“I, uh… yes, my home. It is safe.”

  “I will meet you there today. After school.”

  “Today?” That seems so soon.

  She nods once. “We must get this done as soon as possible. If they find out that I am speaking to you, I will be in as much danger as you.” She stops for a moment and looks at me. Taking me in. “You’ve gotten so big.” She shakes her head, as if she’s reminiscing. “I will meet you today and tell you everything I know. I’m not sure how much longer I will be able to stay here once I give this information to you.”

  “But—”

  She waves her arms in a dismissive way and starts to guide me back to the door. “I cannot say anything more. And please, play along.”

  “Wha—”

  “I’ve told you already, I don’t understand why you are here. This is not your class. I suggest you get another copy of your schedule!”

  “I…”

  She pushes me out the door and closes it behind her. I stand there, quiet for a long minute, and then it hits me.

  “What the hell is wrong with her?” I ask out loud. I begin to walk towards the stairs. “Why does no one ever want to help me?” I growl. As I start to walk down the stairs I notice a janitor walking up and heading to the fourth floor. I keep going until I reach Callan’s classroom. He’s standing at the board, writing something as I reach the door. I knock before entering.

  “Leona? Is everything okay?” Callan is surprised to see me. He caps his marker and puts it on the board, walking towards me and guiding me out into the hallway. We hide in the little alcove and he looks me over. “What’s wrong?”

  I peek around the corner, but I don’t see anyone. I talk as quietly as I can.

  “She finally talked to me. Called me to her class. She said it’s unsafe here but she’s going to meet us at home after school.” He nods. “Can I wait here until it’s time to go home? I don’t want to go back to class.” I say this part a little louder, in case anyone is here and can hear what I’m saying.

  “Yes, of course.” He glances at his watch. “There are only a few minutes left. Don’t make a habit of this though.”

  Callan opens the door and I walk inside. He points to the side of the classroom, where there is an empty work table.

  Then he continues on with his lecture until the bell rings. Everyone gathers their things and is out the door.

  I pull out my phone, deciding it’s time I tell, at least, Thorne where I am.

  Me: Catching a ride home with Callan. Go straight home. I have news.

  He “likes” my text but doesn’t respond.

  “Ready to go?”

  I look up at Callan and nod my head. I grab my belongings and we head to his car. Twenty minutes later we’re pulling into the driveway at home. The guys are already here. Just as we park, both mine and Callan’s phones go off, alerting us there is someone at the gate.

  The camera shows who it is and Callan pushes the button to let her in.

  I put my hand on the handle, ready to get out of the car.

  “Leona,” Callan calls me and I pause, looking at him. “Whatever happens, whatever she says, know that it doesn’t change anything. No matter what, we still love you. I still love you.”

  I reach over and take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “I know.”

  Eighteen

  Castor

  “I swear to every god in the history of gods… if you do anything else to piss her off for the rest of our lives, I will kill you myself.”

  I didn’t fully understand the rage and anger that Thorne was feeling towards Hunter, but after this weekend, it’s there. I get it. I feel like it’s worse than Thorne’s actually. He’s a calm person by nature. Even with being a bear, he’s a gentle giant. Sweet and loving. But me? I have a worse temperament. My anger is harder to keep in check. I have no problem being an asshole to people. Especially people who deserve it.

  And Hunter deserves so much more than my wrath.

  Was the show he put on for Alistair just that? A show.

  Was he pretending just to get people on his side?

  I hope like hell that it wasn’t. That he’s still just stuck in his bullshit but I don’t know what to do with him anymore. Why is he so angry? Why is he so against having Leona as a mate?

  Tomorrow is her birthday.

  “Especially tomorrow,” I add out of nowhere.

  We have a big thing planned and I want it to be great. I want it to be perfect for her. I’ll skin him if he does even one thing to fuck it up.

  I’ve had it. I have zero patience left for Hunter. A mate rejection is looking real good in his future. Is that what he wants? Maybe it is. Maybe he just wants to be miserable for the rest of his life. Miserable and alone.

