Declan sat holding Martha’s cold fingers with both hands as Judy walked back into the room. He never glanced over his shoulder; she’d see soon enough that Martha had slipped away. He watched as Judy walked to the opposite side of Martha’s bed and picked up her wrist. She cast a cold gaze toward Declan, then nodded her head.

“She’s gone. Martha’s passed away?” Judy asked as Declan raised his tear-filled eyes to look in her direction. He didn’t need to speak.

He tightened his lips and choked back the lump that was rising up his throat. Declan nodded —and that was all he was capable of doing. That, and stroking Martha’s fingers. He’d known her for less than an hour, yet he felt she’d known him for much longer. She’d mentioned Noelle, and thoughts rushed back to his mind that maybe, just maybe, she was his one chance of happiness once he got his inner wolf back.

“What now?” Declan asked as Judy filled the clipboard with a time of death before she began turning off the machines.

She pulled the tubes from Martha’s arms and used a steady, caring hand with all the tenderness a woman could do. “Did Martha give you the information you were looking for?” Judy asked, lovingly kissing Martha’s forehead then dropping the bedsheet over her face.

Declan held the scrap of paper between his fingers. “It’s all here, every last detail of where to find Marina.”

Judy furrowed her brow a little. “The witch has a name?” she asked, hanging the clipboard on the end of the bed and pulling her pager from her pocket. “We should go, they’ll be here in a few minutes to take Martha’s body to the mortuary.”

Declan lifted Martha’s hand and gave her one last kiss before resting it on the bed and pulling the bed sheet over her. He stood and noticed how silent the room was now. No machines pinged and only a hum of the air conditioning unit filling the room with cool, crisp air. Declan’s breaths were erratic compared to Judy’s. He'd seen the loss of life a lot —and by his own hand. He'd never really felt the loss of an innocent person who'd slipped away in his company, though.

“The Everglades National Park, that's where I’ve got to go,” Declan said pushing his chair back against the wall.

Judy stepped closer to the door. “I don’t think so!” Declan frowned at Judy, and if he weren't human, Judy would’ve seen the alpha rising up inside of him. “Do you have any idea how big the everglades are?” Judy asked. Declan shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea, and he had directions, so how hard could it be?

They stepped back into the hallway as a team of nurses and attendants came dashing toward them. Judy pushed open the door and pointed. The team entered and began clearing the room of any trace that Martha had resided in there. Declan rubbed his fingers over his eyes, he pushed so hard it was like staring into a kaleidoscope.

“One point five million square miles, that’s how big the everglades is,” Judy said as Declan’s jaw dropped in amazement. He stared at the tiny scrap of paper he held in his fingers and wondered how the hell these directions were going to get him in (and out).

“I’m gonna come with you, it’s dangerous out there,” she said walking toward the nurses station. “We can only go tonight at low tide, if we go earlier, half the things on that paper won’t be there.”

Declan blew through the tight lips he’d formed and nodded in agreement. “Martha said things moved by magic,” he said.

Judy put her hand on Declan’s shoulder. “There’s magic in the world Declan, but things moving isn’t one of them. Martha was old and had no concept of the high and low tide.” Declan sighed as all the confidence he had in what Martha had told him was teetering on the verge of slipping away from him. “Witches and werewolves, now that’s magic,” Judy said squeezing Declan’s shoulder giving him some inspirational support. “I’m finished in three parts of an hour. If you wanna wait we can go back to mine, and you can explain all those directions,” Judy said stepping behind the nurse’s station counter and silencing the giggles of the nurses who were busy gawking at Declan. “I've to get twelve chocolate chip cookies for Marina,” Declan said.

Judy screwed up her face at what he’d just said. “Chocolate chip cookies?” she asked, now picking up a tray full of medication cups and walking back to the hallway.

Declan grinned. “It’s to let Marina know we’ve been sent by Martha. Although she’s in the middle of nowhere, she does have the odd person stumble onto her camp,” Declan replied. “When they grew up, Marina loved chocolate chip cookies, and Martha always sent her some.”

Judy pouted her lips and ushered Declan toward the elevator. Declan reached for the button and waited for the numbers to move on the dark red panel above the doors.

“A code between sisters then?” she asked curiously.

