My Secret, My Bully, My Mates

"That's it! I have had it with this magic being used against us bullsh*t!" Kota is pissed. "I know that you all but hate us right now, but you are staying with us until we figure this out. Someone is now attacking you directly from inside this house. Don't argue or my wolf is going to go ballistic and do something very dangerous." My sweet, fun loving twin is at the end of his rope. And I can't help myself, I walk over and place my hand on his cheek so he looks at me.

"Okay." I whisper and he looks down at me breathing heavily for a moment, then his whole body calms down. He scoops me up and wraps my legs around his waist again. I reach over his shoulder to hold Cam's hand as the four of us ascend the stairs like a wonky train to try and get a couple more hours of sleep. I was surprised when Dakota put me down in order to hug Oliver goodnight. It lasted about ten seconds though, then Cam scooped me right back up and took me to their room.

Like everytime I stay with them, I get the best sleep ever. The twin sandwich is the one place where I don't seem to dream at all. My mind and my wolf completely shuts down, because I know I am safe. We have been on a mission almost since Jena and I got back from being imprisoned and I seem to just always sleep with one eye open, suspecting everyone but my team.

We get up only a few hours later, groggy, but ready to celebrate Lucas with the warriors of the pack. The ceremony was beautiful. He was laid out on a pyre and so well cared for that he could have just been sleeping. Our eldest warriors performed the ceremony in place of our pack elders invoking the Moon Goddess to take care of his spirit and his wolf until they can rejoin us here on earth. Gentry and Elena both said an incantation over him that is used in their own burial rituals and a soft blue hue floated over him, swirling and dancing in the sunlight that is now cresting over the small mountain that sits just east of the center of the pack. The blue light flickers remind me of the pups running and dancing around and him playing with them when he would join Kyle and I for training. A tear runs down my cheek at the thought.

few words about Lucas and the twins and the importance of this transfer of power and what

of this without causing a scene. The four of us stepped up next to him, each elder warrior offering a torch to light the pyre. I shook my head when one was offered to me. Not only did I think I didn't deserve the honor. But I refuse to break contact with either Cam or Kota. They both move in closer to me, pressing their whole sides into me. They all lay their torch on the kindling and it quickly engulfs the former Alpha. The blue mist

to take hold, it's a squeeze in my chest. Both twins clench their hands around mine, but don't move anything else. Cam has his other arm around his mother and Kota moves closer to me, switching to hold my hand with his opposite so he can wrap one around my waist. It only takes about five minutes for the deep red mist to swirl around the four of us and into the twins They both take a deep breath in and as they let it out I

at dawn. We all sat in silence as

back at the packhouse and headed to the firepit that now burns forever, until we can figure out how to make it not or make it work in our favor. They did move their chairs to basically touch mine though. We all sat and let the warriors have the first crack at the spread Lenny, and Elena set up. Several people milled about, some talked to us a little, but most gave their condolences to Ava and went about their day. We are all here to do a job and

to eat, no one is really hungry, but we do know that we need the strength. We all just stare into the fire that now means so much more to us. Elena and Gentry stop by our circle; Nickolas, Osiston, Kyle and my Dad in