  All three of us used to want the same things. Ever since we were little. We wanted our mate, we wanted to be the alpha cohort of our pack. We deserve it and we can do it. We have everything that we’ve ever wanted lying at our feet. Not only do we get our mate, but she also gives us the chance to reach the top. Why the hell does Hunter insist on fucking things up?

  Hunter doesn’t acknowledge my threats. I don’t expect him to.

  We pull up to the house and notice that Leona and Callan aren’t here yet. We get out and head inside to put our things away before going to the main house and waiting for them both.

  Leona said she has news, she’ll want to share it with everyone.

  “Hey, guys. How was school?”

  Friday is in the kitchen when we enter.

  “Same crap, different day,” I answer. She laughs.

  “I made some nachos if you guys want some.”

  “That would be great. Thanks, Friday.” Thorne walks over and grabs a plate from the cupboard, piling them on up. I’d pay to see an eating contest between him and Lenny. I take a seat at the table, not wanting to eat anything. Hunter takes off, probably looking for Maddox to get some ass kissing in.

  “Have you spoken to Leona or Callan?” I ask as Thorne takes his seat.

  “I have not. Everything okay?”

  “She texted us and said she had news. She caught a ride home with Callan.”

  “Must be good if I haven’t heard anything yet. You guys prepared for tomorrow?”

  “Yep.” We both answer at the same time.

  “Good. I’m hoping this really helps her mood. I know we said we would try not to interfere but it’s killing us seeing her like this. Not that it’s your fault or anything. I know you’re trying. Any headway on the other issue?” She jerks her head in the direction of the door.

  “Nope. Still an asshole.”

  “It’s probably best he hangs with Maddox then.”

  “Wouldn’t that make things worse?” Thorne asks.

  She winks at him. “I think it’ll do him some good.”

  The front door opens and Callan and Leona come straight into the kitchen.

  “I made nachos if you guys want some,” Friday says.

  “Not hungry, thanks.” Leona drops into the seat beside me and Callan walks over to kiss Friday on the cheek.

  “You know I don’t like them.”

  “Oh, I know. But I hope every single day that you’ll come to your senses. Nachos are life.” Callan rolls his eyes at Friday’s comment and continues through to the library, I’m sure.

  “What news did you have for us, sweetheart?”

  The doorbell chimes that very second and we all look at each other.

  “Guess we’re about to find out.”

  Nineteen

  Leona

  Ms. Boone pulls up the driveway and we wait for her outside. She is on the phone but rolls her window down to let me know she’d come to the door in a few, she needs to finish the call.

  Callan and I decide to head in and wait for her there.

  It doesn’t take long for the bell to ring.

  “Guess we’re about to find out,” Castor says.

  “Meet you all in the library? Friday, can you get the guys too?”

  “Sure can,” she mumbles with a mouth full of nachos. Thorne stands, taking both his plate and Friday’s to the sink. I hear the faucet going as I walk to the door and open it.

  I smile and I step to the side and allow Ms. Boone in. I’m thankful that Grim is outside. I can hear him barking from here, but it’s best he stays out for a bit. Between us being here and a new face, he’d be all over us.

  She takes her jacket off and hangs it on the hook, placing her purse with it.

  “Follow me.”

  I lead her to the library where most of everyone is already waiting.

  “Well, this is a large bunch.” She says with a small laugh.

  “There are more coming,” I say. “Take a seat wherever you’d like.”

  She walks to the table that already has quite a few people sitting there. “Callan. Nice to see you.”

  He nods his head at her. “You as well, Myrena. Hope your trip was easy?”

  She waves a hand at him. “It was less than a twenty minute drive. I wasn’t driving across country, for goodness’ sake.” On a normal day, this would make me laugh.

  “Of course,” Callan responds and busies himself on his phone.

