"Yeah, that sounds good. I''ll meet you downstairs—Sebastian''s here," I say quietly, nodding without meeting her gaze.


    The door clicks shut behind her, and I immediately berate myself once more. It''s the same routine every single day. I still don''t understand what he wants from me, and our conversations never go beyond the bare minimum. I can''t tell if he''s giving me space out of respect or if he''s slowly pulling away. My wolf offers no rity either. She''s restless, frustrated that we haven''t marked or mated with them yet. As Ben bes more integrated into the pack, her territorial instincts re up more fiercely. Every female who nces at him sparks a fierce protectiveness in her, like she wants to tear them apart.


    I inhale deeply, trying to calm the storm inside me. We can get through this. We can endure a little longer. I have to. I need to shield my pack, to solve this mess on my own terms. Only when I''ve done that can I allow myself to have my mate.


    Grabbing my thick, unruly auburn hair, I yank it into a ponytail. It''s coarse and stubbornly straight, leaving me with only a handful of styles that actually work. I let out a frustrated huff as I catch my reflection onest time before heading downstairs.


    The packhouse has be a lively hub. The coven members have settled infortably, and some of my pack have started joining them. Mealtimes are bustling and sometimes a little overwhelming, but I''ve grown to love the noise and energy. I overhear excited chatter about training sesses, children shouting about new discoveries in the woods we maintain for their y, and shopkeepers swapping stories about the rare tourists who wander through. I wonder why my parents never encouraged this kind ofmunity gathering. It''s incredible, and I feel like I''m learning more about everyone now than I ever did visiting shops, schools, or training grounds one-on-one.


    I spot Ben, Richard, and Sebastian seated across from two other men who must be Owen and Damon. I''ve met most of the coven, though there aren''t many of them. I mostly work alongside Brianna and Marietta.


    I approach the table just as their conversation winds down. "...to warn Luna Sam, just in case he''s dealing with the same issue," I catch thest fragment.


    Curious, I take a seat next to Jax at the head of the rectangr table. “Who has the same problem with what?" I ask, drawing all their attention. Ben is the one who answers.


    "I''m worried about Junior," he exins. "He''s younger than me, and if this magic threat affects anyone under twenty or twenty-one, he could already be struggling with it—especially if it''s active on his territory." He pauses, then continues, "We''ve been monitoring his patrols regrly, set up by Jason and me, but we haven''t seen or heard from Junior himself. That''s not necessarily rming-he''s strong, smart, and has Luna Sam to guide him—but given the current situation..."


    "You don''t want to take any chances," I finish for him. They all nod in agreement. "I can link to Luna Sam and give her a heads-up, if you haven''t already."


    Ben nods again. "Jason will be joining us soon. Rayria and Jeremiah are settled at home with a good routine for the twins. Luna Beth has fully embraced grandma mode, so he can be spared. Jason and Tommy have both been working with the Dark Moon elders to gather information. He might have something useful."


    “That sounds promising. Remember to check in daily. There are too many variables right now, and I want to make sure everyone is ounted for at all times. If anything unusual happens, use the mind link. No matter how big or small, every piece of information helps." They all agree, and I rise to fill my te.


    There. That was my way of justifying yesterday''s needy, ''call me every day'' moment.


    My wolf chuckles softly inside my mind. "See? You sound just like Jax."


    I smirk inwardly. "You sound an awful lot like him, you know."


    "Maybe he and I are on the same page about your mate. You don''t have to shut him out, you realize that, right?"


    "I''m not shutting him out! He''s as much a part of this pack as I am. Didn''t you hear him giving directions and making ns that don''t even involve me? I know he''s good at this—that''s why he basically has free reign."


    "So why not mark him as your mate if he''s that trustworthy and valuable?" "You know why."


    "Your ego might just get you both killed, you know that?"