Warm water lapped at my collarbone, soothing the little red marks that now adorned my neck courtesy of the Black Lupis Alpha. I smiled to myself at the thought, stretching my toes to the edge of the bathtub until I sank a bit further into the bubbling water.

I'd originally told Nolan that I didn't want to waste my time soaking in a hot bath, but he'd been awfully persistent. To my initial disapproval, he escaped my embrace to draw steaming water into the bathtub, filled to its porcelain brim with oils and soaps to enhance the experience.

Eventually, I conceded.

"I hope you plan on joining me?" I teased, ignoring the swarm of goosebumps that traveled down my back as Nolan's expert hands unfastened the clasp of my bra.

My back faced Nolan's chest, while palpable tension buzzed in the small space between our two bodies. The straps of my black lace bra loosened, daring to fall off my front, and my mate pressed a tantalizing kiss to the top of my shoulder. One of his hands dared to brush one lace-strap off of it's shoulder.

"As tempting as that sounds," he grumbled, his hot breath fanning against the back of my neck, "My little sister has nearly gotten into three cat-fights with the red-headed, she-devil werewolf in our absence."

I gasped, "Lizzie and Sophia are fighting?"

Nolan chuckled, "Your friend insulted Sophia's sense of fashion when she offered some fresh clothing to wear."

"Oh, Moon Goddess," I groaned, rolling my eyes at the thought of their petty squabble. "I suppose you'd better go referee."

He huffed the smallest laugh, pressing another kiss to the side of my neck, "No, I'd better go teach my sister some manners."

A mischievous smile crept onto my lips, as I shrugged the other bra strap off of my shoulder until the scrap of clothing fell to the floor at my feet. Without looking back at my mate, I took several steps toward the porcelain bathtub, reached the edge, and rid myself of the remaining cotton panties that clung to my curves. Finally naked, I stepped into the steaming water and sunk beneath the bubbles.

Only when the entire front of my body was concealed by water and foam did I dare glance at Nolan, "I suppose it's your loss, then."

"My wicked Luna," Nolan growled through gritted teeth, eyes dancing with fiery want.

My lashes fluttered in feigned innocence, eyes trailing downward toward his hips and the bulge that now begged to be freed from his jeans. I clenched my thighs together beneath the water.

Nolan must have followed my gaze, since a proud, masculine smirk appeared on his lips. He cocked a dark brow in my direction. A silent challenge. Like what you see?

Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I sank a bit lower in the water. Nolan chuckled strode over to the bathtub, bending down to press one final kiss to the top of my head, "Come find me when you've finished? And bring the talisman, our witch friends will be arriving soon."

I nodded and bid the Alpha farewell, listening to his footsteps fade as he exited our little cottage.

My body quickly adjusted to the heat of the liquid surrounding it, and, truthfully, my muscles rejoiced in the therapeutic waters. Somewhere between cleaving the fingers off of Savannah's hand and running for my life away from Sehan, I'd managed to strain the muscles in my back and legs.

Lounging in the tub, I conjured up one hundred ways, most of them sinful and involving my mouth, that I could thank Nolan for convincing me to take a bath.

...

I stayed in the water for much longer than I'd planned. By the time I dared to step out of the inviting tub, the pads of my fingers had expanded into prunes and the water had turned room-temperature. I toweled off, chose a pair of sturdy black leggings and a black, long-sleeved t-shirt, and tied my damp hair into a braid.

Given the amount of time I spent soaking in the porcelain bathtub, I wasn't surprised to hear persistent knocking on the front door of the cottage when I finally emerged from the bathroom. Soon, Dylan's infuriatingly cocky voice began mingling with the knocking, "Hello, Charles? You finished getting ready?"

I huffed. Of course Nolan had sent someone to come check on me. My overprotective mate was undoubtedly worried that I'd somehow managed to drown in the bathtub.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I shouted, snagging the emerald talisman from the wardrobe where I'd left it before half-jogging toward where Dylan waited on the porch. The ring fit snugly around my finger, where it would remain until Zephora arrived to claim it for her coven once more.

"What took you so long?" Dylan clucked as soon as the door opened. "You're getting ready for a hybrid attack, not a beauty pageant."

I shot the Black Lupis Delta a smirk laced in sarcasm and lifted my middle finger in a vulgar gesture. Nonetheless, I wouldn't waste my breath on our petty squabbling. Not now.

