"I can't just put it back!" Calypso grumbled. "It would need more power than I did taking it in the first place, and I just expanded the damned barrier, which you are asking me to move again!"

Visena and Calypso stood in the packhouse, eyeing each other across the table. The other wolves had cleared out when the bickering started.

"Hina is punishing me, Calypso. I need her to forgive me, or the panic attacks and flashbacks will come back. Please! I didn't realise how much Eve's death hurt me until Cecilia took it away. I can't feel that again. I can't do that to Gideon again!"

"Stop yelling, dammit. You are such a brat!"

"Shut up! I'm not!" Visena couldn't understand why their relationship had gone sour. She thought they were making headway before Eve died.

"I am depleted. I cannot use that much power without- No, I can't do it. Find another witch."

Calypso glowered at the Fae as a warm voice spoke from the doorway. "Can you do it or not, my dear?" Mihnea crooned. He strode behind the Witch, and she leaned back into his towering figure, sighing.

"I need a celestial event if I want to channel that much power."

"And when will that be?"

"Three days. But I don't want to help her. She takes and takes. I'm not an endless supply of 'make a wish.'"

Visena swallowed guiltily, her mouth opening and closing, poised to speak or make excuses when she came up empty. Her head drooped. "I'm so sorry, Calypso. You're right."

A heavy silence settled in the room. The embracing pair looked at one another before peering back at Fae. Calypso picked her jaw off the floor in time to ask, "What?"

Visena's silver orbs lifted, swimming with tears. "I have been asking so much from you, and you never ask for anything in return. Please forgive me."

Calypso straightened and looked at Visena with scepticism. "Thank you," she replied tentatively. She moved her mouth as if she tasted something sour. Then, with a thorough throat clearing, she tried again, firmer. "Thank you, Visena. Give me time to prepare, and I'll bind you to your mate again on the full moon."

It felt too easy, and Visena was grateful for the Witch. Her sister.

"You owe me one," she threw over her shoulder as she walked out of the room, Mihnea's slender fingers linked with hers.

Visena let out a breath and rubbed her face, glad she could get out of the Moon goddess's bad books. A sudden flash seared a horrifying image behind her eyelids, and she suppressed a scream—Eve's oozing forehead, with shards of silver and skull fragments pouring from the blackened wound. Visena retched and ran to the kitchen sink, splashing cool water across her face from the faucet. The feelings of horror subsided, and she turned to see Gideon rushing in. "Are you okay?"

"Calypso can fix me on the full moon." She sidestepped the question quickly. "I think we should call the humans to Malum at the same time so Calypso has enough energy. I heard Liam saying there were more wolf deaths from the humans."

"When?"

"This morning."

Visena had eavesdropped on the conversation. It wasn't that hard with her wolf hearing and Prim's expressive voice repeating everything Liam said. "Really? That many! That's awful. Oh my god, Liam. We need to stop them now! Three packs? No, not children! They are monsters!" Once Prim had started bawling, Visena moved away from her spot against the outside wall of her house.

Gideon grumbled and grabbed himself something to eat from the fridge. "Is three days enough time for you to prepare?"

"I've been preparing for this since they stole Eve from me."

A muscle ticked in Gideon's jaw as he took in his mate's words. Then, finally, he nodded, more for himself than her. "I'll prepare the packs. Should we call on any of the other Alpha's for support?"

"No, I don't want any unnecessary casualties. Invictus, Praelia and the Vampires should be enough. All they will be doing is keeping the humans in one place. Then I can finish it." Her heart started racing from her own conviction. After killing Zeir, she had hoped she would never have to kill again. But then the Earth Fae attacked her. It was self-defence, they would've killed me... Despite that fact, she was far from the innocent girl she was before meeting Gideon for the first time.

Gideon looked doubtful but nodded again. "Alright, my love. Get your ass to bed. I'll be up soon." His mouth twitched in a smile before he quickly wiped it away.

Visena's brows furrowed, "What was that?"

"Nothing. Now go to bed."

The Fae did as she was told and felt heat on her back as she climbed the stairs. She dropped a tissue she had found bundled in her pocket without turning back. "Whoops," she said, bending from the waist and retrieving it, arching her back for good measure. The resounding growl and incoming footsteps had her squealing, as did the playful slap to her ass.

"Bed, you little minx."

I can't help it. It's the mate bond. She sent down the link as she ran up the final flights of stairs.

"Yeah, right!" her mate called after her.