  I look around the room trying to decide where I want to sit. With everyone or away from them. I decide I want to sit at the table, close to Ms. Boone so I don’t miss a single thing she says. I take the seat on the side of Thorne who is sitting on the side of Castor. Alec, Friday, and Callan are sitting across from us while Ms. Boone took the head of the table. We’re waiting on Maddox, Lenny, and Hunter. Just as I’m about to go find them, because I’m not opposed to yelling at Maddox today, they pop in the room.

  Lenny sits beside me while Maddox and Hunter take the remaining seats.

  “Is everyone here then?” Ms. Boone asks.

  “Yes, everyone is here,” Callan responds.

  “Great. I don’t have much time. As much as I would love to give you all every bit of information that I have, I can’t. I’ll give you the most important details and will answer as many questions as I can, but I have a plane to catch.”

  “Giving us the info and then running? Sounds shady to me.” Maddox crosses his arms over his chest and looks straight ahead at my aunt.

  “Maddox,” Friday warns.

  Ms. Boone holds out her hand. “It’s okay. He’s right. It does sound shady. But the fact of the matter is that I am putting myself in grave danger by sharing this information with you. And since I like to consider myself a smart woman, then yes, I am choosing to run. I’m not sure how long it’ll take for one of them to find me. Maybe you’ll be able to take care of the problem before that happens. Either way, are you quite finished with the accusations so I can move on to the more important details?”

  Maddox purses his lips for a moment. His eyes flick to Friday who has quite the angry look on her face. Maddox leans forward, placing his forearms on the table. “Please, proceed.”

  “Thank you,” she says without hesitation.

  “I met Charlene while she was pregnant with Leona. She didn’t realize how much of a problem she caused for herself. It’s only by a bit of luck that I met her in the first place. Charlene had no idea who Farrell was. Not really. She was mixed up in the wrong crowd—”

  “Nothing new there,” Lenny mumbles, causing her to stop talking. I place my hand on Lenny’s arm, hoping to distract him. “Sorry. Go ahead.” I try to remember how hard this is on him. This is his mother too. As much wrong as she did to him, he is more angry for what she has done to me. I’m hoping that what Myrena has to say will help him to change his mind about our mother. This is a demon that Lenny has never been able to fight.

  “She mixed with the wrong people, fell pregnant, and didn’t think anything of it until she had nowhere to go. She went looking for him, but instead, found me. As I said, by luck. If she had found him, they both would have been murdered on the spot.”

  Lenny’s grip tightens on my hand and I brush my finger along his knuckles, trying to calm him. My brother is so passionate, so full of emotion.

  “I promised her that I would care for you. Though my brother and I were born from the same womb, we are very different. My animal is not even that of a wolf. He did not learn of you until after you were born. I worked with a witch, one that I trust very much. Together we would check on you, to make sure that everything was okay. The witch, Elicia, set up protection spells and wards around your home. We both did everything we could until we could figure out if you were a Paranormal or not. Finally, when you were five, we knew. Your mother found a tiny wolf pup in your room, in place of you.”

  “A wolf pup? I thought female wolves don’t shift until they are with their mates?” I look around at everyone. Thorne opens his mouth to answer, but it’s Myrena who continues to speak.

  “Once they hit puberty that is true. As a child, it is impossible to stop the shift. A wolf and a child do not understand. They want to get to know one another, to play. It’s how they bond and build their relationship. Once puberty strikes, the female wolves are taught how to keep their wolf back, until they find their mates. The longer they stop the shifting, the harder it is to get it back, until eventually… it may not happen at all. Which is why the ritual with your mates must be performed within the three full moons of turning eighteen. The time from puberty to finding your mate is not usually that long. Your situation is different. Much different. The last time you’ve shifted was when you were six.”

