“He’s the man who stalked you. Not to mention he threw me out of the third story of your house. Why would you choose that monster over me?”

Because…

I stroke his hair back, drops of my blood and tears hitting his armor.

“This is not how we end,” I whisper. “We are eternal.”

Something dark and resolute moves through me.

We are eternal.

If we cannot have this life, then we shall have another.

“Listen, Kane, I told you last night I was meeting with somebody else. You and your pack were still observing the Sacred Seven, and I didn’t want to be there.”

“Then why were you there?”

“I was drunkenly wandering with my friends. I didn’t realize until it was too late we’d made it onto your pack’s territory.”

Kane still looks angry, and his eyes are a bit heartbroken.

I search his features. “Why are you acting like I owe you something?”

“Because I fucking like you, Selene. A lot. And I thought you liked me too.”

I hear the edge of a growl in his voice.

At the sound, Nero begins to growl himself, and when I run my hand down his back, his hackles are raised.

“It’s all right,” I murmur to Nero, even as I give Kane a hard look. “Kane, we’re not dating, and for better or for worse, that monster I was with happens to be my soul mate.”

“About that—when were you going to tell me you had a mate?” Kane demands. “Or did your magic conveniently erase that memory too?”

I flinch from the accusation.

Anger rises up in me. “Actually, Kane, I did fucking forget I was a soul mate, and the only reason I do remember is because right before I was arrested the night of the full moon, Memnon ripped away the spell blocking my memories.” I wasn’t planning on admitting this, but screw it. “He did so against my will, and yes, our engagement was also forced.” I glare at the shifter. “I was never deliberately deceitful to you.”

Kane’s own anger has died down a bit, and I can see the frayed edges of his hurt in his eyes. “Then why are you with him?” he asks softly.

“Who says I’m with him?” I demand. “Sex doesn’t equal love or a relationship. I assumed you were aware of that, considering how our own friendship began.”

Kane’s jaw clenches, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he wordlessly turns and starts heading back into the woods. Aggression is still pouring off him, and I swear his arms look a little furrier than they did a minute ago.

“C’mon,” he says over his shoulder. “We’re going to be late.”

I share an annoyed look with my familiar—at least I’d like to think we share a moment of mutual annoyance. Nero might’ve been looking at me just because he was bored, but I’m going to assume it’s because Kane is huffy.

The three of us walk for several minutes in silence before Kane says, “You can remember your past now?”

I scowl at him. “Yes.”

“What’s that like?”

“Painfully normal,” I say, “except for the past-life memories.” Those are anything but.

Now Kane turns fully around, scrutinizing me. “Memnon was telling the truth last night? You two are some ancient couple?” The shifter doesn’t appear as skeptical as most would, but then the supernatural world is full of all sorts of impossible things. The idea of some past-life romance isn’t inconceivable.

“Yeah,” I say softly. “He was.”

“Hmm,” is all Kane says before turning around once more.

The lycan continues to walk ahead of me, and I sense his emotions are somewhat turbulent, so it’s a relief when the trees part and I catch sight of the massive cabin I partied in not too long ago. The very one where I first got together with Kane.

Only now, there are cars parked on the gravel drive in front of it and a few people milling on the porch.

Kane finally stops and waits for me and Nero to catch up.

When we get to him, the shifter clears his throat. “This is how the evening is going to go,” he says softly, “You’ll meet the pack, they’ll ask a few questions of you, and at the end of it all, you’ll be formally recognized as a friend of the pack.” Whatever bitterness Kane might personally harbor toward me, it’s wiped free from his voice as he speaks.

“How many people are inside?” I ask, glancing again at the cabin. The shifters out front have now noticed us, and they’re avidly watching my exchange with Kane.

“Almost everyone who is able to make the meeting will be inside,” he says. “This is a big deal,” he adds.

I dip my head, even as my nerves spike. I don’t know what I’m doing here. This is terrifying, and I’ve already pissed off the one shifter I’m closest to. I don’t want to be the center of anything that the pack considers a big deal.

I sense Kane’s gaze on me.

“I can hear your heartbeat,” he says quietly. “You don’t need to be nervous. Forget the shit between us. You saved one of my pack mates. You have the gratitude of me and everyone else in that building.”

I swallow and nod, and then, almost shyly, I look at him and force a smile. “Thanks,” I say softly. I pet my familiar’s dark fur, drawing in a few stabilizing breaths. “Is Nero going to be a problem?” I ask offhandedly.

Kane gives the creature a speculative look. “I guess we’ll find out.”

And with that extremely unreassuring answer, we head for the cabin.

Nero is, in fact, a problem.

That becomes massively clear seconds after the three of us step into the house.

The vast living room is filled with dozens—if not hundreds—of shifters. Most sit in foldable seats that have been brought in, though others stand along the edges of the room, packed in as close as they can get. At the sound of our entrance, they look over at me, Kane, and Nero.

For a second or two, all is well. But then, from around me, low vocalizations rumble from the shifters nearest us.

“It’s all right,” Kane reassures the crowd. “The panther is her familiar. His name is Nero.”

Kane glances at me, like he expects me to speak.

Okay, right. Public speaking. I’m a badass witch who has defied death to be here. Talking to a crowd doesn’t scare me one bit.

“Yeah, Nero. His name is Nero,” I echo woodenly. My hands are beginning to shake. “He’s really the sweetest cat.”

Nero takes the room in with steady, unblinking eyes. He doesn’t look like the sweetest cat. His body is tense and rigid, and that stillness that I associate with hunting has fallen around him.

The shifters must sense it as well because, if anything, the growls in the room only grow louder.

I really, really want my panther by my side right now. He makes me feel safe and steady. But he seems to be drawing out these shifter’s instincts, so⁠—

I crouch down in front of Nero and try my hardest to ignore the people around us.

“I know you wanted to be here for me,” I say softly, “but your safety is more important to me. Everyone in this house is my friend,” I reassure him. “I will be okay,” I promise.

I can’t read his expression, but his tail flicks like he’s considering my words.

“You can head back to our room or remain out in the woods near Henbane. I’ll be fine, and I’ll call to you if anything changes.”

Nero butts his head against my shoulder then, rubbing himself against my side. I don’t know if he’s being affectionate or marking me just to make it clear where we all stand, but I smooth my hands down his sides and give his forehead a kiss.

Rising to my feet, I open the door and let my familiar out.

“Stay safe,” I call after him.

His only response is to twitch his tail, like my concern is annoying. I guess if I were an apex predator, I might be annoyed too if a puny human fussed over me.

I close the door behind him and turn back to the room.

And…everyone is looking at me. Crap, they probably heard every last word I spoke too.