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“I give my word that the vampires will not use our weapon against wolves as long as I rule my coven from this moment on. My oath is unbreakable, I swear on it. There is no need for your countermeasures after tonight. The weapon can be turned off.” Varro’s statement is clear and strong, and my gut says it’s truth. I falter in my response, take a breath, and decide for one to trust my gut and believe the words. He’s very to the point.

“So, I guess all that’s left now is for us to deliver Juan, right?” I point out, pushing away every other detail and focusing on making this end to our fight a done deal. I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel, even if this all feels surreal. Just get the details in order and we can all go home. Take the steps, ignore all the emotional issues.

“Right. Maybe Jasper will more appeased if he personally hunts down that problem, and his men. Would that kill some of this hatred in you?” Colton steps towards him and is met with the instant glow of ambering eyes, telling him to back off out of his space. Jasper’s bristling for a fight, even if it’s misdirected at my mate.

“You underestimate what is needed to curb my hatred of Santo. Maybe if you and I ….” Jasper snarls and I step between them in haste. I know where that tone is heading and Colton is evenly matched in fiery temper and willingness to fight when coerced.

“Enough!” I push Colton back, knowing he’s the less volatile of the two and the one I trust not to react to my force in any kind of anger. He obeys with a step back but places a hand on the small of my back and grasps my waistband. It’s his way of saying he’ll haul my ass out of the way should he dislike Jasper’s attitude towards me. “Jasper, please. Just go do whatever. Expend some of that energy and anger in finding the real enemy. We don’t have the energy for this.” It’s almost a pleading request.

“I agree. Jasper, take several with you and go find every last one of those mongrels. Juan Santo and the loyal that will be cowering with him wherever they are hiding. I’m bored and want to wrap this up and enjoy my evening in a more sociable manner.” Varro sighs as though to emphasize the pint, and I find it a little amusing, in a weird way.

“I’m going too!” Sierra’s unexpected voice rings clear in the night air and disrupts our circle. Her bold march pushing us apart naturally as she invades the space and she furiously glares me brother down so that he’s the one to actually step back and lower his chin, avoiding her direct gaze. It dawns on me that this was once his Luna, and he fought in war alongside her.

He may be consumed with feelings of the negative against many wolves here, but in the face of a femme he respected, protected, and knew as his mothers best friend, everything shifts around us. “You!…..” Sierra points right up at his nose, a tone much like our mom’s when she was mad at us, a look of fierce and a tone that is one hundred percent momma wolf in battle mode. “Your mom would be so mad at you right now, you know that, huh? Don’t even get me started, young man. You’re going to come with me and find that son of a bitch, and then you’re going to put that damn tail between your legs and take a time out to reflect on yourself and everything muddled in that thick skull. You need a time out in the solitude chair, to get things in order!” Sierra taps him on the temple with a little aggression that startles him, and my mouth drops open at this unexpected interaction. The solitude chair was our kindergarten time out for when we misbehaved. Varro smirks and turns away as though making it clear he has no issue with his pet wolf being scolded in this manner and I have to swallow a snort of laughter at Sierra reverting to the woman who used to visit us and read stories to wayward pups.

“Luna…I …” Jasper completely caves, almost like that little wolf who hated being told off. Submission flowing from him at alarming speed, and he hunches his shoulders further as his nose almost touches his chest. That ingrained part of a wolf when faced with the hierarchy he grew up following. I never thought Sierra could have this kind of effect on him.

“Luna, nothing! I understand. Your pain, your heartbreak, and your anger. Look at me…… Alora and I, we both understand the level of betrayal and hurt. We know what the heartbreak does to your soul. You’re not alone in that. You have become so accustomed to holding onto it to fill your emptiness, away from your kind and your family. No direction, cut off, cast out, which is pure hell for a Lychan. Your loneliness is infused through you in the worst kind of ways and it’s seeping from every pore so that I can feel it. Come home to us, Jasper. Where you belong. You don’t need to forget, or let it go right now, you just need to take the first small step towards us and know that I won’t let you be hurt ever again. I failed you… I failed her; I failed my promise to keep her little ones safe. If you want to blame anyone then blame me for not being strong enough….. hate Juan, blame his greed, but don’t blame those who love you and are offering you a way back. You won’t heal without us, don’t throw away the chance of a future that can be happy again, for one day of bloodshed and regret. ”

There’s heavy silence as she reaches up and traces a single symbolic tear that escapes his eye and rolls down his cheek. He coughs to try and cover it, tries to pull back that hardened glare to shield the emotion she tugged from him. I see it all so clearly. That teen boy I knew, the loving brother, the shy awkward wolf who protected me so fiercely; he’s still in there and battling so many internal conflicts. She dries it away with a gentle touch, a slight blue glow leaving a faint shadow as her finger moves and it seeps into his soul. Her healing touch, her balm, infused with her careful words. I know how powerful that combination can be in times of major distress.

Colton shifts restlessly behind me, unsure what’s happening and pulls me against his chest. Varro raises a brow and cocks his head to the side as Jasper lifts his chin slightly and dares to look Sierra in the eye for the first time. Probably the first time in his life, given when she was Luna we were never allowed.

“I know it’s hard. I know there’s a fire inside of you that’s all consuming, and a war that’s twisting it all around. Trust me, I know how it feels. I know the loss, take my hand and let me help you find your way out of your own hell. It doesn’t have to feel like it does now.” Sierra slides her palm to his shoulder, down his arm and glides her hand in his to grasp it tightly. This is where she always excelled as Luna, in her ability to be what we needed and find the right way of getting in.

A mother’s touch, a protective gesture, and Jasper swallows hard and seems to crumble slightly, no letting go of that small hand in his.