  “What?” Castor says, a hint of anger to his voice. “If she hasn’t shifted in twelve years she will never be able to shift back! The reason they give three full moons after their eighteenth birthday is a time frame. It is a safe zone for shifting. It’s not impossible to shift after that time, but highly unlikely. But for her? For going that long… it will be impossible.” Castor is practically growling. I listen to his words, trying to make sense of everything. Kicking myself in the ass once again for not taking the time to learn about all of this stuff. But would it have mattered? No. I don’t think it would have. I’d still be as lost as I am now, I’m sure.

  “Cas…” Thorne says.

  Castor’s hands clench into fists as they rest on the table. His gaze meets Thorne’s, anger burning in his eyes. “No, Thorne. This is bullshit! What is the point in all of this if she’ll never shift?”

  My eyes widen at the statement. What’s the point?

  He looks to me quickly. “That is not what I meant. I don’t mean us, I mean—”

  “Perhaps we should let her finish. The more information we have from her the easier it will be to talk about this as a family later on. She is on a time crunch,” Callan says.

  I take a deep breath and focus my attention back towards the head of the table and ignore Castor staring at me. Perhaps he didn’t mean it that way, but it hurt nonetheless.

  “Your concerns are valid. However, as I said earlier, I like to consider myself a smart woman. We did take this into consideration. And even though we tried something that had never been done before, we were confident in our decision. We had six years to come up with a plan if Leona was a shifter. How would we hide her animal from her father? We could not have him using his power as an Alpha to find her.”

  Some of this makes no sense. Power as an alpha? What does that mean? Lenny scoots his chair closer and puts his arm around me pulling me close to him. He must have sensed my being upset.

  “Friday,” she turns towards her. “You, my dear, are the Prophet. The one and only. You should be able to reach her animal within, but you have not. Am I correct?”

  Friday looks wary. “Yes, that’s true.” I think of the times we sat together in my old room as I tried to allow her in to help me find my wolf. All that happened was me getting annoyed and tired.

  “Elicia and I did many things to keep you and your wolf protected. Things that may not have been the kindest, but desperate times call for desperate measures.”

  “Wait…” I start. “So you know how to reach my wolf?”

  She smiles. “Of course, I do, dear.”

  Twenty

  Leona

  Myrena leaves with promises to get in touch with me as soon as she can. She apologizes for not getting to know me better before walking out the door. I hold the old, crumpled piece of paper in my hand as she goes, squeezing it so tightly, afraid that I may lose it.

  I haven’t looked at it yet and I’m terrified to.

  Not that it would mean anything to me, but something about seeing the words will make this more real. A light at the end of the tunnel, perhaps?

  I keep the paper clenched in my fist as I make my way to the guesthouse. The guys are staying here for a little while, wanting to talk it out with everyone. Me? I feel as if my head is going to explode from information overload. Half of what they’re saying doesn’t make any sense. In order for it to make any sense, I’d have to stop them every minute or so to have them explain something else.

  Who knew being a shifter would come with so many rules?

  I’ve spent the last five years living with Paranormals and their life doesn’t seem any different because of it. Turns out that isn’t true for everyone. Apparently, life is much different for shifters.

  I take the paper and hide it under my mattress. I don’t want to let it go but I need to take a shower and I can’t take a piece of paper in there with me. It’ll be ruined for sure. I turn on the water and get undressed. I dash back to my room, sliding my hand under the mattress to make sure it is still there. I really don’t want to let it out of my sight. Maybe I should have left it with someone else, but I couldn’t part with it.

  The information is life changing.

  I dash back to the shower and hop in. The hot water pulls my thoughts from everything that happened earlier and relaxes me instead. Soon enough, the paper is all but forgotten.

  Thorne

  Leona is the only one who didn’t want to stay for the conversation after Ms. Boone left. I could tell she was on information overload and we can catch her up on everything later. We discuss everything for the better part of an hour. Everyone participating in this conversation other than Hunter, though he does listen. I can see how angry Castor is with him and as much as I don’t want it to, it makes me feel bad for him. I can see that Hunter is struggling with something. I only wish he would realize that if he let her in, whatever it is that’s bothering him would go away. She makes everything better.