in. He ducked to get through the d

ADDIE POVI turned in panic and was confronted by an old woman. “You must be Addie,” she said, huge smile on her face. “Yes, but my friend has been taken! I need to use your phone please Sheila!” I tried to push past her, and she let me, tottering at the edge of the sidewalk. I bounded up her rickety porch steps and into her house, pulling up short. This house wasn’t lived in. There was no furniture, the floorboards had been ripped up in spots and the doors were off hinges. It was dark, dank, and dirty. I whirled around, realizing too late that this was a trap for me, not for Emily and that woman on the front steps was not Sheila.The old woman was in the doorway, blocking me from running out. I whirled again and ran down the hall towards the back of the home, past a staircase going up. A man stepped into the doorframe and blocked my way. It was Danny.I whirled again, vaulting up the staircase and running up. I wasn’t sure where I was going but I had a small thought that

JAMES POVThe vision was timely. If I had gotten the vision any later, I would have immediately been on a plane to Michigan. If I had gotten it any earlier, I think the shock and horror would have worn off enough that I would have jumped that plane. As it was, I was still fighting the urge, but caution was prevailing. I didn’t like it but I knew it was the right thing.Toby directed Emily to get to a safe place and park the car. Both of us have seen Emily drive and neither of us wanted her brainstorming while dealing with rush hour traffic. We waited, hearing an occasional screech of tires, before she was back on the line, breathless. Toby stared out by telling her of my vision. Hearing it again from his voice was enough to bring back that icy cold feeling in my heart. I didn’t know why this was what the future of the Pack would be, but I was planning on changing it. And for that, I knew I needed to be available to my pack.In Emily’s past life she was an assassin and a hunt