“An idiot who needs some damn cookies,” Jacque growled as she leaned against Jen. “And Rachel is hovering. All she needs is a whooshing sound following her around, and I’d have the full helicopter effect. I finally convinced her to go check on Gavril and Slate.”

  “She does tend to hover.” Jen nodded. “She did that when I was laid up in their home.”

  “But you were dying,” Sally pointed out. “She kind of needed to hover.”

  “But did she?” Jen scrunched up her face. “Some people want to die in peace.”

  “You didn’t want to die, you overdramatic, drama queen.”

  “Not the point.” Jen waved her off as she helped Jacque move out into the hall. “The point is, hovering gets annoying.”

  “Noted.” Sally bent her knees so she could maneuver herself under Jacque’s right arm. “Let’s check under these bandages, replace them, and then we will get you your cookies.”

  “Damn cookies,” Jacque corrected.

  “Whatever,” Sally muttered and pushed Jacque back, turning her to walk her to the nearest chair. After her injured friend was seated and no longer in danger of face-planting, Sally made quick work of removing the gauze and tape. Jacque groaned as the gauze and dried blood pulled at her skin.

  “Wow.” Jen whistled. “That is nasty.”

  Sally turned her head and glared up at the blonde. “Could you not share everything that pops into your head for a few minutes?”

  Jen pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Do you have a specific time frame for what a few minutes is to you? Because to some people it’s three minutes and to others it’s really just some random number in their head. I need to know what amount of time I should set on my phone.”

  “How in the world have we refrained from smothering her in her sleep?” Sally shook her head and returned to tending Jacque’s wound.

  “She has her uses,” Jacque pointed out.

  “I’m beginning to wonder if they outweigh her assholery.”

  “That’s not a word.” Jen held out some cotton and a bottle of disinfectant.

  “Thanks,” Sally said. She poured the contents of the serum on the cotton ball and then began to clean the gashes on Jacque’s chest. The edges of the lacerations were jagged, the flesh around them red and angry. Each wound contained small amounts of silver that intermingled and oozed along with the trickles of blood. She handed the serum to Jen. “Go ahead and at least wipe the blood off.” She motioned to Jacque’s wounds. The stitches Rachel had sewn in were still closed, though not tightly. Rachel mentioned that she didn’t want to trap any infection inside; she just wanted to keep the wounds from getting any bigger.

  Sally made quick work of reapplying a bandage and tape, then closed the shirt. “Okay, good to go. But move slowly. If your mate sees blood on your shirt, he’s going to be pissed and give you a lecture.”

  “Ugh, it sucks when they do that.” Jen groaned. “I’d much rather be spanked.”

  Sally snorted. “We’re well aware. Even in the most dire of situations, you have the ability to fight, behead people, take care of a kid, and still somehow find time to think about the physical aspects of your marriage.”

  Sally took another cotton ball, poured medicine on it, and began to wipe at her own cuts. With Jen’s help, she was able to clean them all in a few minutes.

  Jen assisted Jacque up from the chair and supported her, while Sally took the other side. “It’s great stress relief. Nothing like a good roll in the sheets to prepare for the next idiot that has lost the right to have a head attached to their body.”

  “As enlightening as this conversation is … cookies, preferably the cream-filled kind,” their red-headed friend reminded them. “Apparently, taking some fae-magic-tipped claws to the heart gives a girl a hankering for some cream filling.”

  “If we didn’t have so much to tell you, I could do some amazing things with that statement.” Jen sighed and helped Jacque hobble down the hall. Sally kept time beside them and started to smile, but then Jen’s words sank in and reminded her of their wayward fae friend.

  “What do you have to tell me?” Jacque asked. “And talk fast. Fane’s growling at me for being out of bed.”

  “As we mentioned, Peri’s gone off the deep end. We saw her just after the rogue attack,” Jen told her.

  “And she did this to y’all?” Jacque motioned to them, and her voice made it clear she wanted them to deny it.

  “She slammed Jen into a tree,” Sally blurted out.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Jacque’s head whipped around so fast that she nearly fell over. Jen scrambled to keep her arm around Jacque’s waist.

