As I squeezed him, I felt the second whatever Seth was doing hit me. I backed off, and knew I was right to when Lara called out, “Ethan. Move away.”

Daniel jolted a little, ducking his head with dismay because I knew he hadn’t wanted the hug to end, and I muttered, “Sorry, son.”

He gulped. “You keep calling me that.”

“It’s what you are, isn’t it?” I rasped, before I cut a look at Seth, who was back to staring straight ahead at the wall.

What in hell’s name were we going to do with him?

I scrubbed a hand over my face, before I muttered, “Daniel, you understand that we have to lock this door.”

He nodded. “I do. He’s a danger to his sister.”

I jerked at that. “His sister? Not his mom?”

“Maribel’s only in danger while she’s in her belly.”

The fact that he knew the kid in Maribel’s womb was a girl was telling enough. Maybe he figured he’d said too much, because he twisted around and, ducking down some, peered into Seth’s eyes and grumbled, “What are we going to do with you?”

That was a question I’d just asked myself, and it felt wrong to leave the burden on Daniel’s shoulders, but fuck…

Just, fuck.

What were we going to do with the evil little bastard?

Only the Mother knew.

Eli

“The child is imperative.”

I stared up at the totem, cursing under my breath at the only words the Mother would tell me about Seth.

This, supposedly, was an alpha’s gift.

Constant contact with the Mother.

Only, it was bullshit.

She barely let me communicate with Her anymore, and when She did, if the conversation didn’t follow the train of thought She wanted, then I’d be stonewalled.

That was, of course, if She even let me into the goddamn sacred circle.

She knew when I had something on my mind, and would act accordingly. Locking me out of the one place that was mine by right.

I gritted my teeth at Her answer, and snarled, “How is he imperative? The child is a lunatic.”

“The child is imperative.”

She was worse than a fucking broken record. Reaching up, I rubbed a hand through my hair and snapped, “This is ridiculous.”

“Ask the right question, and I’ll answer.”

The place where She answered wasn’t like the land where I’d claimed Sabina. It wasn’t Earth either though, wasn’t the circle back in Highbanks. It was foggy all around me, the totem up ahead, the sky a dull gray with stars twinkling through the mass of clouds, but shadows were at my feet so it looked like I was floating.

I knew my grandfather, who’d been a strong alpha with a weak omega—at least, that was what Maggie May had told me—had come here twice a week to confer with Her. Father had come once a week. Me? I barely came for these solo sessions once a week because She refused to answer the questions that most needed asking.

If ever there was a time where the whole truth was required, it was now. After what Seth had done to Ethan, I knew speaking with Her was the only way to get any clarity. That had evidently been wishful thinking, though, because She wouldn’t give much of anything to me. Never mind the truth.

“Is there no advice you can give me?” I asked softly, hoping that would buy me an in.

“Follow your omega’s heart. She will guide you on the path you need to take.”

I gritted my teeth at the non-answer. “Putting her in danger is putting us all in danger. I won’t leave Knight without a family—”

“Knight will always have a family.”

That didn’t ease my concerns. At all.

Because Lara? Family. I didn’t want my son to be raised by a woman who had no awareness of the life. Knight was strong. Maybe going to be stronger than me. He needed guidance. Someone who he could butt heads with without being terrified he was going to accidently decapitate them.

“You cannot change the future, son.”

“Free will says otherwise,” I rasped.

“The child is imperative.”

“Which child?” I demanded, wondering if She’d give me specifics.

“The child is imperative.”

Goddammit!

Before I could get angry, before I could earn the pack a smite, I stepped back from the totem and returned to the real world.

When I saw a wolf in the distance, between the trees, I growled under my breath. When Berry darted forward, her head tilted to the side in question, I wanted to step back onto the totem and demand more answers—this time about my mother. In the fallout, I’d forgotten about her and the answers we’d been so eager to seek. Amazing how priorities shifted when you led a pack.

Seeing her here made me wonder if I’d hoped she was gone for good. Or was I glad she hadn’t run off?

“You betrayed your sons.”

Well, seemed like my rhetorical questions weren’t that rhetorical anymore.

She released a keening whine, before she backtracked into the forest.

“I trusted you with my woman! I wouldn’t have if I’d known how goddamn weak you were,” I hollered at her as she ran away, knowing she could hear me, and hoping the words penetrated the she-wolf’s hide to reach the spirit of my mother within.

Always fucking running.

What she did best.

Twisting around, mouth tightly pressed into a firm line, I stormed off. As expected, the Mother had been useless, and I was left with no answers, no advice, no guidance.

Whatever was heading our way… we were on our own. And while I was no psychic, it didn’t take a fucking fortune teller to figure out a storm was brewing.

Maybe the biggest of our lives.

Todd

“I didn’t expect you to bring me here.”

Her first words came as no surprise, but what did? The slight grimace of pain as she took a seat. I took note of it, but smiled at her as I settled into my side of the booth and told her, “That’s why I brought you.”

“You want to disarm me?”

Yes. That was the simple answer. Of course I wanted to disarm her. I’d never come across a woman in direr need of being disarmed than Lara Krasowski.

As I lifted my arm and rested it along the backrest of my banquette, I cast a quick look around the dining hall, and while I garnered attention, people were more interested in Lara.

I couldn’t blame them.

Even days after her attack, she still scented of hyena.

“I think you need a little disarming, that’s for sure.”

“I like to keep my control tighter than a Sports Illustrated model’s ass.”

My lips twitched. “That tight, huh?”

“Yes.” She tipped her head to the side like she was studying me, and while it felt more scientific than I’d appreciate, that her focus was on me was more than ample for my taste.

I knew she was going to fight the mate bond.

Knew it like I knew my name was Todd, for Mother’s sake, but I could cope with that. I’d dealt with worse. In the end, so long as she was mated to me, I’d deal with all the hoops she wanted me to jump through with a smile.

She broke eye contact with me after a few minutes of what felt like deep analysis, before she peered around the diner. “This isn’t your territory.”