The ride from the Artemis Area back home to Arcadia is a long and winding one. We’ve made this trip many times over the years, sometimes with Dev’s family, sometimes with others, but at least four times a year. We’ve never forgotten our friendship with Charlie, Zak, and Brandon. Meredith never forgot her home. We had our favorite haunts that we liked to go to, but we’ve also made all kinds of side trips: Dollywood, Nashville, New Orleans, Disney, D.C., all kinds of places. The girls, particularly, like being around the humans. Seeing how they live. They find them fascinating, with their lack of senses and sense of community. I think they actually scare them. Like watching lions at the zoo. This time, we stopped in St. Louis, MO. The Gateway Arch. The Grand Hall Light Show. Forest Park. The Wheel. The aquarium and the zoo. Grand Center Arts District. So many things to do. And the food! I loved the food. It’s always my favorite part of our trips. Bionic apples.

It’s Friday night, 8:00 my time, 7:00 in Texas. Is it weird that I got dressed up for a Zoom date? I want to look my best for Jared and Summer. I showered, shaved, styled my hair. Even put on a nice shirt. Though I am wearing sweat pants. I have the feeling that this might get…heated. And I’m going to want easy access. That’s why I have the other items on the table. Lube. Pillow case with Rowen’s scent. A pair of Summer’s panties. At exactly 8:15, the Zoom link opens and there are Summer and Rowen, smiling at me. “Fuck! How do you two get even sexier since the last time I saw you?” I ask, relief at seeing them coursing through me. My wolf has been agitated, restless this whole week, making me feel the same way. I want my…I guess you would call them my boyfriend and girlfriend. I need them. “Look at who’s talking. You look sexy as hell. I’d hit that,” Summer says, giggling before biting her bottom lip. “We already did, baby girl. Many, many times.” A sexy,

Werewolves never get sick. EVER. Our natural healing abilities prevent it. Yeah, we might get a hang over every once in a while, especially if we’re drinking wolf strength liquor, which is 190 proof for more, but no illnesses. The only other time that we are sick is when she-wolves are pregnant. Lucky fucking us. The constantly changing hormones, the fact that our immune system is more caring for our pup than us, and the changes that are coming over our bodies as we are becoming mothers make it so that our healing abilities are diverted. They kind of take a backseat so that they don’t attack the pup inside. All this to say that I was not prepared for morning sickness in any way, shape, or form. I have never thrown up in my entire life. That first bout of morning sickness took me so much by surprise that it was only my werewolf speed that got me to the trash can instead of spewing my breakfast all over the table as I was explaining an expansion plan for our high school to

I was just supposed to here for three days. That was it. It was going to be hell to be away from Brandon and Zak during that time. Granted, we had finished our mating period, but we are so in love and none of us had had serious relationships between losing our first mates and gaining our second chance ones. Brandon and Zak had each other during that time and were able to find comfort and get their sexual needs met that way. I, on the other hand, did not have another mate, seeing both of my mates had died as a result of the war with the Riding Hoods. I wish that I could have met Iris. That I had known what she was like prior to the letter I had gotten from Brian. She had sent a letter with Arya and Devin soon after Zak, Brandon, and I had accepted our matebond. She told me a little about herself and how she and Brian had been keeping tabs on me and Summer ever since they found each other in Selene’s realm. She sounded like an amazing witch that had been broken down by the

We’re five minutes out from landing. Our car is already waiting for us at the hanger and then we’ve got a 15 minute drive to the Southern Point territory. Where the fuck is Luna Safi? We should have heard from her at least 15 minutes ago to tell us what happened with Kayla. Do they have her? Did they find her missing? What the hell is happening?! My wolf and I are going insane and Zak isn’t fairing any better at all. We’ve already lost one mate. We can’t lose another. We wouldn’t survive it. Especially knowing that she’s pregnant with our pups. Add to that our worry about Chris, her pup, and Esteban and our wolves are ready to rip out of us and go on a rampage. What the fuck is happening? Zak nearly screams through the mindlink that he opened between me and Dev. I don’t know, Z. We’re trying to get back in touch with Safi, but something’s wrong. She’s not picking up her phone and the mindlink isn’t going through either. It’s like she just disappeared. Dev links