Gemini stepped forward. “The Elders of each Pack have a special blood bond. When one uses Pack magic, they all sense it. Given that they failed to notice means Anara must have invoked something darker.”

My jaw tightened. After they had ordered Aric’s death, I’d lost all trust in the Elders. “How are you so sure they didn’t know?”

Gemini softened his gaze. “Celia, you didn’t see their reaction when Danny announced that Anara was responsible for your attacks. Their surprise and anguish was genuine, which is why they immediately broke their united bond and removed his power.”

Koda stared out into the river. “The power that has been given to us was never meant to hurt an innocent. It was only meant to vanquish evil. That alone sealed Anara’s death warrant.”

I angled my head toward Aric. “You’re taking me to your original Den.” He nodded. “What’s going to happen when everyone knows we’re together?”

Aric’s warm eyes could melt chocolate. “Based on everything that’s happened, I’m going to appeal to the North American Were Council to allow us to be together. If they refuse, I’m relinquishing my title as a Leader and all the privileges that go along with being a pureblood.” He grinned at the wolves. “I tried to release these knuckleheads from their duty to me, but they refused.”

Liam tossed a rock at the river, making it skip across to the opposite bank. “We decided to form our own Pack. Hell, we may even start our own Den.”

I glanced at them, expecting to see at least some apprehension, doubt—something—regarding this life-altering decision, but no. They all seemed determined to follow Aric down this unknown and potentially dangerous path. “Have you all lost your minds? You can’t go lone wolves.”

Koda shrugged. “Technically we’re not lones if we all do it.”

I didn’t know what to say. While they weren’t purebloods, as weres they were obligated to honor their Pack. I didn’t know what ramifications their actions would bring nor did I want to find out. I tried to reason with Aric. If I could change his mind, the others would follow. “Aric, you can’t do this. Your family name will be tainted and your reputation will be destroyed—and what about your mother? She’ll lose everything. I can’t be responsible for that.”

Aric continued to smile. “My mother recognizes you as my mate. She’ll support whatever decision I make. And if she needs to, she can come live with us.”

I opened my mouth to argue but he swept me into his arms and silenced me with a kiss. “Come on, sweetness. It’s time to leave.”

Koda tossed Gemini his pack and finished shutting the cabin door. I squeaked when Aric lifted me in his arms and followed Liam into the forest. “I can walk, Aric.”

“No.”

“No? I’ve been walking this whole time.”

“You’ve also fallen and cut the shit out of your feet.” He smirked. “So long as you’re barefoot, pregnant, and mine, you’re just going to have to just deal with me fussing over you.”

I scowled. “You’re going to be in trouble when I get my hands on some shoes.”

His smile widened before kissing my lips. “Then I’d better make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The wolves took off in a dead run, racing through the thick forest in a blur. We reached Koda’s Yukon almost two hours later. He started the ignition and phoned Shayna, just to be sure she and my sisters were safe. While the wolves didn’t openly admit it, I knew they continued to perceive Anara as a threat.

Aric tucked me into the third row and threw a warm blanket around my legs before reaching for his seat belt. Liam and Gemini shoved the packs in the rear. The moment we were settled, Koda stomped on the accelerator and roared onto the highway. “We’ll drive straight through. Shayna thinks we’ll get to Boise around the same time. She’s bringing Tye as backup just in case.”

I leaned forward. “What about Bren and Danny?”

“They’re coming, too. Bren’s weak but beginning to thrive. Everyone will be safer in the Colorado Den.”

Gemini sensed my growing nervousness and tried to distract me. “How many weeks are you, Celia? You’re not even showing.”

“Almost fifteen.” His distraction worked. I smiled at Aric. “I saw the heartbeat on the ultrasound.”

Aric’s face lit up. He lifted his hand from my knee and he slipped it around my shoulders. “What was it like?”

“Fast, really fast. He’s a strong little guy.”

His lips parted. “We’re having a son?”

I shrugged. “It’s too early to tell, but that’s what my instincts tell me.”

Koda’s eyes crinkled back at me through the rearview mirror. “Do your instincts tell you were?”

Aric held me closer. “It doesn’t matter…I’m going to be a father.”

“Fifteen weeks,” Liam repeated. I could almost see him doing the math in his head. “Hey! That means you guys did it the night of the gala.”

Aric chuckled when I buried my face in my hands.

Gemini shifted in his seat. “That can’t be right. You two had a bad argument that night.”

Koda threw back his head, laughing. “I told you guys that was all foreplay.”

Liam jumped in his seat. “Wait! After the gala you left with the vamp and Aric met with the Elders. That means you got it on at the gala. Whoa. Were you like outside or something?”

By that point, I had stuck my entire head inside Aric’s sweatshirt. “Can we talk about something else?”

Aric pulled me from beneath his shirt and nuzzled my ear. He wasn’t embarrassed, but he knew I was. He tried to spare my humiliation and switched topics, only the subject he picked wasn’t much better. “Guess what? Celia brought back four bucks in the time we were in the mountains.”

Liam knew I didn’t hunt. The news both surprised and impressed him. “No way!”

Aric rubbed my shoulder. “It’s true. I wouldn’t have made it without her hunting prowess.”

Oh, God.

Gemini turned around to smile at me. “Celia, I’m very proud of you.”

“No shit,” Koda said from the front. “I knew you had it in you, girl. You gotta tell us what happened.”