The next day, we buried Rowan’s Aunt Grace under a cluster of pine trees. Rowan said the spot reminded her of a place Grace used to take her when she was little. They would hang unlit Christmas lights in the winter and sing carols. She stood beside me, tall and strong as we laid the old woman to rest. I knew Rowan had more questions than answers and felt her sorrow as she said her last goodbyes.

“Are you coming?” Lena asked the question. The others had drifted off after one of the preachers who helped us from Shadow Springs said a few words over the grave. Rowan herself had taken a walk down to the river. Payne gave me a look.

“She’ll be all right,” I said. “If anything comes near her, I’ll know it.”

Payne cleared his throat and the corners of his mouth played at a smile. Lena elbowed him in the ribs. Of everyone, they’d had the most to overcome to find each other. Lena had been held captive by Able Valent’s men for years. She bore physical scars on her arms and face from her time with them, but was one of the strongest women I knew. Until I met Rowan, that was.

“I like her, Jagger,” Lena said. It was such a simple declaration, but it meant everything to me. Lena seemed to understand me and my need for solace more than the others. She’d craved the same until she found Payne. He too had spent more time and depth under Valent’s control before he broke away from the Pack.

“I do too,” I smiled. And yet, pain still seared my heart. Ten yards away, over a small hill, we had laid Keara to rest two years, eleven months and six days ago.

Laughter and shouts reached us from the other side of the hill. A few of the refugee betas we’d collected over the last few weeks had formed a small hunting party.

“Somebody needs to get them under control,” I said. “They’re getting cocky. Just because the Pack can’t sense them underground doesn’t mean they won’t find ‘em out there by accident.”

There was another problem we needed to address. Our numbers had swelled. The Pack had increased their sweeps in towns like Shadow Springs and the outskirts. They were looking for humans who offered us aid. So far, none of them had broken or betrayed us. But, we were bursting at the seams in the caves as it was. Soon, we’d need another place to hide.

“Dr. Olivet has made no progress with that Sampson?” Lena asked, stepping into Payne’s arms. Liam, Mac and Gunnar came back up the hill.

“None,” Liam answered. “She says it’s like when a computer goes into sleep mode. She can’t tell if it’s something Sampson is doing himself or whether the Alpha’s behind it. Maybe a little of both.”

“Dammit,” Mac said. “We need all the intel we can get. The Alpha’s going to get stronger. It’s been weeks since his battle with you Payne. Before long, he’ll be at full strength and we’ll lose whatever advantage we had.”

A pang of guilt burned through me. Again, I knew I could have ended this. But that flare of hope sparked in me as well. It spread through my heart, connecting me to Rowan. Molly and Suzanne joined us. Mac’s mate Eve was down with baby Daniel. Jett, Gunnar’s mate, had taken some of the female refugees for more training. The more people we had who could handle some of the weapons Payne and Lena had brought back, the better. Our friends to the north in Wild Lake, Michigan had provided us with wolfkiller ammunition and doubled our supply of guns. But, they would be worthless if we couldn’t come up with a plan to take out the Pack that wouldn’t get us all killed.

Molly and Suzanne’s expressions looked grave. “Shit,” I muttered. “Don’t tell me he died.”

Suzanne put a hand up. “No change. Sampson is still in the, what did you call it, Molly? The Big Sleep. I am afraid I am out of ideas. I thought he would come out of it on his own by now. I thought hunger and thirst would be enough to rouse him.”

“Where’s Rowan?” Molly asked. Her brow furrowed, Liam moved closer to her. His moods in tune with hers, even the slightest distress in her called to his nature.

“Down by the lake,” I said. “She needed some time to herself after…”

Molly nodded. Suzanne caught her eye and Molly’s eyes fell to the ground. Something was up between the two of them. But, another idea had been burning in my heart. One I knew Rowan wouldn’t like. Better to get it out now while she was out of earshot.

