It took ten minutes to catch Penelope and the pack up on events leading to my sudden appearance before the fire. It took almost an hour more to convince them to let me go back to the crone’s cottage to kick her sorry ancient ass and break back in through the back door.

“Look, Carl. I know you’re mourning lost packmates due to Farley, and that you’re trying to spend time with your son. But I need a few more bodies to help me fight the witch who guards the door.”

The moon was already beginning to set. I’d lost hours sitting in the cell, hours that could’ve made the difference between getting Gray and Niall back whole, and not getting anything back but their hollow shells.

“I will not send wolves, but I cannot force your friend to stay, even though I discourage you trying to use your powers so often without rest between,” he turned and finished to her directly.

“You most certainly will send soldiers with her, to protect me, if for no other reason,” Sheryl broke in. She was wearing all black, her hair tied up in a thick ponytail that hung down her back over a quiver of arrows. As her husband and I gaped at her, she slung the accompanying recurve bow over one shoulder, staring back at him expectantly.

I cleared my throat and backed away. “I’m sure you’ll tell her all the reasons why she can’t go,” I muttered to him. “I’ll go do the same with Penelope.”

But she wasn’t hearing it, either. “Jules already got permission to leave the pack and join Grayson’s with me in California, Morgan. We don’t have to follow his rules.”

“Join you, like permanently? Isn’t that a little fast?”

Penelope rolled her eyes at Julian. “Says the woman who’s been dating a guy since the night he chased and tried to kill her.” She had a point, but I was more afraid of the crone than her.

“Bad, evil witch, Pen. Did I stutter?”

"I'm a goddamned siren, Morgan. When are you going to stop trying to protect me, when I should be protecting your half-witch weak ass?" She got in my face, leaning down to put her nose an inch from mine. "You risked everything to fix me, including my friendship. I forgive you because Julian promised to make this new life I get to live worth having."

I gulped hard. It felt like swallowing a stone, and my throat ached. “I am sorry. I didn’t want to.”

“But it was the only way, so you did it. Just. Like. Now. So stop stalling, before it’s too late to get him back at all.”

Thank the Goddess for Penelope, who no matter what form she took, would never stoop to sugar-coating things.

In minutes, we were locked and loaded, no fights about why we were attempting such an insane mission or bitching about who got to go and who had to stay. We were hunters, the she-wolf, the Leo's and me. It wasn't the army I would've loved to take into battle against the Fae and that horrible turncoat of a witch, but it was a hell of a lot better than going it alone.

Once upon a time, alone was the only way you knew how to live, now you’re grateful for the people you might get killed.

But I wasn't going to let my family squabbles get anyone else hurt. Once the guys were out, and we'd freed the lesser Fae, I'd finish this path alone. Fortunato had death on his mind. Frankly, it was the one thing we agreed on.

The cottage was dark and quiet when we arrived, no friendly faces on the porch to meet us at that time. I fingered the pouch at my neck, wondering if she would've simply poisoned us if I hadn't been trained by the one witch in the country she was scared of.

“Do you think she’s got a trap laid for us?” Penelope eyes were already glowing gold, her beast pushing for release.”

A light scoff spun her around, a snarl on her lips.

“Oh, relax, chickie, I have no patience for traps. One’s about my limit at my age.” I glared at the old woman but held Penelope back.

“So I’m supposed to just thank you for what you did?”

“Fortunato came in with his guards and his promises, and I did exactly what I said I would do. I owe him nothing.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not the only one he visited either. You might want to hurry to your shifters.”

"And you're going to just let me in and out without a hitch? Why don't I believe you?"

“Because you’ve seen enough betrayal to be wise to it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Look, I’m going in there because I don’t have much choice. My lion friends here are going to keep an eye on you.” I looked at Penelope. “She’s a fae witch, like me…and you know how much I love your singing.” She really did love that I was weak to her song. Full Fae were immune to her. But weak-blooded half breeds like the crone and I? Fair game.

“Don’t be too long in there, okay?” Penelope flashed me a quick grin that didn’t touch her eyes.

“And you don’t take any unnecessary risks out here, okay guys?”

Sheryl frowned. “Who’s going in with you?”

“No one. I’m walking into a prison with no guards. There’s no reason to worry inside. But that door is our only way out. I’m depending on you to keep it open for us.”

Pushing McDonough ahead of me, we approached the door. The honeysuckle that hid it had been hacked down by blades, the small garden of wildflowers and herbs trampled, any useful plants were torn out and wilted in the open air.

"If she breathes wrong, kill her." I glanced at the witch, whose eyes had gone hard, her fingers twitching as she started a cast. "Goddamn it." I gathered my power to strike out at her, but Julian was already mid-shift, his arms lengthening, claws sweeping out for the side of her neck.

“Go, Morgan. Leave her to us.”

As before, the doorknob turned easily in my hand. I turned away from the blood that sprayed black in the moonlit, into the empty darkness beyond the prison door.