“Something like that. I’ll see you in forty-five,” he said stepping into the elevator before the doors opened all the way. “I’ll be out the front watching the world go by.”

The doors closed, separating him from Judy. She nodded, and then he stood alone as the elevator began dropping. He thought of what had led him to where he was now. No matter what he thought, it all centered on her. Noelle had been involved with everything. Declan wasn’t blaming her, yet she’d gone a long way to have an impact on how events had taken a turn. And for the worst!

Declan left the comfort of the cool hospital atmosphere and walked over to a bench at the side of a raised flower garden. Lucky for this part of the country, flowers could grow for the majority of the year, otherwise Declan would’ve been looking at limp brown stems instead of flowers which were close to blooming. Soft scents filled the Miami breeze as he sat on the bench and spread his arms to the side. Declan closed his eyes, now letting the sun fall on him. Although now, he was no longer in a position to allow his inner wolf take over and run free. He was still in a situation where he could imagine it, though. He pictured himself running through the forest, back in Colorado with Noelle at his side. And they’d hunt and have their fill before making their way to the river and lapping up the fresh water that flowed from high up in the mountains.

Time passed, and he heard a whistle that snapped him from his daydream. Judy was walking toward him in skin-tight leggings and a cropped t-shirt.

“Control yourself, big boy, I know I look stunning. Don’t forget I’m an alpha too!” Declan stood and marveled at her gate as she ambled closer to him. “Are you driving or using the bus?” Judy asked. Declan pointed to his car at the front of the parking lot. “Please tell me you got that with your demotion to being human?”

* * *

Gabriel sat back in what was Declan’s chair. Although not precisely a throne of power, it was the chair used by the alpha of the pack. Gabriel rested his feet on the edge of the oak desk. For amusement, he flexed his fingers on one hand, watching them half turn into wolf’s claws. He giggled to himself as his body got confused over his childish antics. He pointed one finger and slammed the nail against the desk. He pulled his hand toward himself as wood curled and splintered under the wolf nail that gouged a deep mark, right through the old varnish. Damn, it’s good to be in charge. Long live the king.

Maria looked up from the couch. Deep inside she was eager to contact Declan, yet Gabriel was holding her closer to him now, more than ever. Now, none of the pack were holding down real jobs, and they were all but prisoners under the control of Gabriel.

“Gab, have you got any thoughts on when this ritual will be? Everyone’s getting a little frustrated by it dragging on.” Gabriel lifted his finger and blew the final bits of dust clear as if he was blowing the smoke from the barrel of a gun.

Gabriel rested his hands on the desk and Maria saw the muscles rippling under his shirt. Gabriel reached into his inner wolf. The whites of his eyes went blood red. His snout pushed its way forward as his jaw grew, and fangs appeared and dripped saliva over his desk.

“Tell them all to wait. They’ve had it easy, so far. We’ll have the ritual when all the she-wolves are up to speed with their training. It’s not a matter of picking one who’ll satisfy me in bed,” Gabriel said as his wolf form began shrinking back to his human form. “If it were that easy, I could just pick you, Maria.” Gabriel flicked his hand toward Maria. “Go and tell them all, and let them know the ritual will be soon. If any she-wolves really want to stake their claim, they’ll up their training schedules,” Gabriel barked as Maria pulled the door open. “And don’t take all day doing it, I want you here where I can see you. I’m still not one hundred percent sure I can trust you.”

Gabriel kicked off his boots and placed his feet back on the table. He opened his mouth and clamped his jaw tight to adjust his face back to his human form. He’d grown bigger with his training and had found a source from a local gym where he could get muscle-enhancing drugs. If Declan so happened to show his face again, Gabriel wanted to make sure he was ready. He’d known Declan long enough to know his reaction if he did return. He’d want to stake his claim back over the pack. Gabriel had news for Declan; not only had he focused on making himself bigger, he’d also had the Towers fortified, too. They looked like apartments from the outside, yet getting in was another thing.

* * *

Maria walked down the hallway knocking on the apartments which were homes to the she-wolves. All the ones who were home were pissed they couldn’t go out as they used to.

“I know, it’s the same for all of us. Gabriel’s turned the place into a prison more than a secure home,” she said to each wolf she spoke to. “He’s even clocking me to see how long it takes me to speak to all of you.” Many of the comments were along the lines of, “Gabriel was a dick.” And being the female of the pack was a burden many of them would now suffer.

