In the oddly bunker-esque interior of Alanna’s apartment, Stone stood slightly apart, his arms crossed, watching Ella and her teenagers with a wariness that had little to do with them and everything to do with what was going on inside him.
They had gone through the motions. Prepped the pack—put Marta in charge. Clementine was still scouring the Scrolls. And now, they were here—the final step before heading to mysterious coordinates.
Tension knotted in Stone’s chest, a constant reminder of the internal battle he waged—a fight between his nature and the dark influence that sought to alter his every reaction. He didn’t know how long he could hold it back, but he was trying.
What other choice did he have?
“I promise, we’ll be back before you know it,” Ella said, her voice firm but layered with a softness only a mother’s love could weave. “This isn’t going to be easy for any of us, but I have to make sure we’re all protected—and that means keeping you here with Alanna for now. She’ll keep you safe.”
Asher crossed his arms, mirroring Stone’s posture but with a hint of simmering defiance. “I hate being human. You should turn me. At least then I’ll be able to protect Avery if anything happens while you’re away,” he insisted, his eyes burning with the urge to protect—to prove himself.
Ella gave him a ‘get real’ kind of look. “First of all, you’re adorable, Ash. But you’re also naive. The process of being turned isn’t easy and figuring out how to embrace your inner wolf—even harder. Besides, I thought you wanted to be”—Ella raised her hands to air quote—“whatever she was.” She tipped her chin toward Alanna with a smirk.
“Well, I mean, I—” Asher stuttered, glancing between the two of them.
“Sorry, kid. As much as I’d love to have someone else like me running around, what I am…” Alanna sighed heavily. “We’re born, not made.”
“Isn’t one supernatural in the family good enough?” Avery fired back, her jaw working back and forth.
Asher’s brown eyes flashed. “Technically, there are two.” Avery scrunched her face in confusion but before she could say anything, Asher fired back, “Remember? Dad?”
Avery’s lips tugged downward as if she still hadn’t let that thought land just yet.
“Come on, Ella, they’re not babies and we don’t have all day,” Stone spat out, his tone bordering on cruel.
Inwardly, he cringed.
He wasn’t that guy, not really, but the fucking curse made it hard to remember who he was anymore. Or apparently keep his mouth shut.
Ella’s eyes flashed to him but rather than even offer a response, she turned back to her kids.
Stone’s gaze flickered briefly to Alanna, noting the amusement and sympathy on her face as she stared back at him.
He hated that most. The sympathy.
The curse inside him twisted again, a gnarled vine eager to disrupt the moment with another venomous remark, but he held it back, clenching his fists tighter at his sides.
“Yeah, well,” Asher shrugged, also ignoring Stone’s outburst. “Being a werewolf will have to do, then. After my birthday, right? That’s still the plan?” His eyes locked onto his mother’s for confirmation.
“Right,” Ella confirmed with a nod. “After your birthday. We’ve got enough to deal with without adding a brand-new werewolf to the mix. Plus, I don’t think coming into this mess during the Supermoon would be wise either, come to think of it.”
Ashe’s jaw ticked, but he nodded in resignation.
Her eyes softened as she pressed her hands to his shoulders, an unspoken promise hanging between them.
Stone’s attention shifted as Avery leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching the exchange with a skeptical eye. “So, we’re just going to sit tight while you all go off on some super secret… mission? What are we supposed to do if something happens?”
Ella turned to face her daughter, her expression softening. “Nothing is going to happen, Avery. Alanna is more than capable of keeping you both safe. Otherwise, I’d never leave you with her. And this mission… It’s something we need to do—to make sure our family can have a future. One without constantly looking over our shoulders.”
The room fell into an uneasy silence, the weight of the situation settling heavily on all present.
Stone felt the curse clawing at the edges of his control, urging him to end this drawn-out farewell, to push them into action. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat, refusing to let the darkness win.
He could fight this. He had to.
Instead, he found himself stepping forward—a reluctant mediator.
“We should get going,” he said, his voice more even than he felt. “The sooner we start, the sooner we’re back.”
His eyes met Ella’s, and he hoped like hell she saw the apology in them for his impatience. Ordinarily, he’d understand this hesitation and its significance.
Deep down, he hoped Ella knew that.
Ella nodded, her gaze lingering on her children for a moment longer before she turned to Alanna. “Take care of them. Please,” she whispered, a plea wrapped in a command, her Alpha nature never fully at rest.
Alanna smiled reassuringly. “You know I will. Go. Do what you need to do. We’ll be fine here.”
A beat of silence fell between them all—a collective breath held before the storm.
Ella’s gaze swept over her children once more, a fierce tenderness etched into every line of her face—offering them each a look that seemed to convey a thousand unspoken promises.
Stone watched, feeling the tension between his desire to leap into action and the necessity of this goodbye. He dug his fingertips into the palms of his hands to remind himself he could stay silent and in control.
“Remember what I told you,” she said, her voice stronger now, imbued with the authority of an Alpha and the warmth of a mother. “Stick together. Listen to Alanna. We’ll be back before you know it.”
Asher nodded, a semblance of his usual confidence flickering in his eyes. “We got this, Mom. Just… be careful, okay?”
Avery, for all her earlier protests, stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Ella in a tight hug that spoke volumes of the fear and bravery mingled in her heart.
“Hurry back,” she murmured, her voice muffled against Ella’s shoulder.
Stone felt the pull of the curse, eager to disrupt the tender scene with a snide remark, but he turned away, determined not to ruin the moment.
This was not the time for the curse’s venom.
This was a time for strength and unity.
Ella held her daughter for a moment longer, then gently pulled away, her glassy eyes meeting Stone’s.
It was time.
She kissed the side of Avery’s head and took a deep breath. Then, she stepped back, blinking back tears.
