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defined us as being officially at war and left Amy and the comfort of the house for one more dangerous adventure.
    Marlaena
    They were bouncing on the beds, doing jumping jacks and moves that’d make a simple human cheerleader jealous of their agility and grace. “Down!”
    Londyn bounced one more time, grinning.
    My growl knocked the bounce out of her and she slipped off the bed to land nimbly on the floor, pouting.
    “Why, why must you ruin everyone’s fun, Marlaena?” Dmitri asked, giving the pups his best She sucks the life right out of the party look.
    “If they create a disturbance, we get complaints. Then the motel’s manager will kick us out or raise the rent.”
    Dmitri shrugged. “Do I not handle all the bills?”
    “Just because you can handle the bills, and possibly the manager,” I said, my gaze drifting to the bulge in his waistband where he kept one gun (there were others), “doesn’t mean we need additional attention.” I glared evenly at each pup. “So keep it under control. You got me?”
    They nodded slowly, lips drawn into thin straight lines. “Under control,” Kyanne repeated, each syllable separated. “Thank goodness you lead by example.”
    I was on her in an instant, my hands wrapped around her neck, my face so close to hers I brushed the hair hanging across her forehead.
    “There you go again,” she croaked. “Leading by example…”
    Strong hands gripped my shoulders and a mouth was by my ear, whispering, “… now. Leave her be. Shhhh. ’laena…” Gareth’s hands slipped around me and traveled the slow lengths of my arms to get to where my fingers pressed tightly to Kyanne’s throat. One by one he loosened them. “Shhh. She’s a child . She’s disappointed. She’s not challenging you.…”
    I rolled back, limp against his chest, my eyes burning with anger. I was trapped in a world where I couldn’t do anything right. The pack was turning against me.
    My family was falling apart.…
    “Thanks, Gareth,” Kyanne said, bitterness in her voice. “ She’s a child, ” she repeated. “Awesome. Like I’m the immature one.”
    “Shhh,” he urged her. “Then don’t admit to being immature,” he agreed in a calm whisper so close his breath heated the edge of my ear. “But if it’s not that—”
    “Brave,” she snapped. “I’m being brave enough to speak up.”
    “There’s a thin line between bravery and stupidity,” he concluded, his tone so calming it made my skin crawl. His even pitch reminded me of the lapping of the ocean on the shore. Steady. Dependable.
    I closed my eyes and focused on breathing. I heard Kyanne scramble away from me. I concentrated on the rise and fall of Gareth’s chest, the strong beat of his heart, the soft sound of his breathing, his existence anchoring me … and I took sanctuary in that moment.
    “Get up, Princess,” he whispered. “Let’s take a minute. Just you and me, okay? We’ll have us another stroll.”
    I grunted and let him help me to my feet. He slipped an arm around my waist and, guiding me out of the motel room, paused on the long balcony.
    The door closed and the volume inside the room rose once again. But Gareth held me—stopped me from going back inside to shout some more.
    “I don’t know what I’m doing,” I confessed. “I’m…”
    The room grew silent, and shadows hinted at figures leaning behind the curtains on the far side of the picture window.
    Gareth nodded. “A stroll,” he said, turning us as one and starting us on our way.
    “They’re going to get us in trouble,” I protested. “They’ll get us noticed.”
    “Since when did you worry about trouble?” He tugged at the ends of my hair, teasing me. My bright red hair had been an issue for the guys for a while, Gareth being quick to point out how memorable redheads are. If we really didn’t want to attract attention, I should dye my hair. Go brunette. Be just like the less memorable majority.
    So I hadn’t.
    “I get it. I’m a