Holy fates, Lachlan couldn’t see him.

“You,” I breathed, reaching frantically for a tiny potion bomb on my wrist cuff. “You’re not really here.”

“No, but I’m with you,” said the Maker. “Always.”

The words sent a shiver down my spine.

“What do you want from me?”

“Checking your progress. The answers are waiting for you, but you must keep going.”

“Just tell them to me, damn it. You must know them.”

“Even I do not know them all. You must make the discovery. If you don’t unravel the lies about your past—about yourself—then you will shatter inside.”

Shatter inside. I already felt like I was.

The vagueness of his words enraged me. Unable to stop myself, I hurled the potion bomb at him. It flew through the air, shooting straight through his ghostly form and exploding on the ground behind him.

He disappeared, leaving no trace, and I gasped and collapsed against Lachlan. Pain tore through my middle, a feeling like my magic was trying to part ways with my body. Cold rushed over me, followed by terrible heat.

Lachlan swept me into his arms, concern on his face. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” I bit out the word, hating that he was seeing me like this. Hating the display of weakness. “You can put me down.”

“I really can’t. You look pale as a ghost.”

“I saw one.” I shoved at his chest, and he scowled. “Lachlan, put me down.”

He did as I asked, clearly not liking it. When my feet hit the ground, I staggered. He reached out and gripped my arm with a gentle hand, and I leaned against him.

“I’ll be fine.” I reached into my pocket and withdrew one of the pain potions. “Just a little weak after seeing the Maker.”

“You saw him? That’s who you were talking to?” His gaze went alert, every muscle stiffening. I saw the wolf behind the green of his eyes, protectiveness rising inside him.

I nodded as I uncorked the potion and tossed it back. Pure relief shot through me, and I sagged against him, grateful. “That’s better.”

He wrapped an arm around me, keeping me upright. I knew it was a bad idea to lean into him, but I couldn’t help myself. He was just so warm and strong, and it felt so right.

After a moment, I steadied myself and told him exactly what I’d seen. When I was done speaking, he nodded. “Right, let’s get you inside, and I’ll go learn what I can about this Isle of Wyre. Then we’ll head up there.”

“Thank you.”

He escorted me into the tower. No one was in the main room when we entered, but I could hear someone upstairs.

“Eve?” Carrow shouted.

“Down here!” I turned back to Lachlan. “You can go. I’ll see you soon.”

“Be safe.”

I nodded.

He turned and strode across the courtyard. I watched him leave, unable to look away.

Lachlan

 

* * *

 

I left Eve at her tower, making sure that she shut the door before I exited the courtyard.

My mind spun as I made my way home.

Eve had just seen the Maker. He’d appeared to her using some kind of magic, but her potion bomb had flown right through him.

What the hell was happening? Why was he stalking her?

Inside me, my beast growled. Eve was at risk from a threat we couldn’t see. The idea of it made me want to howl.

I had to protect her. But how? Even I was a threat. And I knew what I would do if I became too dangerous for her.

But there was even more than that, and asking my pack to put me down wouldn’t save her from the Maker.

I dragged a hand through my hair and climbed the stairs to the main door of my tower. As I entered, I could feel the gazes of the people inside. Their faces betrayed their emotions: worry, fear—but underneath it all, trust.

They still trusted me, even after I lost Garreth. Even after my eyes had gone temporarily black.

I didn’t deserve such faith, but I’d have to find a way to earn it.

As I passed through the great hall, I nodded at each of them. Kenneth would likely be in the back, and he was the one that I sought.

I found my right hand in the armory, taking stock of the armor we hadn’t had cause to use in years. It was a blessing that these were relics of the past. Though we still fought, there was no more large-scale war. Long ago, the packs of Europe had clashed on the field of battle. Such frays had required armor, sleek and fitted to a wolf’s body. These days, packs didn’t always get along, but we managed to hash out our disagreements around a table instead of on the battlefield. There might be the occasional one-on-one clash, but nothing that required armor.

I’d consider it a success if this room stayed quiet and unused during my tenure.

When I stepped inside, Kenneth turned, his face relaxing. “Alpha.”

“Kenneth.” I nodded.

He tilted his head, frowning at me. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” The words came by instinct, but they were a lie. “Actually, of course I’m not. You know what’s happening.”

Kenneth’s jaw tightened, as if he didn’t like to speak of it. “I…”

“Ignoring it won’t help, you know that.”

He heaved a sigh and dropped his clipboard by his side. “You’re going to ask me to do what needs to be done.”

“If you must, yes.”

Pain flashed in his eyes. “Can’t we find a cure?”

“Perhaps.” Probably not. “More likely the best that I can promise is that I take care of the grisly task for you.”

Horror twisted his face. “No, you mustn’t.”

“Don’t worry yourself over it. I’ll do it somewhere you’ll never need to know.”

“This is too morbid, boss.”

Yes. It was.

“All the same, you must be prepared to act without hesitation should my eyes go permanently black. I would take myself out of the equation now, but there’s something I need to do before that’s a possibility.”

“Eve.”

“Eve. We need to find out what’s happening to her. The Maker is still after her, but like a spider spinning a web. He won’t approach yet, but he’s just as dangerous. And I must find Garreth. Can I count on you?”

He hesitated, then nodded, clearly hating every moment of this conversation. My second’s loyalty should warm me—and it did—but there was little room in the coldness of my heart just then.

“We’ll stop this,” Kenneth said. “Somehow, I know it.”

I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my mouth. “Perhaps. It would help if you could tell me everything you know about the Isle of Wyre.”

His eyes brightened. “Of course. That’s something I can do, no problem.”

Kenneth was our resident historian, knowledgeable in all areas of shifter and supernatural history.

“I’m going to get some transport charms from my quarters,” I said. “Will you meet me there once you’ve collected whatever you need?”

He nodded. “I’ll be there soon.”

Eve