"Have the witches arrived yet?" I joined him on the porch, shutting the cottage door behind us as we started the trek toward the pack house.

"Five minutes ago. Nolan sent me to let you know."

One corner of my lips turned up in a crooked smirk, "And to make sure I hadn't become a hybrid snack in the half-hour since he left the cottage?"

Dylan chuckled, "That, too."

A crowd of werewolves had gathered around the Black Lupis pack house, undoubtedly eager to receive orders regarding the impending hybrid attack. I wouldn't have blamed them if they wanted a front-row look at the witch coven, either. But, as we drew closer, I realized that I didn't recognize all of those idling nearby.

In fact, half of the werewolves remained in their wolf form. They had rough, patchy coats, and blood stained the fur around their jowls. Each newcomer shifted in discomfort anytime a Black Lupis member took a step too close. Rogues.

"The rogues that fought for us at the Golden Walker's Pack?" I whispered to Dylan, who subconsciously inched closer to me in a display of dutiful protection.

He nodded, "Commanded by Dominic himself."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and kept my eyes on the ground as we navigated through the crowd, "They listen to him?"

"Like an Alpha," Dylan replied, just as we reached the front entrance of the packhouse.

To my own surprise, Nolan stood on the steps leading up to the mansion's door. Raegan and Sophia flanked each of his sides, and my father, brother, and Lizzie lingered in the background as well. No one noticed my arrival, but I couldn't blame them.

Not when an entire coven of witches demanded their attention.

My eyes immediately recognized Zephora, who stood at the center of the group of brown-skinned women. Each member of the witch coven was more beautiful than the last, and they held themselves with a confidence that indicated that they knew of their physical and magical prowess. To the leader's left, stood her daughter, Angelina. The girl that had informed me of the illusive curse that supposedly plagued my mate and Alpha. I fought the urge to snarl as thoughts of the unknown threat resurfaced in my mind.

But a quick movement between the groups caught my eye, and my attention immediately snapped to the enormous black wolf that prowled in the space between my family and the coven. Dominic.

Even Dominic's inky black fur could not conceal the dark blood that caked itself to his rib cage. At least a dozen gashes and bite-wounds littered the Rogue Alpha's body. Any other wolf might have been handicapped by such injuries, if not killed by the blood loss. And yet, here he stood.

Miles away, I knew that the Golden Walker's Pack now mourned the loss of their alpha.

I tore my eyes away from Dominic, but not before they snagged on the unrecognizable ice in his blue gaze. Fear clenched in my chest. This male had murdered countless werewolves in order to help me escape, and yet I still couldn't bear the sight of him. I couldn't look him in the eyes, not again.

Perhaps I was just terrified that I'd see the gaze of a male who now believed that he owned me. He'd saved my life, and now I owed him something in return. The fading mark on my neck prickled, and nausea crept up my throat. Moon Goddess, save me...

A steady hand touched the small of my back, grounding my senses once again. I closed my eyes for half of a second. Now is not the time to panic over memories of the night of Nolan's birthday party.

With that same, gentle touch, Dylan guided me toward the pack house entrance, where my mate and family waited. Every step that I took closer to Nolan brought the strangest sense of strength to my bones, like some great tension loosened as the distance closed between us. And when I reached his side, it took every ounce of strength not to fling myself into his arms.

Somehow, I managed to maintain my dignity by aligning myself by my Alpha, my equal, and leveling a cool stare to the witches and rogues that gathered around. Nolan snaked an arm around my waist, but made no other attempt at drawing me closer. I'd not be seen as a sniveling Luna in need of saving, even if the rogues and witches had just come to our rescue...

"Ah, Luna," Zephora took a step forward, mischief and power dancing in her brown eyes. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise," I replied, a strong breeze carrying the sharp edge of my word to the coven leader.

The smile on the woman's face faded upon hearing the edge in my voice, as if she realized that I was in no mood to play games. Not anymore. "You have my talisman?"

My fingers tightened into a fist around the emerald inlaid ring. The magical object pulsed against my skin, as if it could sense that it's true owner was near. The thought reassured me, and I let out a deep breath before I uncurled my fingers and held out the talisman.

"Now, let's do some magic," I demanded.