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    I walked into the office early the next morning. I was exhausted still, but I had things to do. nnah stood with a shout. "Amy!


    You''re back." She ran over and hugged me. "I was so worried when I hadn''t heard anything from you."


    "I just spent some time with my mom on an ind off the coast. Cell service was bad." I sniffed her. "You smell good." I pulled


    back, patting her back. "I like the perfume, what is it?"


    She looked a little confused for a moment. "It''s vani."


    I smiled. "It smells great, but I can tell it''s wearing off. You might want to add a little, so itsts all day." I winked at her as


    understand entered her eyes.


    "Good idea. I''ve been running around all morning, so I was really sweaty." She turned around and went to her desk, pulling the


    bottle from her purse and spraying herself. She turned to me expectantly. "How''s that?"


    "Perfect." I looked around. "Is Rick in?"


    She shook her head. "He left early yesterday after his meeting with the alpha. I think we weren''t feeling well." She sat down at


    her desk. "He left instructions on your desk on the slim chance you came back."


    "Thanks nnah." I winked again and turned into my office. I hung up my coat and purse and sat at my desk, booting everything


    1. up. I pulled myptop out of my bag and set it up next to my workputer. The newly installed privacy screen protecting what I


    was doing from the camera and any looky Lou''s. I booted bothputers up as I grabbed the instructions.


    There were a few maintenance pieces to handle, and then thest instruction caught my eye. ''After you havepleted


    everything, I had hidden a Trojan inside the main mainframe. You have eight hours from the moment you boot yourputer up to purge it from the mainframe or else everything is lost. Good luck.''


    "Fuck." I swore, but in reality I was ecstatic. Now I had a reason to poke around the entire system. I dropped the paper and looked


    at both screens. My workputer had a timer visible on the bottom screen counting down the eight hours. I stretched to get to


    work, but myptop screen was shing.


    I hadn''t had time to check myputerst night. I crashed hard after porch wine, and exining my captivity for thest week.


    I still remember Toya crossing her arms. "So you just hung out in a jail cell?" She looked at my mom and Wendy. "Why the fuck


    would you do that?"


    I scratched at my head. “Okay, before you judge me, there were a few reasons. One, I was weak from the draining. I needed to


    rebuild our strength before we ran away. Second, I needed to find a way to stop the drain. Andst, Vince was talking. In the few


    days when he came in, he talked a lot. More than he realized."


    "How much could he have said that was more important than Carly?" Wendy''s voice was soft, but it hit me like a sledgehammer.


    "Nothing is more important than Carly." I shook my head as I took a swallow of wine. "But they revealed Lycans were still alive."


    Everyone perked up at that, my mom in particr.


    “That''s impossible." She shook her head. "I remember the devastation of the ns."


    "ns?" Wendy turned to look at my mom.


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    She nodded. "Lycans stayed in ns. Much like the wolf packs, but a different title, with a different rule. Plus, depending on the


    n, it gave you standing." She turned to me. "You must have heard wrong."


    I shook my head. "They chased the living Lycans into the mountains and lost the trail. They even hinted that the goddess was


    keeping them safe."


    My mother sagged against the railing. "They might still be alive." Tears trailed down her face. Her eyes danced to mine. "Our family might still be alive?"


    I lifted my shoulder. "I don''t know. I just know a basic area, and that there were sure some were still alive."


    My mom stood. "Let''s go."


    I grabbed her hand before she could leave. "I was told today that the lycans weren''t for me to find."


    My mom turned back to me. "What do you mean?"


    I nodded to the house. "That''s something for Carly to do."


    "She''s a fucking child, Amy. How the hell is she supposed to find and bring home


    the ns?" I pulled her back against the railing.


    "You think I don''t know that? But I also believe the goddess has her own ns for everyone. The Lycans are destined for Carly.


    We already have too much to worry about. With Vince working with Verity. Rowan being surrounded by people trying to kill him,


    Verity using magic on him, and the rogues attacking packs still."


    The beep of myputer drew me back to the screen.


    Thoth: WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!


    Oh shit.