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I've replayed it all night.

Ours, my wolf says. Cold. Wrong.

I know.

I rehung her shop door before dawn. I tore it off the frame getting to her when the necklace had her by the throat, so I planed the swollen edge, set a new strike plate, hung it true. Left before she woke. It's the only language I have that she can't argue with.

The burns on my palms closed hours ago. They still ache. I keep flexing my hands like the ache is a message I haven't read yet.

By Tuesday night I'm done waiting for anyone's permission.

I drive out to the Lantern property with the windows down and the cold pouring in. Woodsmoke. Wet leaves. And under it, faint, the rot that's been circling her house for days and won't leave.

Evelyn answers on the second ring.

"Gage."

"I'm coming to you."

"Now isn't a good time."

"Now." I hang up.

Sorrell House sits at the end of a private road, white and old, ringed by trees someone's been feeding for over a hundred years. Magic stands in the ground here like water that never drains. My wolf hates it. So do I.

Evelyn waits in the study. Three witches at the long table.

Of course. The council.

I shut the door behind me.

"A cursed thing wrapped itself around Maren's neck yesterday," I say. "It nearly killed her. Then a woman walked out of her nightmare onto her porch in broad daylight. And you're all in here deciding what she's allowed to know."

Nobody answers.

"So decide faster."

Evelyn folds her hands. "Sit down, Gage."

"No."

An older witch at the end of the table clears her throat. "Alpha Corbett"

"Don't."

She stops.

Evelyn's jaw tightens. "You're angry."

"My mate had a mourning binding around her throat while you knew she was in danger." The room shifts. Not because they don't know about the bond. Because I said it out loud, in front of them. "I'm past angry."

"This is why we kept it from you." Her voice stays level. "You can't see her clearly."

"I see her better than any of you ever will. You see a bloodline."

The older witch tries again. "If the Veiled Hand takes control of her…"

"Control." I let the word hang there. "Both sides keep using it. Neither of you will say what it means."