  “Remember how you told me just a few minutes ago to pick my words more carefully? Especially while I’m trying not to drop Red on her face.” Jen huffed. “Besides, I’m fine. The scratches are already healing.” She pointed to her arms, and they were indeed fading away. “And no concussion—werewolf healing and all that jazz.”

  “Why on earth did she slam you into a tree? And where was this? This happened only a few minutes ago? Where was Decebel?” Jacque motioned to Sally. “Did Lucian see her, too? Is this why Fane has been telling me repeatedly to try and sleep?”

  “Dude, you’ve got to shut up and let us answer a question if you want to know anything before our mates come barreling in here,” Jen snapped. They rounded the corner that would lead them to the kitchen, and Sally found herself turning her head this way and that as if their males would jump out at any minute.

  “Fine,” Jacque said. “Talk.”

  As soon as Jen helped her into a chair, Sally sat down next to Jacque and then filled her in on everything that had happened on top of the mountain. She spoke quickly, only pausing when Jen added her two cents. Then, when it was all out, she took a deep breath and dropped the bomb she’d been holding tightly to her chest, making sure her bond was locked down tight. “I think I know where she’s going to be tonight. I mean”—she held up her hands—“it’s an educated guess, so I could be wrong, but I have a gut feeling.” The words were barely out of her mouth when Sally felt her pocket vibrate. She pulled her phone out at the same time Jen grabbed hers.

  “Who’s that?” Jacque asked. She patted her own pockets, looking for her phone, but came up empty-handed.

  Sally looked at the screen of her phone and felt her stomach drop. “It’s a text from your mom.”

  “Same.” Jen, too, stared at her phone.

  Sally kept reading the message over and over as she replayed Peri’s words in her mind. I’ll deal with the Order. Then she’d told that other male fae that she’d meet him. Sally started to read the text, but Jacque interrupted her.

  “No, no, no,” she said dryly. “You two just keep my mom’s text to yourself. I don’t need to know anything. I’m only the alpha female of this pack. If I don’t know anything, I don’t have to give an explanation for why I didn’t stop you two from doing whatever you think it is you’re going to do. And I can claim ignorance of what y’all were planning when I join you.”

  Sally glanced up at Jen and then back to Jacque. “Pulling out the alpha female card will only work for so long. Eventually, you will have to kick one of our asses.”

  “Don’t tempt me.”

  “You can barely stand.” Jen laughed, though the sound seemed forced. “I’ll take my chances. Your mom says to stay put.”

  “I told you not to tell me,” Jacque growled.

  “I have that amnesia that affects short-term memory.” Jen pointed to her head. “Tree, remember?”

  “I thought there was werewolf healing and all that jazz.” Jacque shook her head at their crazy best friend. “What’s going on? I didn’t seriously mean I was going to let y’all race off on some suicide mission and drag me with you.”

  “It was a thought. Not the suicide part though,” Sally said. “If we went, I don’t really know what we could do. Peri is set on being the one to deal with the Order. She pretty much told us to just sit and chill.”

  “She’s afraid of anyone else dying.” Jacque sighed. “Losing Vasile and Alina has done something to her mind.”

  “I’m pissed at her,” Jen growled. “But she’s ours. She’s pack. She’s being an absolute douche, but we don’t leave one of ours to suffer, no matter what.”

  “But Lilly says we need to stay. She’s seen something. And it must not be good if she doesn’t want us to head after Peri,” Sally pointed out.

  “So, we just let the mentally unstable high fae go off half-cocked acting as some vigilante?” Jen tossed her phone down. It hit the table with a cracking sound that was in tune with the crack running through Sally’s heart. Jen got up and headed for the cabinets. She started pulling out cookies and hot chocolate mugs. Sally got up and went to help her. She needed to do something, even something as simple as preparing their girl-talk power food.

  “We need to do something—” Jen started, but Jacque cut her off.

  “I love Peri as much as you do, but I trust my mother. Neither of you will leave this mansion. Sally, you’re pregnant. I wouldn’t forgive myself if you put your child at risk. And Jen, you’re crazy enough that you might wind up throwing a tantrum and beheading Peri.”