“I have an idea about Sampson,” I said. “You might not like it, but hear me out, at least.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Rowan to get back?” Molly asked. Her eyes were red-rimmed as if she’d been crying. Liam slid an arm around her waist. I guess it had been a long few days for everyone. Molly had spent almost as much time at Grace’s bedside as Rowan did.

“No,” I said. “I wanted to bring it to you all first. I’ll tell Rowan in my own way and in my own time.”

“Jagger, I don’t like this,” Lena said. Payne had his hands on her shoulders.

“Listen,” I said. “Sampson’s in stasis because he’s waiting for a command from his Alpha. He was injured, rendered unconscious. Maybe he’s booby-trapped like you said, but there’s only one way to find out.”

Mac stepped forward. “Jagger...if you…”

I put a hand up. Mac, Payne, Liam, Gunnar and me. We were all Alphas. We’d all felt the call of our natures. We knew what we were meant to do.

“I have to try to get in his head,” I said.

“He won’t let you,” Molly said, her eyes wide. “Jagger, he’ll push back.”

“She’s right,” Suzanne said. “I’ve seen this. I may not be a shifter, but I know what it takes. I’ve been around dozens of normal packs and watched as a new beta wolf is taken under the pull of an Alpha. A good Alpha, Jagger. What Valent is, he is an abomination. He subjugates them against their will. Sampson and the others, their minds are hollowed out to make way for Able Valent’s. It is not natural. It is like a death. And it twisted him. I have seen other Tyrannous Alphas before. Valent is the worst, but the others are horrible too. They just do not have the reach that Valent does.”

“I don’t understand,” Lena said. “What do you want to do, Jagger?”

I let out a hard breath. “I have to do it. You all know it. The only way Sampson’s going to open his mind and give up his secrets is if a new Alpha takes control of him.”

“Dammit,” Liam said. “Jagger, it’s not who you are. It’s not who we are. You’re talking about dancing with the devil. It’s too dangerous. Trying to rip a beta away from his Pack without challenging his Alpha is not the way things are done. It’s dark magic and you know it.”

“What could happen?” Lena asked.

Suzanne dropped her head. She buried her face in her hands. When she looked up, expression turned grave. “It is a dangerous path. It could work. I cannot deny that. If you are strong enough, you might be able to do it. Valent is far away. But, Liam is right. That wolf is controlled by a Tyrannous Alpha. You must use that same dark power to control him.”

“Good,” I said. “Then that settles it. I’ve got to go in. We need whatever Sampson has in that head of his. He can tell us about Pack movements, numbers, where Valent is now. We can use it. It’s why I brought him back here in the first place.”

Lena looked from Suzanne to me and back again. “What?” she said. “What are you not saying? Why are you all looking like that?”

Molly locked eyes with me. A tear spilled down her cheek. “Jagger. Please. Don’t do this. Talk to Rowan at least. She should have a vote.”

“I’m doing this for Rowan,” I said. “For all of you. I’m the only one who can and you all know it. You all have mates. Mac, you have a child. This isn’t about me wanting to die. Not anymore.”

“Rowan is your mate,” Molly said.

“No,” I said. “Not yet. Not all the way. I haven’t...she’s not marked. There’s still a chance she can be happy. She can be okay. And I’m not planning to die. I’m planning to win. But, just in case. If I go into that asshole’s mind and it turns me into something I don’t want to be...then you deal with it.”

“Deal with it how?” Molly asked. She knew the answer, but she wanted me to say it. I wouldn’t. There was no need. There was also no other way. Mac, Gunnar, Payne and Liam knew it too. Their hard stares told me they understood. They didn’t like it, but they knew I was right. I had to try and subjugate Sampson. I just prayed I’d have the strength to keep from crossing over to the dark side in the process.

Rowan came back over the hill, her face flushed with exertion. But, she held a smile in her eyes and her heart felt peaceful. I wanted to go to her, but stood my ground. If I was going to get through telling her this, let alone doing it, I’d need to find some distance.

“Hey,” she said, joining the group. “You all look like hell. Somebody want to tell me what I missed?”