Ste


    The atmosphere inside the hotel room is weird and filled with disbelief and confusion about our situation.


    Evan is filled in about the timelines, but I''m unsure if he believes everything we have told him. I hope he does.


    "I can''t believe Leonora is evil..." Raphaelments while trying to getfortable against his pillow. His wounds are slowly healing. "She has been under my nose this entire time..." "Give yourself a break. Leonora is possessed, and you couldn''t have known," Evan says from his spot on the corner of the bed.


    "And what does the possession thing entail?" Raphael asks.


    Evan meets his eyes. "It means both Leonora and Arachne are inside that body. At times, it might have been Leonora, and other times it might have been the spider talking to you."


    "Right now, it''s definitely mostly the spider," I say while dabbing and cleaning a wound on Raphael''s arm. He grimaces at the pain, yet I keep tormenting him. "Arachne had full control of Leonora when she was here. That much is clear." "F**k..." Raphael sighs heavily. "I''m so confused. What are we supposed to do now? Arachne is out there, and... Elias stole my pack, and alpha Logan is still alive in Lunaris, and if they join each other..."


    "Then they will form the strongest werewolf pack in the whole country and probably kill every vampire in Lunaris," Evan finishes for him in a calm voice. "I''m aware of that."


    "Then why do you look so unbothered?" Raphael questions. "Don''t you care about your kind? Aren''t you the leader?"


    "Technically, I''m the vampire prince and not yet the king. My father is still around, and he should be able to protect them... I think? I''m not sure what my father is doing, but he is alive."


    "Yeah, but your father is weak and suicidal-my pack killed him in the other timeline, and he didn''t put up much of a battle."


    Evan growls. "My father isn''t weak!"


    "Then why did he die so easily, huh?" Raphael challenges. "In the earlier timeline, it was like he wanted to die..."


    Evan res at Raphael, and I sigh at the rivalry electricity bouncing around the room. They are like oil and water. "Okay, guys. Please. You''re on the same side!" I exim. "And here is an idea: why don''t we return to Lunaris?" "Say what?!" Raphael blurts out. "Are you mad?!"


    Evan blinks at me, too, though his response is far calmer. "Yeah... Why would we go back there?"


    I sigh at their baffled expressions. Men really are stupid. Do I have to spell out everything for them? I guess I do...


    I take a deep breath. "So... Arachne is trying to recruit the Bloodmoon pack and the Snowke pack to fight for her, right?"


    Raphael looks at me. "Yeah?"


    "And?" Evan spins his hand as if wanting me to continue.


    I repress the urge tough.


    Don''t they get it yet?


    Both men are still looking confused, and I roll my eyes. I''m honestly surprised Raphael and Evan have survived thus far. I''m clearly the only one with a functioning brain here.


    "Since Arachne is building herself an army, we have to recruit people too, and I think we should start with what we have at hand-the vampires! Joshua, Ryker, Jasper, Whitney, and we could even recruit Julia if she is a great fighter!" Evan opens his mouth, and then he closes it. "Are you actually serious right now? You honestly want to fight with the vampires?"


    "Yes!" I exim. "I know you like to believe that you''re a lone wolf, Evan, but the truth is that your people need you in the uing battle. And even though the vampires treated me like trash... I believe they can change with your leadership." "There might also be some werewolves unwilling to follow Elias," Raphael chimes in. "And if you would allow it... We could form a pack with both vampires and werewolves in it."


    I p my hands, beaming at both my mates. "That''s a great n! Let''s form our own pack! Both vampires and werewolves allowed!"


    Raphaelughs. "Sounds great!"


    Evan nces between us. "You''re both f*****g crazy."


    "Why?" I ask.


    Evan res at me. "For many reasons, but the main one is that it''s f*****g stupid to return to Lunaris..."


    "No-no-no! Think about it!" I sit down cross-legged in the bed and focus my eyes on Evan. "Arachne always attacks us in Lunaris. This is obviously the ce where she needs to be. There is something special about Lunaris, so we must have a pack ready to fight her there." "Go on, keep talking," Evan urges, interested now that it seems I have given my n some thought.


    I continue talking. "And so far, we have only fought Arachne with werewolves orpletely on our own, and it has never worked. But what if werewolves and vampiresbined in a pack are what we need to defeat her?"


    Evan smiles at me. "You might be right, little wolf, but the vampires might not follow us so easily. They probably aren''t interested in working together with the former enemy."


    "Same for the werewolves, honestly," Raphael sighs.


    "Perhaps that''s why I have two mates?" I offer, shrugging. "Maybe if the vampires and the werewolves see that you''re my mates, they get inspired and think the two species can work together?"


    "Shit..." Evanughs and rubs his eyelids. "So that''s how it''s going to be..."


    Raphael snorts. "She actually confirmed it."


    Huh?


    What are they talking about?


    To my surprise, Raphael sits up to poke Evan with his elbow, and theyugh together. It is odd seeing them not fighting orining about the other one''s taste in music. They are actuallyughing like friends...


    "What is so funny?" I ask. I''m curious about what is going on.


    "Oh, it''s nothing, little wolf," Evan says, trying not to smile, but he miserably fails.


    "It''s just that..." Raphael grins at me. "You finally made your decision-it''s going to be the both of us, huh?"