"You're late."
Morris was pacing outside my motel room when Kade dropped me off. The sun had set an hour ago, and I'd completely blown off the witness interviews.
"Something came up." I climbed out of the truck, exhaustion making my movements slow.
"Something came up." Morris stopped pacing. "Blackwood, you look like hell. What happened?"
"Long day. I'll explain tomorrow."
"No. You'll explain now." He pointed at Kade's truck. "You've been with him all day. The alpha. And now you're what, buddies?"
"It's complicated."
"Then uncomplicate it."
Kade got out. "Detective Morris, I understand your concern. But Sera was helping me with a sensitive pack matter."
"I didn't ask you." Morris's voice went hard. "And I don't take orders from alphas."
The tension ratcheted up. I stepped between them.
"Morris, I'm sorry I missed the interviews. Reschedule them for tomorrow morning. I'll be there."
He studied me for a long moment, then nodded. "Fine. But tomorrow, we talk."
He walked away. I turned to Kade.
"You should go."
"I should stay. You shouldn't be alone."
"I'll be fine for one night."
"Sera—"
"Please. I just need to sleep. Alone."
Kade's expression softened. "Okay. But call me if anything happens."
He kissed my forehead. The bond flared warm, and through it I felt his fear that something would happen the second he was gone.
I watched him drive away, then dragged myself inside. Locked the door. Checked the windows.
My phone rang. Mira.
"Finally!" Her voice was bright. "I was starting to think you'd died in the woods."
"Not yet."
"That's not funny. You sound exhausted. Bad case?"
"You have no idea."
We talked for a few minutes before I hung up and tried to sleep.
It didn't come.
Every time I drifted off, visions crept in. Futures ending in blood. In screaming. In amber eyes.
At two in the morning, I gave up. Grabbed my jacket and slipped out the window.
The town was silent. Empty streets. Nothing moving except shadows.
I walked without direction. The bond tugged, pulling me north toward Kade's house.
I resisted.
A scent hit me. Wrong. Unfamiliar. Not Shadowpine.
I spun.
Three wolves stepped out of the darkness. Large. Scarred. Eyes glowing amber.
"Hello, Seer." The largest one spoke. "We've been looking for you."
I backed up. "Wrong girl."
"Don't lie. We can smell it on you. The gift. The power." He moved closer. "The Collector wants you alive. But they didn't say undamaged."
My phone buzzed.
Did you really think you'd be safe? Poor naive little Seer.
He lunged.
I dodged. His claws caught my jacket, tearing through fabric and skin. Pain flared.
The second wolf came from behind. I spun, driving my elbow into his throat.
The third grabbed my arm. A vision slammed into me.
This wolf. Younger. The Collector's voice: "Join us or die."
He'd chosen to join.
I grabbed his wrist, pushing visions into him. His future. Every path ending in death. Betrayed by the Collector.
He screamed, jerking back. "What did you do?"
"Showed you the truth. The Collector doesn't care about you. When I'm dead, they'll kill you too."
The largest wolf snarled. "Take her. Now."
They moved as one.
I ran.
Through empty streets. The wolves right behind me, gaining.
The bond flared. Kade felt my fear.
"Where are you?"
"Main Street. Three wolves. Not Shadowpine."
"Hold on. I'm coming."
I turned into an alley. Dead end. But there was a fire escape.
I jumped, caught the ladder, pulled myself up. The wolves crashed below, snarling.
I kept climbing. The ladder ended at a rooftop.
Movement behind me. One wolf had shifted. Climbed.
I looked around. Another building. Six feet away. Too far.
I jumped anyway.
For a moment, I was flying.
Then falling short. My fingers caught the edge. Barely. My body slammed into brick.
I pulled myself up. Kept running.
Building to building. Jumping gaps. The wolves following.
Then I saw him.
Kade. Standing two buildings away. Eyes blazing gold. Behind him, his pack. Dozens in wolf form.
Relief crashed through me.
"Jump. I'll catch you."
The gap was huge. Fifteen feet. No way I could make it.
I jumped anyway.