Maria walked down the broad spiraled staircase which led to the second floor. She’d seen the Towers for only a short time before Declan had fled in search of the witch. Her hand rested on the marble handrail as she looked down into the lobby below. Same people, same place —and now it felt empty. It was obvious that Declan brought so much more than only being the alpha.

Maria picked up her pace. There was a storage room at the end of the second floor. She could call Declan, and no one would see her do it. There were only three apartments on this wing of the Towers she had to speak to. Two of them had the same opinion; that they’d given up any thought of being the alpha and wanted Declan to come back and take his rightful place in the pack. Maria was in the same mind as those, and advised them not to mention it, even if they had to carry on training. One sniff of betrayal and Gabriel might want to rip heads off shoulders, quite literally so. Gabriel now considered it too easy for anyone who went against them, even within the pack. Ever since he’d picked up the silver bullet, he’d used it to get rid of anyone who showed any form of standing up against him. Already, Gabriel had made three eat the silver bullet, and he’d sat there happily, watching as their bodies decomposed before his very eyes. Pure silver could do it quickly.

Maria reached the end of the corridor at the end of the east wing on the second floor. She twisted the door handle and stepped inside the storage compartment, with no light. Her wolf vision kicked in almost immediately, and much quicker than if fingers fumbled to find the light switch. She flicked the switch, and the dim bulb lit the storage room. Cans of half-used paint and thinner sat on the steel shelves. Hand soap for the public washroom and the horrible stink of a dead rat. Maria retched at the smell of it as she pulled her phone from her pocket. She noticed the time and that the sun would set soon. Now, she picked up an old set of overalls and threw them against the bottom of the door. Maria found a small crate and sat with her eye focused through the keyhole. It wasn’t much of a defense, yet if she saw Gabriel looking for her, she might be able to do something.

She flicked through the contacts on her phone. She paused at the letter Z. Gabriel wasn’t that stupid, and if he saw Declan’s name on her phone, he’d be on her like a rash. She pushed the button and held the phone to her ear. Maria reached up and flicked the light switch off. She sat with her mouth and nose pushed hard into the inside of her elbow. She needed to be discreet.

“Maria?” she heard Declan’s voice say.

“The one and only. I can’t stop long, Gabriel’s on my case,” she said.

“You can’t change his mind about the ritual?” Declan asked. “You sound muffled, where are you?”

Maria pulled her arm away from her mouth. “I’m in the storage room on the second floor, there’s a dead rat in here somewhere,” she said. “How’s it going in Miami?”

Declan sounded more perky than usual, and Maria sensed in his voice that it was good news. “I saw the woman in the hospital. She has since died. Now I have to find the witch; her sister.” Maria pushed her eye up against the keyhole as she saw a body step off the staircase. It wasn’t Gabriel, thank God.

“Once you’ve spoken to her, then you’ll be making your way back?”

Declan’s voice crackled from the speaker on the phone. Maria looked, and she had full signal. “…glad,” she heard Declan's voice say.

“Declan, repeat it.”

“I’m headi—int—t—eve—des.”

Maria cut the call, because Declan, wherever he was, had lost signal. She sat and thought about what she managed to hear him say. Glades. Eve. It made no sense to Maria. She replaced all the items she’d moved and stepped back into the hallway. She saw Gia climbing her way back up the stairs after training.

“Hey, Gia, you come from Florida, don’t you?” Maria asked.

Gia nodded and replied. “Make it quick, I’m totally spent.”

Maria asked,” What does glad eve mean?”

Gia screwed her face up at Maria. “It don’t mean shit. I’m not sure what made you say that, but someone was clearly saying everglades to you, obviously!”

Ah! Declan’s on his way into the everglades.

“One last thing Gia, is it dangerous in there?” Maria asked.

“If the swamps don’t get you, the alligators might. If they don’t, the rising water levels might. If you get past all of that, there’s plenty of wolves roaming around those parts…” Gia started to say. She laughed.

“Don’t tell me… they might just get you,” Maria said. “What about if Declan was heading in that direction?”

Gia laughed and shook her head. “If Declan’s heading in there as a human, may God help us all.”

“It’ll take more than a good cookie to get you through this.”