Epilogue

Dante

A fter rolling around for hours trying to turn off my brain, I'd finally exhausted myself to the point of sleeping.

Noah: Apologies for waking you up, but I have news.

Dante: Call. I'll answer.

Stretching my arms over my head, I glance at the clock to see it's just after seven in the morning—three hours of sleep.

Not nearly enough.

My phone rings on my nightstand, and I grab it, put it on speaker, and lay it on my bare chest.

I need some good news.

"Go ahead, Noah," I say, my voice sounding like gravel from the lack of sleep.

"LLC offered Cain a plea bargain for his charges, and he is signing the paperwork now. They've agreed to overturn the motion from the hearing and reinstate Brielle to our pack," he says, making me sit up in bed and causing my phone to fall.

"Why? Why would they overturn the ruling before the appeal, and what was the plea bargain?" I say, fully awake now.

"Cain has to work off his community service for the next year with the LLC in Colorado," he pauses before saying the bad news. "As an HP Enforcer."

Well, shit.

Not only am I losing my Second for an entire year, but HP Enforcers have the highest death rate of any job in the LLC.

I could lose my best friend altogether.

"Why would he agree to this?" I ask, anger building in me.

"It was this, or they threw the book at him, and they have all the evidence they need for the charges against him because he did them," Noah says, making complete sense while also making my head spin.

A deal with the Devil.

How do we fix this?

"Has Marlo been notified of the new ruling?" I ask, wondering what this means for the impending war.

"Paperwork will be filed this afternoon, so I don't think so," he responds.

"Thank you for letting me know. Get everything tied up there and get home. Hopefully, we will have a negotiation set up for a new peace treaty in the coming weeks," I say, trying to find the light in this situation.

The LLC is no longer against us. We have allies again.

"Oh, and Noah, Thank you for taking care of everything. I know I've asked a lot of you these last few weeks," I say, meaning every word.

"Pack First. It's what we do," he says before hanging up.

Yes. Yes, it is.

Dante: Quinn, you up?

Quinn: Always. Who needs sleep? What do you need?

She sends back, trying to cover the sleepy tone but failing as she yawns.

Dante: Take today off. The LLC has given us a reprieve. You need a break. I'll see you tomorrow.

Quinn: We have so much to do.

Dante: It will all be there tomorrow. Rest. That's an order.

I send, not infusing my voice with command. She will listen without it.

***

Later that night

Sitting in my office, I'm scrolling through emails that need to be answered when I see the one I have been waiting for hit my inbox.

It's official. It's been overturned.

My hand moves to the phone on my desk, and I put it on the speaker, wanting to capture both sides on the recording system I have wired in my office.

He answers on the second ring.

"Baby Stone," he says, no emotion sliding into his voice.

"Marlo, I just got the news. I'm sorry to hear about the loss. I guess she wasn't yours after all," I say, smiling, not the least bit sorry.

"You may not know this yet, but you have no idea what belongs to me," his voice is calm, and it bothers me that I'm not getting the reaction I wanted.

"I know that Vegas will never belong to you," I say, confidence filling my tone.

"Perhaps not, but I have my sights on other things. Sometimes losing what you want most, shows you what you truly need," he says, disconnecting the call before I can respond.

What the actual fuck?

The thought is barely out when I feel it.

The painful severing of a bond breaking away, and then nothing.

Emptiness.

Presley's gone.