Stone was already out the door by the time Ella followed after.
The two of them stepped into the strangely shabby hallway. Stone, a few steps ahead, turned back when he heard Ella pause. She was standing there, her back to him, her posture strong and resolute as she faced the closed door.
But as he watched, he saw her hand move to the doorframe, her fingers gripping the wood. For just a second, her hand trembled, a silent testament to the weight she carried on her shoulders.
It was a fleeting moment, gone as quickly as it came.
Ella straightened, squared her shoulders, and stepped away from the doorframe. She caught Stone’s eye, offering him a nod that spoke volumes of her resolve.
Despite the uncertainty that lay ahead, despite the fear for her children’s safety and the future of their pack, Ella was going to face whatever came next.
Stone felt a surge of admiration for Ella—a pride that even the curse couldn’t take away from him.
He realized then, that if ever there was a time to fight against the darkness within him, it was now—to be the support Ella needed, the partner she deserved in the trials ahead.
He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. She returned the gesture and held on tight.
When they stepped outside, the late evening chill nipped at their skin. The rain had stopped, but it was still a stark reminder of the journey ahead.
The quiet of the evening was shattered by the roar of an engine as Jinx’s bright yellow sports car screeched to a halt in front of them.
How she knew the precise moment to come get them, he’d never know.
Highlighted by the street lamps, the vehicle was as loud and unapologetic as its owner.
Jinx, with her signature wild red hair and a grin that could only mean trouble, leaned out the window.
“Hope you weren’t planning on a covert operation,” she joked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Because I only ride in style.”
Stone couldn’t help but grimace.
Jinx’s energy was chaotic at the best of times, and today, he felt it clash with the turmoil within him as he and Ella got into the back seat.
They had packed hastily and given Jinx their luggage before heading to Alanna’s—but Stone now questioned whose idea it was to ride with Jinx.
Trudie’s calming presence offered a more grounded greeting as she said, “We’ve got everything ready. Diana’s coordinates are locked into the GPS. Do you need anything else before we hit the road?”
Ella cast a wary glance at Jinx. “Maybe a less... conspicuous vehicle would’ve been better.”
Jinx waved off the concern with a cackle. “Where’s the fun in that? Besides, this baby can outrun anything.”
Stone’s body tensed, preparing for the inevitable havoc Jinx’s driving would wreak on his already frayed nerves.
Ella glanced in his direction, her resolve clear, despite the uncertainty that lay ahead.
No sooner had they buckled up than Jinx hit the gas. The car lurched forward with a force that pressed them into their seats. The rush of the engine seemed to drown out the world, and for a moment, Stone’s internal battle quieted, overtaken by the immediate thrill of speed.
However, the peace was short-lived.
Jinx, in her element, decided to crank up the music, the heavy bass vibrating through the car like a second heartbeat.
Stone felt the curse stir, agitated by the noise—the chaos. Hell, the very essence of Jinx’s presence, come to think of it. He fought to keep his hands to himself, wanting desperately to punch the radio in, so no more sound could come out.
Instead, he focused on finding the witches who did this to him.
They would find the Breath of Selene—and the witches. They’d force them to break the curse and then they’d elevate to—whatever the hell they were meant to elevate to.
Moon Wolves.
Prophecy players.
Whatever. He just wanted to be back to normal.
Then, they’d bring the fight to Andres.
Just as Stone began to acclimate to the cacophony and the rhythm of the road, Jinx’s voice cut through the din. “Hold onto your seats, folks. I know a shortcut that’ll get us there in no time. Who needs roads when you’ve got instinct?”
Before any of them could protest, Jinx veered off the main road onto a barely visible dirt track that wound through the dense forest. The car buckled and bounced over the rough terrain, eliciting a string of expletives from both Stone and Ella.
Ella, gripping the seat tightly, practically yelled over the music, “Jinx, this better not be one of your ‘sidetracked scenic routes’ that ends with us needing a tow truck—or worse.”
Jinx laughed, the sound almost maniacal against the backdrop of the wild ride. “Trust me, I’ve taken this path a dozen times. Nothing will go wrong.”
Almost as if on cue, a low-hanging branch scraped against the side of the car, leaving a screech in its wake that had everyone wincing.
Clementine would’ve had a field day commenting on the irony of that statement, Stone thought grimly.
The shortcut, while shaving off time, did nothing for the tension that had built up in the car. If anything, it served as a physical manifestation of the unpredictability of their quest.
Yet, when they finally emerged onto the main road again, there was an undeniable sense of accomplishment, albeit mixed with relief and a touch of adrenaline-fueled exhilaration.
Ella shot Jinx a look that promised retribution, but Stone noticed her eyes also held a spark of amusement. “Next time, let’s stick to the roads less likely to bounce us from the backseat.”
Stone couldn’t help but chuckle, the sound surprising even to him.
It was a momentary lapse, a brief respite from the curse’s constant shadow. In the shared experience of Jinx’s shortcut, there was a reminder of the strength they found in each other—in their unity against the odds.
As they sped down the road, the landscape blurring past them, Ella leaned over, her voice barely audible over the music. “Thank you,” she said, her eyes meeting his. “For keeping it together. For being here, now. I can see you fighting it.”
Stone managed a tight smile, the struggle within him momentarily easing under the weight of her gratitude.
Ella gave him a quick nod, the smile on her lips almost reaching her eyes.
The road stretched out before them, a ribbon of possibilities, of dangers untold and challenges yet to face. But in that moment, sealed within the cacophony of Jinx’s making, Stone found a semblance of resolve.
They were moving forward, together, united against whatever awaited them. And for now, that was enough to keep the curse at bay—to keep him anchored to the man he wanted to be.