“You did it.” Brand gazed at his friend in surprise as he milled around the wolves gathered in the garden.

Royce scowled at him, but inside his wolf was more than satisfied. He’d marked Joanie as his. The only remaining piece of their mating was for her to claim him when her body shifted beneath the moon that night.

“That’s none of your business.”

The Alpha grinned. “When is she coming down?”

“She wanted to rest and after the last couple of days I figured I owed her that much.” He’d left her sleeping. He hated that he couldn’t stay with her but he needed to get back downstairs and check on his patient in the process. Clare had been sleeping and her vitals good. Glenis had been at it again and he smiled, thinking how he bet the Alpha didn’t know just how good he had it.

“Point taken.”

His phone vibrated in his back pocket and Royce took it out, a frown sliding over his face. It was from Nina.

Hexen sniffing around.

Guy asking for you.

Wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Shit. Royce took a shuddering breath. He knew they would show up sooner or later.

He typed. What did you do?

He knew about where you were going. Smug bastard is now a sippy cup, extra crispy style.

Oh Gods.

“What is it?” Brand picked up on his silence and Royce handed him the phone. The Alpha read the litany of texts, his jaw hardening with each line.

“They know where we are.”

“Looks that way.”

“I’ll get more guys on the ground. The gargoyle from Carrick should arrive by nightfall. Until then, we have to be on our guard.”

Royce nodded. “She took him out for us.”

“You have a good friend in her.”

“I do.” Royce wandered up to the house as Brand got on his own cell and started firing off orders. It was going to be a long night and a couple hours of shut eye would come in handy.

The general peace, such as it was, would shift quickly into chaos when the majority of the pack descended. A quick nap would get him back some much needed energy. On his way he would check in on Clare. He just wished he had a certain sexy female curled up at his side but then again, if she were, he wouldn’t be sleeping.

***

 

“David?” Joanie navigated the wooded trail, careful to watch her step with the roots and debris covering the path. The boy had told her he would be out this afternoon and after a fitful sleep after her encounter with Royce, she decided she needed some air.

The golden afternoon had swiftly fallen into twilight and she heard the din of a crowd forming in the distance. Being late for the Gathering didn’t bother her. The fact that she couldn’t find David did. She’d stopped by his room and found his mother asleep, a fresh IV in the stand and knew she was getting the care she needed. But, what about her boy?

A turn through the kitchen hadn’t relieved her. If anything it only made the scenario from her nightmare edge closer to the surface. She waved at the young wolf she’d met earlier that afternoon and smiled at Glenis.

“Where are you off to?”

“Looking for David.”

The other woman snorted. “He’ll be out in the woods with the other pups. You tell him to get back here. Things are starting and I don’t want him wandering far.”

“I will.”

She hadn’t even flinched when she thought of the girl as a wolf. Either she was slipping into mass hysteria or her dreams really had gotten to her.

What if one of the Hexen had snuck onto the property? She searched for Royce but had no idea where his room was. For a moment she thought she heard his voice in her mind but dismissed it as yet another wackadoodle thing she didn’t have time to deal with. Witches or wolves, if the guy meant to do harm to the boy or anyone else, she would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

She looped back up to her room and ransacked her purse looking for the Taser. Finding it was still there, she tucked it into the waistband of her sweats and took off down the stairs and outside. The scent of cooking meat quickly changed as she entered the shadowy canopy of trees.

Old vegetation and decaying things tickled her nose. Flickering shadows flitted across the ground, dead leaves and pine needles crunched beneath her feet. She’d found a pair of slip on sandals and they were almost too big for her but she made do.

A fallen tree to her right hosted an angry squirrel and it chittered at her as she passed by. She swatted at a mosquito and kept going.

“David?”

“Joanie?” The shaky voice cracked and she hurried forward finding the boy sitting on the ground, tears sliding down his face.

“What’s wrong?” She crouched down to check him and noticed his ankle was swollen.

“I twisted my ankle. Some of the kids were out here climbing trees but they left to join the party.”

Horror swirled through her.

“How long have you been out here?”

“A couple of hours, I think.” He offered her a weak smile and tried to stand but winced and sat down again.

“Let me help you.”

“Oh, I think you should leave the boy there. It will be so much easier for me to spell you where you stand.”

Joanie spun around to find a man with long pale blond hair and a dark cloak standing in front of them. Images flickered and fought to make it to the surface but she still couldn’t remember.

“Who are you?”

“Oh… just someone who likes wolf medium rare. One kill at a time. I’ve been waiting to find this place. I should thank you. If that idiot doctor hadn’t stopped at your apartment I never would have found it.”

Oh God. This was her fault. Joanie’s stomach lurched as the contents of her dream came rushing back to her. She looked down at her fingers but they stubbornly refused to do anything.

Crap.

“Who are you,” she stammered, hiding David behind her body. The Taser was still in her back pocket, but he was too far away for it to do any good.

“Where you’re going you won’t need a name.” He lifted his hand, the wand in his grip like a loaded gun.

Fear slithered through her insides and she thought of the brief moments with Royce.

Royce.

She whispered his name on her lips and lifted her chin. She would keep David safe no matter what. Even if it meant dying.