At the end of the hall, the black door sat slightly ajar, and Visena bounded through, preparing to jump on Gideon's California king when she screamed. She was already mid-air, and it was too late to stop her momentum as she careened onto the carcass. With a twist, she managed to miss landing full-frontal on the rabbit's body, its sticky blood coating her arms instead. Her mate rushed in and pulled her off the bed faster than she had the chance to process.

"What the fuck?" Gideon growled, giving his mate a once over. He lowered his nose to the blood on her sleeve and grimaced. "It's from Thyra."

Visena's heart dropped. How could I forget? She probably hates me.

"It's okay, Gideon. I'm fine."

"How the fuck did she get in here? Something is wrong..."

"It's fine. Just leave it!" Visena said, dragging her feet to the bathroom. She carefully unpeeled the clothes and climbed in the shower when another wave of terror hit her—written in blood across the tiles read, 'Sicarius'.

Her mate rushed in, looking about ready to murder someone when he saw it and shook with rage. He quickly grasped the detachable showerhead and washed the word down the drain in his half-shifted hands.

"What does it mean?"

"It doesn't make sense. There is no scent in here besides yours and that damn rabbit. So how did she get in here?"

Visena shrugged, wrapping her arms around her bare chest as her mate mulled something over.

"We're going to the cottage tonight. Get dressed."

She liked it when he took charge, but it was not the time to get flushed from his dominance. She quickly rinsed herself and changed before being whisked from the packhouse by his insistent tugging. His hand never released her once, even when Liam and Nairi, with Cassia in tow, showed up, questioning what happened.

"Stay out of the packhouse for tonight, get everything you need and stay in the new cabin by Prim. It was our gift for you anyway."

Gideon, Visena groaned internally while scowling at her mate. She realised he was panicking for her safety, but he didn't need to spoil the surprise. The house had already been built, but Visena, Eve and Prim added the furnishings before the marking ceremony. It was supposed to be a surprise for their half-year anniversary.

"Oh wow, thank you," Nairi said, shuffling on her feet. "Should we be concerned?"

"No. Just let Calypso know you're moving in, and she'll cast a protection circle around the house. You should be fine. It's not you being called a murderer."

Gideon turned and pulled Visena down the beaten path to the cottage. It would be faster if we shifted. The Alpha's voice trailed through the mind link. 

Visena removed her clothes with a huff and shifted into her wolf. It had been so long, and her body was tight and sore. Wait a moment, she said to the shadow before her. Gideon's green eyes raked over her form appreciatively as she stretched and yawned. A few areas clicked, and her flexing toes happily curled into the moist earth. Finally, Gideon's short growl signalled for her to hurry up, and they ran, shoulder to shoulder, to the cottage.

A familiar chirping welcomed them, and the luminescent wolf yipped at her old friend. Faer flew around Gideon before perching atop Visena's brow. Her tongue lolled at the tickling sensation as they shifted and crossed the threshold. Faer still sat on Visena's head, and she raised her hand to the old bird. "Get off," she requested with a smile.

The bird hopped across her silver mane and onto her forefinger, pecked at her nail and flew away. "Bye, little jerk," she whispered before looking at her smirking mate. 

He looked godlike under the light of the waxing moon. The shadow cast above him had his rippling abdominals appearing even more defined. He rolled his shoulders, and the flexion had Visena's knees go weak. She refused to let her eyes trail any lower lest she lose all decency and throw herself on him. It was not the time to indulge in her growing fantasies. She could see him hardening in her periphery as her lustful thoughts escaped her mental barriers.

"Yeah," he seemed to answer her. "You better tame yourself before I throw you over my shoulder again." His eyes flickered in the darkness.

"Mhmm." She speed-walked past him and dressed in a flowing satin nightgown. It was hers from before, and it sat snugly beneath her bust. Her nipples hardened from the rubbing fabric, and Gideon groaned as he pulled on some sweats.

"When all this is over, I will fuck you over every inch of this house," he ground out.

Visena felt herself dampen, and her cheekiness burst out as she reclined on the bed, arms holding herself up, with just enough back arch to have her cleavage on display.

"You promise?"

~~~

A/N

We are getting super close to the end!! I was somehow clever enough to merge the chapters to make the story finish officially on chapter sixty-nine - I know I'm so immature but it's funny!

So after 69, there will be the epilogue and we will be done!!!!!

Can't believe it!

will update soon x

K <3