Amanda’s heart beat hard against her chest as she stared at the little man. She was tired of people looking for her or wanting to kill her. Couldn’t they all just leave her alone?

“Pemberly, what have you heard?” Cynthia questioned.

Pemberly rubbed the back of his neck before he answered. “Words out that the hybrid killed the Lycan King and that she’s the reason some old witch is coming back,” he reported.

Amanda folded her arms as she leaned against a desk and shrugged. “The first one is true, but we don’t have much information about Merga to insinuate that I’m the reason she’s coming back.”

Pemberly shrugged back. “I’m just giving you what I’ve heard.” His tiny phone started to ring in his pocket. “Oh no, it’s the boss, man. What do you want me to tell him?” he asked in a panic.

Luna raised her hand to calm him. “Tell him as much of the truth as possible. You followed us into a hidden room, and so far, we haven’t found our way through the room. Explain that we’ve created a mist barrier because we sensed someone was here, and you had to fly out before we figured it out.”

Pemberly nodded as he answered his phone. “Hello, sir.”

“Ahh, Pemberly, it’s been a long time since we’ve talked. Do you have any news for me?”

Pemberly recited back to his boss precisely what Luna Cynthia had suggested him to say.

“Good job, Pemberly. Do your best to keep tabs on them and let me know when they find the book and the pendant,” his boss ordered.

“Yes, sir.” Pemberly agreed to it before hanging up the phone.

Amanda and Luna watched him as he returned his phone to his pocket.

“I think he believed me.” Pemberly indicated.

“As long as you stick to what you told them, they won’t suspect anything,” Cynthia implied.

“So, now what?” Pemberly asked.

Amanda turned back toward the glass case and made her way to it. “Now, we see what this book can tell us,” she answered.

***

Logan stood outside Madeline’s hotel room; he had made several attempts to knock on the door but couldn’t. Logan had been conflicted since the visit he had received from his brothers. He knew that his brother would need him when his brother took over for their father. Logan was what kept him grounded and connected to his humanity. Logan breathed out; ever since he had fallen for Madeline, she was why he held onto his. She was his saving grace. And for a moment, there was a chance that Logan could get his happily ever after with Madeline. But now, he didn’t want to say goodbye to her.

He sucked in a breath as the door opened, and Madeline stood on the other end. She placed her hand on her hip and leaned against the door.

“Have you decided to come in or not?” she asked him.

Logan’s brows furrowed, “How did...”

Madeline looked at him pointedly and lifted her brow at him.

Logan nodded in acknowledgment.

Madeline motioned for him to come in. Logan entered the room and waited for her to close the door behind them.

“So, what’s on your mind, Logan?” she asked as she walked past him and into the living room.

Logan didn’t want to talk about the real reason he was there. He wanted to see Madeline; he needed to see her. He felt lost and needed to feel something, anything. “I just wanted to check on you and make sure everyone got home safely last night.”

Madeline smirked as she shook her head. “You know they did.”

Logan chuckled. He loved that even after all these years, she still knew him. Logan did what he could to keep her protected. He knew watching over her family and friends while they were here in Silver City would give her peace of mind.

“So, what’s the real reason you’ve come to see me, Logan?”

Logan sighed as he walked over; he raised his hand to cup the side of her face and pulled her close. “I just needed to see you,” he told her before he pressed his lips against hers. Logan closed his eyes as all the pain and confusion washed away from him as his lips continued to kiss Madeline’s. He wouldn’t think about his brother’s wanting him to return. Logan would only live in this moment with Madeline for as long as he could.

***

Tabitha sat back in the chair with two cucumbers resting upon her eyes as the technician massaged her feet; she enjoyed every minute. Why had she never experienced something like this? All of Tabitha’s stress and worries were massaged away as they pampered her and made her feel like a goddess.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Esha asked as she lifted a cucumber off her eyes and peeked over at Tabitha.

“This is amazing and so relaxing. I don’t know how I could have lived without this for so long,” Tabitha admitted.

“Do you ever think about staying here?” Esha asked. She kept her eye on Tabitha to see her reaction.

Tabitha’s shoulders slumped. There was a part of her that did want to stay. She was enjoying her time here. But she had an even more significant part of her, with four legs, liked to howl at the moon and whined for their mate. Who wished they were back with their pack and away from all of this. Safra, her wolf. Tabitha sighed as she tried to push the annoying howl to the back of her head. For a moment, she wanted to be a girl, not a shifter with a duty to her pack.

Tabitha pulled away the cucumbers from her eyes as she turned to look at Esha and shook her head. “ I wouldn’t be able to choose to stay here. I made a promise to stay loyal to my pack and family. Staying here isn’t an option for someone like me,” she confessed.

Esha sat quietly for a moment as she eyed Tabitha. She knew this girl was falling for the glitz and glam they were portraying Silver City to have. When Esha was younger, that’s how she always saw the city she grew up in. She wanted everything the sparkling place had to offer. Growing up, Esha wasn’t seen as pretty, which wasn’t normal for a siren girl. Beauty was a part of the lure of trapping your victims, something Esha didn’t have. When Esha turned eighteen, she made an eternal deal for everlasting beauty. At first, she had no problem luring people to the pretty place, but something about Tabitha made it difficult to persuade her. But deep down, she knew she had a part to play in all this, and that was what she needed to do— play her role.

“Well, we’ll just have to continue to win you over then,” Esha said to her with a smirk. “Tonight, the faction council is holding a masquerade ball. Anyone who’s anyone will be there. You and your friends have to come tonight. It’s an all-black attire event; everyone wears a mask. It will be an event you will never forget.”

Tabitha leaned closer to Esha and said, “Sounds perfect.”