y's

eatures a far cry from the tempest building inside me. The warning from Detective Collins regarding Marcus and Victor

dd disturbances in Silver Hollow chilled me to no end. I understood th

ower had only become stronger. He was an Alpha turned rogue with a dark scheme to re

door creaked open, grimaced. Li

wned my cup. "W

assembling troops, and his informants are aware of yo

hat reason?" With these, wh

ent, Lily." Their Authority... Victor thinks they might bal

e have to ensure their safety. I will

explained as best I could. "We might have to go o

sed wide-eyed questions to me. "W

der duress. We will b

lized the risk was close

Every leaf rustle and twig snap sets my teeth on edge. The youn

ted noise outside. I slipped to the window and peered into the nigh

ossibly awakening Finn fro

vigilant right a

w, I remarked, "There

nd left. My heart thumping, I started nervously out th

spies," he said. We

onscious. Finn drove us through the night, the black woodland blurted past. W

place," I told them. "Ev

kilometers grew on. My heart jumped into my throat when the hea

my voice shaking. "

w and looked in the

ded paths. The car behind us matched our speed and had o

ere?" With wide-open ter

red, attempting to keep my voice st

into a little dirt road, the tires skidding on the loose gravel just when I felt we were travelin

e cabin tucked far into the forest. Old and deserted, it woul

or now. We cannot, however, stay here very long.

of uncertainty and terror, the youngsters gathered together.

ting out for needs. Finn watched, his presence a continual reminder of the risk wa

by a knock on the door. Fin gestures for silence, his han

familiar voice

eat. Marcus was among us?

a of Silver Hollow, stood there. Though he appeared differe

ce tinged with both guilt a

eking dominance battled anger, hurt, and

eryone is in danger since Victor is back. We must

alien on my tongue. "Before you sh

de a mistake. I can see that right now. Every day since y

it is not that straightforward. You cause damage.

"Just your contribution. Victor's power is mounting;

hung too big to overlook. I looked at my kids; their naive faces

ng voice. "I'll be of service. This

is face. That is all I want. We wil

coordinated, planning our next action. Though they had obvious con

t by the fire. "Lily," he whispered s

heart weighty.

ou." Though I was merely defending myself, I imagined I was defending the

ice just above a

've lost." "I see the family I could have had, the

s still a flutter of optimism amid the agony of the past. P

st light of morning emerged through the woods. Though the road w

whatever occurred will be faced by