Then his arms were around me. We hit the roof together. He came up on top, shielding me.
"You hurt?"
"Just scratched."
He stood, facing the wolves who'd stopped at the gap. Three against dozens.
"Tell the Collector that the Seer is under Shadowpine protection. Anyone who touches her answers to me."
The largest wolf snarled. "The Collector doesn't answer to pack alphas."
"Then the Collector is welcome to come tell me that personally. Tomorrow night. Blood moon. We'll be waiting."
"She's not one of yours."
"She's my mate. That makes her pack. That makes her mine."
The wolves shifted and ran.
Kade turned to me. "Let me see the scratches."
I pulled up my sleeve. Three long gashes, already healing but bloody.
"They touched you. Made you bleed." His voice shook. "I should have killed them."
He pulled out his phone, barked orders. "Declan, patrols doubled. No one in or out without clearance."
He hung up. Looked at me.
"You were supposed to be safe."
"I couldn't sleep."
"So you went for a walk? In the middle of the night?" He ran his hands through his hair. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking I needed one hour where I wasn't the Seer or the target. Where I was just me."
"That's not an option anymore."
"So I just hide? Let you fight my battles?"
"Yes!"
"That's not who I am."
"Then who are you?" He moved closer. "Because the woman I'm trying to protect seems determined to get herself killed. And I can't watch you die, Sera."
"I'm scared," I admitted. "Of the Collector. Of the blood moon. Of what I might become." I looked at him. "And I'm scared of you."
"Why?"
"Because you make me want to stop running. And that's the scariest thing of all."
He cupped my face. "Then stop running. Just for tonight. Let me keep you safe."
"Where?"
"My house. It's warded. Protected."
I should have said no. But I was tired of fighting.
"Okay. Just for tonight."
He carried me to his truck. His pack melted from the shadows.
"This is Sera. My mate. Anyone who touches her answers to me. Understood?"
A chorus of acknowledgment.
We drove to his house in silence. Inside, it smelled like safety.
A door slammed. Footsteps.
A young woman burst in. Early twenties. Kade's eyes.
"Kade, what the hell? The entire pack is buzzing about you declaring some girl as your mate!"
"Iris. Not now."
"Yes, now!" She studied me. "What's your name?"
"Sera."
"Sera what?"
I hesitated. "Blackwood. Sera Blackwood."
Her eyes went wide. "Blackwood. As in the pack Dad—" She stopped. "Does she know?"
"She knows everything."
"And she's still here?" Iris laughed. "Either she's insane or you're way more charming than I gave you credit for."
She studied me, then her expression softened. "If Kade says you're his mate, then you're pack. Which means if anyone tries to hurt you, they answer to all of us."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet." She grinned. "I'm a lot."
She left.
My phone buzzed.
Impressive, little Seer. You survived tonight. But tomorrow is different. Tomorrow, the blood moon rises. Tomorrow, we take what's ours.
Attached was a photo. Elena. Tied to a chair. Blood streaming down her face.
Below: She tried to help you. Tomorrow night, you have a choice. Come willingly, and we let her live. Run, and we drain her dry while you watch.
The phone slipped from my fingers.
Kade caught it. Read the message. His expression went deadly.
"It's a trap."
"I know. But I can't let her die because of me."
"Tomorrow, before the blood moon rises, I'm taking a team to find Elena."
"And if you can't?"
"Then we deal with that when it happens. But I'm not letting you walk into a trap."
A howl split the night. Then another. The entire pack, calling. Warning.
Kade's phone rang. "What?"
Declan's voice, panicked. "They're here. At the borders. Dozens of them."
"How long?"
"Minutes. They're not waiting for the blood moon. They're coming now."
Kade's eyes met mine. "Get everyone to the safe house."
"What about you?"
"I'm staying. So is Sera." He hung up. Grabbed weapons. "They moved up t
he timeline."
The house shuddered. Something hit the wards.
Kade shoved a knife into my hands. "Stay behind me."
The windows exploded. Wolves poured through. Eyes glowing amber.
And behind them, three figures in shadow.
The Collector had arrived.
And they weren't leaving without me.