With nowhere safe to send Thea, they were forced to keep her with them as they waited for Roderick to show, an option Trent did not like at all. Jaxon claimed the monster approached, his strange bond to the creature an odd way of tracking for a wolf used to relying on his senses. As her mates, it proved natural for Trent and Darren to take up permanent residence with Thea in one motel room, ensuring one always remained with her as they took turns on guard duty. While Marc never came out and asked or said anything about the arrangement, Trent could see him watching. He also noted his discontent but did nothing about it. With them all caught in such tight quarters, Trent thought it more prudent to say nothing, unsure of how Marc would react if told Thea showed no interest in taking him on as a mate. Besides, perhaps it was the stress of the situation or the newness of her status making her say that. Perhaps once they returned home, the spark she felt before would return. If n

Trent loped on two legs along with the others, the clear scent of wolves, tinged with the unnaturalness he'd come to recognize, reaching his nose. The battle of good wolf against evil loomed, and he looked forward to putting the days of inaction and waiting behind him. Through his link to Thea, he felt her anxiety but no fear, and he wondered if they'd misread Marc's actions and words. Or Roderick's interest in Thea. Surely if Roderick intended to make his move, he wouldn't have his wolves coming to meet them so far from the motel still. Perhaps we misjudged Nathan's appeal to the creature after all. Movement in the trees had him tightening his grip on the gun he held. He'd opted to remain human in the coming fight, the long knife tucked through his belt, one of many scattered among their ranks in the hope one of them would get a chance to take out the vampire. But while he chose to remain on two legs, most of his companions were prepared to meet the enemy in their stronges

Thea clung to Trent, shaking still in fear. She'd thought herself frightened when Marc attacked her, forcing her to shoot him so she could get away. But that paled in comparison to the icy terror that gripped her when she saw Trent facing off against the monster. Without hesitation, she came out of hiding to shoot the vampire. Truth told, she enjoyed it, a payback for everything the bastard had done to her. Her spurt of courage almost cost life. But thankfully, the good guys had prevailed, even if they were large and hairy and sported big teeth. She never did get to see Roderick's final moments because Trent refused to let her go. And when Darren joined them, hugging her from behind, the tears finally came. We survived. Against the odds and hope, they'd won against the vampire. Defeated the bastard who'd hurt her and destroyed her life. The monster who inadvertently helped me find true love and happiness. "Thea," Trent murmured her name. "What the fuck were you thinki

The baby came early. Stressed and frightened, Bailey went into labor within an hour of her mates leaving to fight. Lucky for them, she held off birthing their child until they returned. It was a bloody battle that involved lots of screaming and cursing-by their sweet-tempered mate-but at the end of it, Gavin held their daughter aloft. "She's perfect!" he announced. Yet, despite her perfect features, ten toes and fingers, Bailey cried and cried. At a loss, Gavin drew Parker and Wyatt aside for a whispered conference. "We have to do something. She should be smiling not crying." "You better not be implying what I think you are," Wyatt growled. "We need to bring back Jaxon." "After what he did?" "I'm not crazy about it either, but it's not about us anymore," Gavin snapped. "It's what she and the baby need that count. He's paid his dues. He suffered for his actions and, by having a hand in killing the vampire, redeemed himself." "And don't for

The sun completed its journey across the sky and sank into the horizon, painting the asphalt in a brilliant wave of colors before giving way to twilight. Wind stirred the heavy ash pile on the ground, swirling it and yet not managing to disperse it. The parking lot remained mostly vacant, only a few vehicles remained to mark the sparse occupants. And of those who stayed, none were watching. From the shadows trotted a red-coated wolf. It paused in front of a door, where the stench of bleach had wiped a bloodstain away. But he doubted he would ever be able erase the memory of the wound. The shame. Backing away, he sidled over to the pile of dust. An urge to sniff had him lowering his nose. He inhaled and immediately sneezed, particles of ash lifting and blinding him momentarily. Shaking his head, he sought to clear his senses, but while the dust drifted away, he could do nothing for his muddled mind that still roiled with the images of what he'd done. Ears pricked, he h