  “Rude.” Jen shrugged. “But not untrue.”

  Jacque continued, “I am not speaking to you as your best friend. I’m speaking to you as your alpha female. I’ll have Fane give an alpha command if I need to.”

  “What do I need to issue an alpha command for? And why are you up?” The aforementioned alpha strode into the room. The power that suddenly filled the room seemed to suck out all of the oxygen, and Sally felt herself tensing up. Costin was at her side a second later, though he had a pained look on his face as if Fane’s power was physically hurting him.

  “Wolf-man,” Jacque said, her voice gentle. “Please rein in the alpha thing. It’s a little much at the moment.”

  From one breath to the next, his power dissipated, and everyone in the room sucked in air. Decebel stood next to Jen, though Sally hadn’t seen him walk in. She looked around the room for Lucian and Drake, but neither male was present.

  “What were you three talking about?” Fane asked.

  Sally went back to preparing the hot chocolate, but Costin shifted her to the side, leaning her back against the counter, and took over her job. His eyes kept jumping to her face, checking the cuts but questioning her with his eyes. She’d shut the bond down, but even still, she could feel his pain, frustration, and worry.

  “My mom texted,” Jacque answered her mate. “She said we needed to stay put.”

  “I’m not sure why such a directive needed to be given. Where were you planning on going?” Fane’s voice rumbled in warning.

  Sally looked at the male as he stalked toward his mate. He knelt down in front of her and reached a hand up, cupping her cheek. His hand was so large, and proven recently to be so very deadly, yet he handled his mate as if she was the most precious, fragile person in the world.

  “Not that I don’t think you’re capable, but Luna, you’re in no shape to be traipsing around anywhere.”

  “I don’t traipse.” Jacque sniffed. She raised her chin, but Fane pulled her face back down to look at him.

  “Depends on the situation,” Jen said just before shoving an entire cookie in her mouth. “Whenf we werfth headed into the foreth looking for Perithada”—she swallowed—“that very first time, we were definitely traipsing.”

  “Whether you planned on traipsing or not doesn’t matter,” their alpha said. “What is important is where, and even more importantly, why.”

  “I don’t know where,” Jacque admitted. Which was true because Sally hadn’t completed her suspicion before they’d gotten the text from Lilly.

  “But we were planning to go after Peri.” Jacque looked over at Sally; her eyes seemed to tell her it was up to the healer whether or not she wanted to share more.

  “Sally-mine?” Costin laced his fingers with hers, but she didn’t turn to look at him as she spoke.

  “I think Peri is going to the Order headquarters. I don’t know for sure, but she said she’d take care of the Order,” Sally explained as she looked at Fane. She didn’t hold his gaze but dropped her eyes to his chin instead. “I just have a feeling she’s going to do something rash. Lilly’s text telling us not to leave makes me feel I’m right.”

  “Should we call the sprites?” Jen asked, chomping on another cookie. Decebel’s hand rested on the back of his mate’s neck as if he hoped to hold her in place and keep her from running off. Which, to be fair, with Jen could be a real possibility, despite Lilly and Jacque’s warnings.

  “The sprites won’t share whatever they know,” Jacque answered. “Seer sprites aren’t allowed to tell what future events they see. Nothing is set in stone. Events could change. If we interfered, we could make something worse or affect the future in a negative way.”

  “I hate it when you say logical stuff,” Jen grumbled.

  Fane stood and effortlessly picked Jacque up from the chair, cradling her in his arms. He looked at Sally and then Jen. “Could you please bring your snacks to the healer’s room? I’d prefer my mate to rest, even if it annoys her. We can further discuss what needs to be done there.”

  Jen grabbed the cookies while Decebel and Costin grabbed the hot chocolate cups. Sally looked at her empty hands, feeling useless, though she knew that was a ridiculous emotion to feel over carrying some freaking snacks. But she knew that wasn’t really where the emotion came from. She felt useless because she couldn’t do anything to help Perizada.

