“We saved them the only way we could. Our pack rarely asks for anything and we couldn’t refuse them. The vampire mistook the pack for ours. We’d been hunting him for some time,” Ivory continued. “I—we—felt responsible. We inadvertently led the vampire right to them. He wiped out the pack and slashed, but didn’t kill the pups, leaving them as bait for us.”

“I take it his plan didn’t work out in his favor,” Dimitri said, his voice going grim.

“No, he was brought to justice,” Razvan assured. “And we acquired four more pups. A female and three males. We thought, under the circumstances, they would be best placed with you. As much as they’re a part of our family now, we realized we couldn’t allow our pack to get that large.”

Skyler gripped Dimitri’s hand. She was actually trembling with her excitement, hardly able to contain it.

“We thought the two of you would be perfect to care for them,” Ivory confided. She rubbed her hand over her thigh restlessly.

Razvan reached over and placed his hand over Ivory’s, stilling that small movement, comforting her. She was offering them part of her family, pups she’d raised, and loved.

Skyler could see the faint patchwork scars running through Ivory’s skin. She was beautiful in spite of all those scars, radiant, knowing she had Razvan’s unconditional love. Skyler looked at Dimitri, at the chain links burned into his skin. She would take away the blackness, and even out the pitting over time, but his scars would be there, his badges of courage, just as Ivory’s were.

And she would love him. Nothing could ever change what she felt for Dimitri. The intense emotion for him would only grow with time—if that were possible.

“They’re trained to adhere to our skin and watch our backs,” Ivory explained. “They’ll do the same for you. They just look like large, intricate human tattoos if anyone sees them.”

“You have to allow them to hunt for food, but control what they choose to eat. And you absolutely have to be in control at all times,” Razvan explained. “You can’t allow them to run over you or you’ll end up having to destroy them as you would a vampire.”

Ivory nodded solemnly. “The two of you are the only ones we considered. Would you be interested? If you are, we can share information with you now and give you the pups when you’re both feeling stronger. I’ll train you, Skyler, to run them.”

Skyler tried not to be disappointed. She wanted her own wolf pack that moment. She had always loved the idea of Ivory’s famous wolf tattoos. Dimitri? She tried not to influence him. It was their decision together, not just hers. She knew he would listen with an open mind to her reasons and she wanted to be able to do the same for him.

His laughter was soft in her mind, filling her with an odd tingling sensation, with a small rush of heat. Skyler.

That was it. Her name. She sent him a look from under her lashes, one she usually reserved for Josef. Are you mocking me?

Teasing you. Just a little. We’re getting the wolf pups. How could I possibly say no to a gift like that? You would never stop arguing with me.

Discussing. I was totally prepared to be reasonable and listen to you and then show you all the reasons you were absolutely wrong if you disagreed.

Dimitri burst out laughing. “Skyler Rose has a spine of steel. Yes. Yes with thanks. There are no words to express our appreciation of such a rare gift. We both want them.”

Skyler leaned toward Ivory. “Thank you for the amazing offer to train me. I certainly accept. It would be an honor to get such an experience. I’ve always envied you for your wolves. They’re so beautiful.”

“But deadly,” Ivory reminded. “They hunt the vampire with us. The pups have already hunted as well. Our adults share knowledge with them and they know what to do. You’ll never be able to have a home in a city or even a town, not with your pack.”

The shelter around them trembled. The western corner folded over. Once again the ground shifted beneath them.

“Our fortress is destabilizing rapidly,” Dimitri said. “And the De La Cruz brothers have returned.”

Skyler took a deep breath. “I’m not certain I can fix it. I can try, but . . .” She trailed off. She glanced over the other Carpathians, who had formed a loose circle and were discussing how to leave without starting a war. She could feel eyes watching them and she shivered, knowing they would have to leave their temporary sanctuary and once again face the Lycans.

“We should join the others,” Razvan suggested. He reached out his hand to his daughter. “I know you’ve grown up with Gabriel and Francesca, and they’re your parents. I would never want to take anything from them, but we do want you in our lives, Skyler.”

“I love Gabriel and Francesca with all my heart,” she admitted. “Without them, I wouldn’t be here. They showed me what love was, what a relationship could be—should be. They also taught me that love is endless, that we have the capacity to love many people and it never takes away from those already in our lives.”

She looked up at Dimitri and then made her confession in a little rush. “When Tamara was born, I have to admit, I was a little afraid I’d be pushed aside. I wasn’t Carpathian and I had a lot of problems, but that never happened. Tamara enhanced all of our lives, mine as well as Gabriel and Francesca’s. Becoming closer to the two of you would never take anything away from Gabriel and Francesca.”

“I would like that,” Razvan said.

Skyler could still feel that little space between Ivory and everyone else but Razvan. She was very protective of her lifemate, used to others shunning him. Skyler leaned over to touch Ivory’s hand, wanted to connect with her. “I feared my relationship with Razvan,” she admitted, “not because I thought he was a criminal or horrible, but because he was mage. I didn’t want to be mage born. The idea of that scared me to death.”

Ivory frowned. “Why? Not every mage is out for power like Xavier. How could you know to fear mages?”

That was a good question. Skyler found herself matching Ivory’s frown. Somewhere, deep inside, was a memory that slipped away faster than she could catch it. Her heart accelerated and she tasted fear in her mouth. She’d closed the door on that memory. Even cracking it open just an inch brought a terrible panic so that she could barely breathe.

Dimitri immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her back against him. “You’ve embraced being mage. What could be so alarming that your body reacts with such anxiety when your mind is comfortable with the knowledge of who you are?”