Christian’s POV The drive to the North Mountains is almost as tense as when we headed south to find Liberty. We know she is meant to be safe, Liberty said as much, but we are all charging towards the unknown as if we are invincible.Imelda has been remarkably quiet, which isn’t like her at all. She and Esme have been frequent fliers at the pool bar, and the two of them are anything but shy. I think they have made all of us blush at least once with their innuendos and unabashed sense of humour.Seeing her sit silently between Gabe and Uriel is like watching a fish out of water. None of us are happy that she has known where to find Vitandi this whole time, but most of us are over it. When I say most of us, I mean everyone but Gabe, and Uriel, who always has Gabe’s back, even if they seem to continuously butt heads.When Hunter linked, to let us know he was taking Liberty to her office, Zand walked right out of the conference room to go and see what was happening. Which meant that I was

Liberty’s POV When I get back to our room my head is still spinning. I tell Zander everything Wendy and I talked about, thankful he is here to share the burden of all of this new knowledge. He listens attentively and without interruption as I fill him in on Wendy’s past and the fact that she is Lottie’s mother and a halfling, how Marcel saved her life, the veil she has maintained to protect the pack all these years and the thing I found most shocking of all, the hybrids among us. That explains why I couldn’t figure out what everyone’s auras meant, Luna Serephena took in people from so many packs, far and wide, their family history is lost to most of them. Wendy told me she has never heard any of them speak about mixed heritage, and she recons they are unaware of it. I wish I could say my head was in it whilst Zander and I discussed what this new information means for the pack and our future, but it wasn’t. I can’t stop thinking about Marcel, he has been avoiding me. I haven’t seen o

Hunter’s POV“No, he was very clear. Seven O’Clock in the Luna’s office, those were his exact words. We all heard him, we are all here, I’m sure they are on their way. You, stay put.” Esme instructs me specifically to stay right where I am. She is stood in the middle of Liberty’s office, the giant fireplace behind her makes her look even smaller than she actually is, but she manages to command the attention of the room.In my head I have about a dozen smart remarks which all boil down to not wanting to be in the same room as several of the other occupants. There is not enough seating for everyone, and nobody dares sit in Liberty’s favourite spot in the corner of the sofa, or the seats either side where Christian and Zander sit. It’s the first time Lottie has been invited to one of our meetings in an official capacity and she is visibly tense. That probably has more to do with Andy’s presence than anything else.I can be foolish at times, but I know not to get smart mouthed with Esme.

Lottie’s POVWhen Liberty found me before the meeting and pulled me to one side to talk about my plan, I was shocked that she had seen what I had been thinking and my idea for how to deal with Kendrick. I knew what she was capable of, after what happened with the truck that day, I never had any doubts about what she saw, no matter how unlikely it seemed. What I hadn’t expected was for her to know so many details. Things had evolved here whilst I was away, and Liberty was able to fill in the gaps of my plan and make it feasible.I always knew she and I would be close, even though we haven’t been able to spend much time together. She has changed so much since I first met her, her energy is still the same, she is a nurturer, kind and passionate with a massive capacity for empathy and understanding. I doubt that will ever change, but I can also feel the changes in her, she is stronger, both physically and mentally, and her protective instinct has kicked in full force.Being pregnant will

Imelda’s POVI’m old enough and wise enough to know that what we see on the surface does not represent what is going on beneath. The convergence of so many powerful individuals has created a potentially volatile situation. Pine Lake is set to be the stage on which the future war is fought, and won or lost.The fates work in ways I cannot comprehend. They give with one hand and take, indiscriminately, with the other. I have always taught my coven and new witches alike, that it is how they maintain balance, but deep down it feels like the fates are a force on a power trip. I should not speak ill of the higher powers, I do not know the bigger picture, but one thing is certain, the suffering they allow knows no bounds. I would go as far as to say they flirt with the boundary of cruelty.Since the day in the garden, Christian and I have had some very pleasant, surprising exchanges. I’m happy to discover my first impression of him was not accurate at all. His mind is open and he has an affi