EPILOGUE

RIVER

"River."

The younger Stone sister breathed my name in a plea as she stumbled through the front door of the pack house. Her car was still on and running in the driveway—the driver's seat door flung open like she couldn't even stop long enough to turn the car off before she came crashing through the house.

The beams of her headlights pierced through the dark night, veiled by the eclipse.

I knew she was on her way. The Maddox brothers had warned me she was coming, seeing her car whipping down the bending road at ungodly and unsafe speeds. But I didn't expect to see her in this state.

Celeste stumbled over to me, her face contorted with pain and shock. She seemed to be trying to physically hold herself upright, her own arms wrapped around her body.

"What is it, Celeste? What's wrong?" I held back the panic I felt, using my Alpha power to remain calm and in control in a situation where she clearly wasn't.

She shrieked in pain, grabbing herself harder.

"It hurts," she wailed. "Everything hurts."

I cleared the space between us, gripping her shoulders to help keep her up. My eyes roved over her body, searching for the source of the pain.

It was a full moon, not to mention a partial lunar eclipse, it wouldn't be the first time one of those piece-of-shit rogues got past our borders—and tonight their strength would be heightened. Even if they weren't supposed to be here this time. Maybe the opportunity was too good for them to pass.

I immediately went on edge, my wolf preparing to send out orders to the patrol to find them and kill them. I didn't understand how they possibly could have slipped through again.

"Where, Celeste?" I searched her gaze, but she couldn't keep eye contact with me. "Where does it hurt?"

She seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness, the pain clearly too intense to keep her responsive.

"Everywhere!"

Her voice was an angry shrill. Her brows furrowed, sweat beading on her forehead.

She felt hot. Too hot.

Whimpering in my arms, she looked at me with torment etched into her face. Then she bent over, letting out another howl of pain.

Sky, Celeste is hurt. I could use your help.

I mind linked my Eta General, wanting to make sure I had all hands on deck to ensure nothing bad happened to Vee's sister. Sky knew her best and I hoped she could help keep her calm while I figured out what had happened and how to ease her pain.

It really did seem like she was shifting.

I tipped her chin up. "Celeste, listen to me. I can't help if I don't know what happened."

"Hot. My body is … hot." She bit out the words, struggling with each one. "There's so much—" she sobbed, cutting herself off. "Pressure. My head. My … my limbs." She cried out again. "The moon. It hurts."

My heart hurt seeing her like this. "Did a rogue bite you?"

"I … I—"

Before she could answer, she screamed in pure agony, dropping to her knees.

Skylar was beside us in an instant, holding her and trying to offer comfort. If she was turning, there was nothing we could do at this point but be with her and walk her through it.

Those monsters got to her. They had to have.

They got to another innocent human.

Fuck. How did the wolves and Knights on patrol not pick up their scent? Our senses should have been enhanced tonight too.

How could I be so utterly useless at times? I was an Alpha. This was not acceptable.

Not Celeste. Especially not Celeste. Not Vee's younger sister.

I'd kill them for doing this to her. And if I didn't, Vee and her Knights surely would.

"It's okay, Cel. We've got you. Breathe." Sky's voice was one of reason and compassion. But when Celeste lifted her gaze to meet ours, her eyes were duller than normal. Like the colour of solid stone.

No hint of the usual deep chocolate brown.

She growled, her teeth elongated and positively canine.

And then the bone breaking started.

I patted her hair that was now matted with sweat. "It's okay, Cel. Just breathe. Breathe through the pain."

She screamed again. And this time, the agonising sound brought Zander running to us in concern.

He stopped in the doorway. "What the fuck is going on? Is that Celes—"

He was cut off by another heart-wrenching scream followed by the dreaded sound of bone snapping.

We all went silent. Stepping back to give her the space she needed.

A few rugged breaths and ear-splitting cracks later, the three of us gazed upon a beautiful glacier grey wolf with pewter ears and piercing stone-coloured eyes.

"Mate."