  “Peri can take care of herself, brown eyes.” Costin motioned with his chin for her to follow him. “And you need rest as well.” His eyes dropped to her stomach, and she felt his joy through their bond despite his worry over her injuries.

  She sighed. “I’m fine.”

  “Humor me.” Costin’s eyes filled with a silent plea.

  What else could she do? Her feet were moving without a conscious thought, but her mind was fully focused on her instincts, screaming at her that something was seriously wrong, and Peri was in danger. She hoped Costin was right. In the past, she would have believed him, but that was before Peri had lost her mind to her grief. An idea hit her. She had no idea if it would work because Lucian mentioned their bond was jacked up, but he could at least try.

  Sally pulled out her phone, ignoring the glance Costin gave her. She pressed the contact she needed and then put the phone to her ear. A minute later, a deep voice answered.

  “What’s up, Healer?” Adam asked.

  “Can you do something?” Sally asked.

  “Depends,” he said carefully. “Is this alpha and/or Costin sanctioned, or am I going rogue? I’ve seen what he does to rogues, and I want no part of it. I’ve also seen what Costin does when his mate is in danger. I don’t want any of that action either.”

  Sally rolled her eyes. Dudes could be so dramatic. “You’re going soft, Adam. You can check with Fane after I tell you what it is.”

  “I take direct offense to my manhood for that, but it doesn’t change my stance. What do you need?”

  “Can you see if Lucian is willing to attempt to locate Peri?” She heard the hope in her own voice. “I know what he said on the mountain, so it might be a long shot, but it’s something we can try. There’s nothing to lose. And if he gets even a hint of her location, will you take him there?”

  The male fae was quiet for a moment and then said, “He definitely has a better chance of locating her than Elle and I do. She’s locked the fae connection down tight again. Maybe the true mate bond trumps our fae connection. You do realize that this is asking a lot of Lucian, right?” Adam sounded angry.

  “She’s his mate,” Sally bit out. “I know he’s hurting. She’s treated him horribly. But that doesn’t change the fact that he will never forgive himself if something happens to her. How will he feel if he never gets the opportunity to see if their relationship can be mended?”

  “Our gentle healers,” Adam said softly, all of the anger gone. “I imagine there would be quite a few more grudges without the light your kind brings.” He sighed. “All right, Sally-girl. I’ll see if Lucian will chase his mate, though she doesn’t want to be chased.”

  “Rabbits don’t want to be chased, and yet the wolves have no issue with going after them,” Sally pointed out.

  “Rabbits can’t rip them apart with their words, crush their spirit, or break their hearts,” Adam replied, making Sally wince. “If Lucian catches a rabbit, he grabs it by the neck and snaps it. If he hunts his mate, it won’t end with Peri in his jaws. It will likely end with the one woman who is supposed to stick by his side through everything telling him again to take a hike.”

  “I don’t want Lucian to be hurt.” Sally’s voice wavered under the emotions Adam was evoking by her raw honesty. “But one of them has to fight for their relationship. It sucks. It’s not fair. But life isn’t fair. Life is hard, messy, intimidating and, most of the time, it sucks. But all of those things make the joyous times worth so much more. I would hope that if I did something like this to Costin, y’all wouldn’t let Costin sit by and let me self-destruct. I’d hope one of you would kick his fury ass and remind him that we’re worth fighting for.”

  “Thank you for the visual of your mate’s fury ass. I’ll get Lucian and keep you posted.” He hung up without another word. By the time their conversation ended, she and Costin were standing outside of the door to the healer’s room.

  “Fury ass?” Costin said with a crooked grin. “You’re brutal when you’re fighting for something you’re passionate about.”

  Sally shook her head, and her lips tilted up slightly, though she didn’t really feel like smiling. “It’s not a lie. Your butt is furry when you’re in your wolf form.”

  Costin’s smile dropped, and he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. “I hope the same thing, you know?” he said quietly. “If ever, Great Luna forbid, you left me and I for some insane reason just gave up, I hope that our pack wouldn’t allow it. Lucian may thank you one day for being bold enough to speak up, even though you know it’s going to hurt him.”