“Thank you for your help,” Avery says.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” I offer.

“Our sister knew the dangers,” Jade says somberly. “This is the one we’ve been after. She tried to intervene by casting a spell to control you.”

“Yeah, it sucked.” Avery shudders. “I never want to feel that kind of magic invading my mind again.”

I rumble, tucking her against my side. She lays a soothing hand on my chest.

“I was able to trace her magical signature to her hiding spot in the loft upstairs and stop the spell before she finished,” Jade explains.

I tower over the witch Lorne snuck in. “Why did you help Lorne? What did he promise you?”

She jerks against her enchanted bonds, sneering, “I’ll tell you nothing.”

“We’ll get her to talk,” Jade assures. “We’ll take her to the high council of witches for questioning. They’ll pass judgment for her actions to upset the balance.”

“We should deal with her here. She infiltrated my territory,” I say firmly.

“No,” the witch hisses.

She opens her mouth and whatever she’s about to say sticks in her throat. Her eyes grow wide and she starts convulsing. Black lines spread from her mouth, running down her throat. They stink of nasty magic, like rotten eggs burning over coals.

“What the hell?” Avery yelps.

She reaches out as if she wants to help. I snatch her back, edging her behind me with a growl.

The witch tries to claw at her chest with her bound hands, swinging a terrified gaze between all of us. Tears well in her eyes as they bulge larger, her strangled choking cutting off. She crashes at our feet, bile that smells like the same foul magic dripping from her mouth.

“She’s dead,” Avery whispers.

“Fucking Fates,” Jade mutters.

She kneels to examine the witch, shaking her head. Her coven sister casts a light yellow orb spell that roves over the body.

“A curse,” she confirms.

Jade sighs. “It was probably a pact amongst her coven to prevent anyone from finding out their secrets. The council won’t like this. We’ll need to leave as soon as possible to inform them.”

“Go. We can handle ourselves here,” I say. “When you know more, send word.”

“We will,” Jade agrees. “This won’t be the last we see of each other, Alpha Blackburn.”

“I hope it’s not so long next time. And under way better circumstances.” Avery hugs Jade when she rises.

Jade gives her a smile. I draw Avery away, rubbing her arm. Callie and Taryn appear in the doorway with Lena and Beatrix tucked under their arms. Avery gets choked up, towing me by her tight grip on my hand. They rush to us.

“You’re safe!” Beatrix reaches Avery first. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

“Never,” Avery swears.

They hug and Lena joins them, wedging herself between the pair. Taryn throws her arms around the three of them and Callie collides against me. I grunt, embracing her tightly.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she mumbles.

“Nothing’s taking me down,” I promise.

“Whoa, Lorne’s headless,” Taryn says.

“I should’ve torn him limb from limb,” I mutter.

“If I had my wolf, I would’ve done the same,” Beatrix growls. “Then I would’ve peed on him.”

Avery releases a watery laugh, resting her cheek on Lena’s head. I chuckle, reaching over to rustle Beatrix’s hair.

Taryn searches the room, spotting Liam. She slips away from us to talk to him. I’m certain she admits she’s glad he’s okay. He stares at her, dumbfounded for a long beat before he pulls her into a hug. He catches me watching them with a raised brow, ducking his head.

The bond pulses, strong and warm, filling my chest. I meet Avery’s eye over her sisters’ heads and draw them all into my arms with Callie.

Avery is mine. My pack. My heart.

42AVERY

In the following days, Caden and his inner circle of loyal enforcers question everyone they’ve captured who were involved to find out how long Lorne and Cormac have been planning this. Turns out, they’ve been feeding their horrible ideals on how males are better than females to certain males in the pack for years, but it wasn’t until Caden took over the pack after his father’s death that they saw their chance to draw loyalty from the alpha.

They failed. Only a handful of the ones left alive cling to the delusion they deserve to live as Lorne promised.

For everyone else, loyalty and rank are held in the highest regard amongst shifters. The pack recognizes shifter law and knows Caden is the rightful Alpha, not Lorne. Taking control of a pack by force, claiming the rank of Alpha without earning the title, and interfering in a rank challenge all condemned Lorne’s disgraceful actions in their eyes.

Caden questions if we could’ve avoided this when we’re tucked in bed or swimming at our secret spring. If he should’ve exiled Lorne or killed him when he attacked me. I believe even if he had, Cormac, or perhaps someone else swayed by the desire for power, would’ve acted eventually. The only way to root this out from our pack is to eradicate anyone like them meticulously until the blight is gone.

I sit in on some of the sessions when Caden insists he wants my input in passing judgment for the traitors. Weston kneels before Caden in a narrow room of the lodge lined with windows, submitting to him with his neck bared. His boyish features are twisted with guilt and misery.

“I recognize Alpha Blackburn as the true Alpha of Silver Falls Pack. I repent for going against you,” he pledges solemnly.

Caden considers him for several moments. Liam stands guard at his side and I lean against the wall by Hodge. Caden shoots me an inquisitive look, seeking my thoughts. His jaw is clenched, yet the hardness in his eyes falters. I shake my head, believing in Weston’s will to repent. He nods in agreement.

“You’ll be watched closely until I say otherwise,” Caden decides. “As I said before, you need to prove yourself to me. The second you step out of line, that’s it. No more chances.”

Weston’s breath rushes out. “Of course. I’ll do anything you ask without complaint.”

“For starters, you’ll be moving into the dormitories. We’re tearing down Cormac’s compound and rebuilding there. You report to Liam, Gabe, Ford, or Hodge three times a day. If you don’t, you’re out.”

Weston nods. “Thank you.”

Caden motions to Liam and his beta sees Weston out. “Who’s next? Kip?”

“Bring him in,” Ford growls. “I volunteer to be the one to drive him from the packlands after you exile him. No promises he makes it to Wanderer’s Canyon.”

Gabe snorts. “Be more obvious, I beg you.”

Ford’s attitude changes with a sly grin, his voice lowering. “You know I like it when you beg.”

“No one’s next,” I say.

Caden’s gaze darts to me with a spark of interest, the corner of his mouth curling. “Why’s that, mate?”

I grasp his wrist, tugging him from his seat to lead him to the adjoining door to his office. “We’ve been at this all morning. It’s time for a break.”

His hum is pleased until he spots the jar of salve I pull from a pocket of my satchel to put on his wounds. I bat my eyelashes innocently at his grouchy frown.

“Were you hoping the invitation for a break was code for something else?”

“You know I was,” he mutters, pulling me against him. “Make my day a million times better. Let me lay you out on my desk so I can eat your pussy before I fuck you on it.”

I bite my lip, desire tingling in my core. “You had me this morning. Twice.”

“I’ll never have my fill of you, sweet mate.”

His gravelly tone makes me want to climb on his lap and ride him for the rest of the afternoon. I shiver, pushing his chest. He leans against his desk, a smirk stretching his mouth when I unbutton his shirt.

“That’s more like it.” He kneads my waist, drawing me between his spread legs. “I love it when you can’t wait to get your hands on me.”