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since Derek’s departure had helped. Now, she found herself on unsteady ground. “I’m going to lose it, Alec.” Her voice trembled. “I’ll kill anyone who so much as looks at my sister, I swear to God I will.”
    “Hey.” He dropped the mug on the coffee table and rose to his feet, one arm extended. “C’mere, kiddo.”
    If she let down the walls now, she’d never be able to function through the next few days. “I can’t, Alec. But thank you. For everything.”
    For a second she thought he’d argue, but he dropped his arm. “Fair enough. Now what are you planning on doing with Derek Gabriel in the middle of all this mess? Because you’re gonna have to tie him up and stick him in a closet to keep him out of it.”
    “Oh, Jesus. He thinks I’m trying to keep him away from it because he’s a second-class werewolf or something crazy like that. I just don’t want him getting his head ripped off because of me when I’m not even in danger.”
    “ He’s going to be in danger if you don’t sit him down and explain shit to him. You can’t leave him out of it, Nick.”
    The thought made her chest tighten painfully. “I don’t know what to tell him.” Even after nearly twenty-six years, there were so many intricacies she didn’t understand. “I’m bad at the political stuff, Alec.
    No matter what my father’s aspirations are, I don’t think I’ll ever get it. So what do I say?” Alec planted a hand in the middle of her back and urged her to sit on the couch. “You tell him the truth. He doesn’t need to know the stupid details, just the general situation. If you want, I’ll help.” www.samhainpublishing.com
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    Moira Rogers
    “The truth.” She knew Alec was right. What else could she tell Derek? “I have to. I’m going to need him, or I’ll never get Michelle and Aaron through this.”
    “Trust me, that boy isn’t going to stand idly by and let you go through this alone, so at least make sure he’s helping instead of getting in the way. He wants to help. Fuck, he needs to.” She leaned back into the plush cushions of the sofa. “He’s half-crazy from that crap with Talbot anyway. Christ.” If she’d known he gave a damn, she wouldn’t have just run off to help rescue Mackenzie and fight a power-mad Seer. She’d have talked to him, made him understand that she had to help. Maybe even asked him to join her and stand by her side.
    “Why don’t you go in there and curl up with your sister? Being near her will do you both good, and I can keep watch.”
    “Aaron—” Her voice failed. “Aaron’s there. He’ll do a better job than I could. I-I don’t want to intrude or…” Nick growled and shot off the sofa. “I hate feeling like I don’t know what to do. And I can’t let Michelle see how scared I am.”
    Alec watched her in silence as she paced the room in an attempt to still the frantic energy inside her.
    After a few minutes, he rubbed at the side of his face. “I’ll talk to Jackson in the morning. If we can’t shuffle his mother out of the way, I was thinking we could drop her in the safe house with Michelle and Aaron. It’s secure, and Michelle could probably use a little bit of mothering.” Jackson would be pissed they hadn’t called him already. Derek would need an explanation. And her father— “I’m kicking Aaron out for a while, after all,” she said suddenly. “I need to be with Michelle.”
    “Send him on out here.” Alec bared his teeth in a grin. “I’ll keep him distracted.” Michelle stirred as Nick nestled behind her on the double bed and drew another plush coverlet over them. “It’s okay, Micky. It’s me.”
    Her sister shivered and pulled the blanket tightly under her chin. “I should have known better than to tell the Conclave. I should have known better . How can I still believe in their good intentions?”
    “Because you want to be normal.” Loved. Nick wrapped an arm around her sister. “I sent Aaron out with Alec. Is that