Sometimes, it was best to keep your true nature to yourself. Even among people who couldn’t necessarily hurt you.

And especially among people who might.

It was unclear to her exactly how far she’d gone when she felt herself being watched. But she ascribed it to the creatures of the night who moved around to stay out of her way: wolves, deer, owls, raccoons. The farther into the preserve she went, the more she was forced to cede to the curiosity of the native animal populations.

And she didn’t mind it exactly.

Not when she was so clearly the apex predator—

It was at that moment when someone stepped into the trail up ahead.

Xhex stopped where she was. As a shiver went through her, it had nothing to do with air temperature. Something was … very off … about the creature that had placed itself in her path.

You have come to the mountain in search of your past.

“Hello,” Xhex said with annoyance. “Are you—”

And yet you do not know your true quest, child.

Okaaaaaaaaaaaay. Like she needed this smoke and mirrors, touchy-feely malarkey.

Yes, I am who you seek.

The entity came forward through the pines, but not on foot. It floated, traveling like it was on a hover board over the uneven ground, the shimmering robes swirling around.

The face that it chose to show her was that of a white-haired old woman, its features heavily lined, the eyes nearly sightless from under heavy lids, its wrinkled forehead echoing its sagging jowls. But only a fool would have been snowed. Enormous metaphysical power emanated from the being, to the point where the energy supercharged the air around it, tiny sparks crackling in the darkness.

That was what shimmered, not the fabric of the robing that covered its “body.”

“Listen,” Xhex said, “my name is—”

Your name is not important here on the mountain. Ask your question, and I will reply.

Xhex glanced behind herself, wondering if—

They are not far from you, child. They’ve been with you the whole way.

Ripping back around, Xhex opened her mouth. Closed it. “I’m here to ask about the labs. Whether they’ve started up again, and if so, where I can find them.”

That is not your question.

“Yeah, no offense, I’m pretty sure it is.”

That is not your question.

“Look, I’m thinking this was a mistake. You know, a trick played on both of us.” Fucking Blade. “I just want to know where the other laboratory is—”

You’re standing on the laboratory.

“I beg your pardon.” Xhex mostly kept the fuck-you out of her voice. “Actually, I think I’ll go now—”

They’ve experimented on the wolves who make this mountain their home.

Xhex narrowed her eyes. “What have they been doing to the … wolves.”

They are looking for forever. It is in the nature of human mortals to seek that which is not their due. To them, it is progress. Power. And in their desperation to succeed, they are cruel. Even those who would not usually seek to inflict pain become monsters to the innocent.

“Fucking hell,” Xhex muttered.

And that was when she realized the problem with the entity. Whatever it was … had no grid. Which meant Xhex was at a disadvantage she was unaccustomed to.

Ask your question, child.

The being came farther forward, closing in. And yet Xhex was unafraid. In fact, it was as if she fell into a trance, hypnotized by that aura.

You are safe here. Ask your question.

Xhex blinked. Under her skull, her brain constructed another sentence to the tune of I gotta go. That was not what came out of her mouth, however.

“Will I ever be free of what was done to me?” she whispered.

The entity reached out its glowing hand, stopping just short of stroking Xhex’s face—and yet she felt the contact, a soft, compassionate brush of her skin.

There is a path before you, my child. It will be long and dangerous, and the resolution of your quest is not clear at this time. But if you do not start … you will never, ever finish.

Xhex thought of all the days she had woken up in terror, clawing at her mate, screaming inside her skin, her soul.

“It’s supposed to all be behind me,” she choked out. “It was years ago. The scars are all healed, I’ve dealt with it.”

The energy is trapped just beneath your flesh. Unless it is released, once and for all, you will never be at peace.

Abruptly, she thought of the things in her life she was in the middle of: Setting up the new club. Working with Trez on the others. Her relationship with John Matthew. Her place at that dining table with her … family.

And then there was her mahmen, precious Autumn.

“I don’t have the time to deal with this right now, okay?” She pictured Mary, the household’s therapist. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll talk to someone. I’ll just—you know, sit down and have a little chat. All right? It’ll be—”

You have a disease of the soul. If you do not cure it now, it will destroy you.

“I don’t want to do this.”

You must, child. Or you will die by inches … and take all you love down with you.

“You said you don’t know the ending.” Why in the hell was she talking like this? Like this … thing … knew anything about her? “You said—”

To start is to have a chance. To stay where you are is a death sentence.

With that, the entity disappeared from in front of her. But it didn’t completely leave. Up ahead on the trail, it re-formed.

It was no longer an old woman.

It was a majestic silver wolf.

The entity turned away, loped away.

Xhex stood where she was, unable to move. It was as if she had become suspended in a pocket of existence that was neither here nor there, a gap in the space/time continuum. And shit, she couldn’t feel her body, didn’t know whether she was warm or cold, standing or lying down—

John Matthew materialized right in front of her. As his presence registered, she jumped back with a shout.

Xhex? Xhex are you okay? he signed.

Forcing herself to come back from … wherever the hell she’d been … she focused on her mate’s eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” She rubbed her face. “How are you?”

He gave her a strange look. I’m fine.

“Okay. Good. So, yeah.”

Are you going to keep going? Or do you think nobody’s coming?

She frowned. “What are you talking about? Didn’t you see the …”

As he just stared at her with worried inquiry, she cleared her throat. “No,” she said. “I don’t think anybody’s coming. This was just a wild goose chase. My brother, true to his symphath roots, was toying with me.”

John Matthew shook his head. What an asshole.

“Yeah, he’s that in a nutshell.”

As she turned away, her beloved hellren put his arm around her, and she did the same to his tight waist. Blay, meanwhile, had waited at a discreet distance, and when they came up to him, he nodded as if to say, Just respecting your privacy over here.

Together, the three of them walked back to where she had come from, back to her bike, back to their lives.

Just as the trail took a turn, Xhex looked over her shoulder.