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okay?”
    “He’s too nervous to sleep anyway.” Michelle rolled to her back, staring up at the ceiling with eyes that should have been the same ones Nick saw in the mirror every morning. But pain had made Michelle old before her time, pain and weariness and the constant demand by the Conclave that she know her place.
    “You should have left a long time ago.” The words sprang, unbidden, to Nick’s lips. “Fucking Conclave.”
    Michelle laughed, and it sounded tired. “It seemed like such a perfect plan, Nick. Use their stupid, chauvinist superstitions against them. They believe them, even if they pretend not to. If it weren’t for 26
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    Crossroads
    Aaron—” Michelle’s lips tightened, and Nick knew she was biting back words, trying to find a way to minimize the mistreatment she’d suffered. “I didn’t think about contraceptives. I didn’t think about anything . Every time I touched him, our brains shut off. I’m surprised they didn’t catch us the first time.” She thought of Derek—and the insane desire that gripped her whenever he came near her. “I understand what you mean. But you’re safe now, and you can be together.”
    “I love him, Nicky.” Her sister’s voice trembled. “I love him so much.” The blanket ripped a little under Nick’s hand. “I know, sweetie. Alec is going to take you both someplace safe tomorrow, and I’m going to figure this out.”
    Michelle moved her hand over Nick’s. “I want to help, but I have no idea what to do. The magic…
    It’s completely out of my control. Most of the time I can’t access it at all, but when there’s danger or I’m scared, insane things happen. Like the lights earlier.”
    “All you need to worry about is relaxing and staying calm. For your baby.”
    “For my baby.” She dropped her hand to her stomach and smiled at Nick. “Your niece. Or nephew. If the magical midwife person could tell, she didn’t say.”
    “We can find someone to tell you,” she promised, a smile curving her own lips. “Jackson might be able to. If not, we’ll keep looking. And there are great hospitals here, Micky.” Michelle closed her eyes and snuggled her cheek into the pillow. “I’d like to see Jackson again, and I’d like to meet Mackenzie. How are they? Together?”
    “Mmm. She moved in with him.” Nick almost felt fifteen again, snuggled in a canopy bed with Michelle, gossiping about boys. “His mom is visiting. Maybe you’ll get to meet her too. And…maybe you’ll get to spend some time with Derek.”
    “You seemed pretty fond of him,” Michelle teased sleepily. “You know, people were walking by the bar and staring at you two.”
    “They don’t call it the Big Easy for nothing.” Nick’s laughter subsided. “He wasn’t born into this. He was attacked two years ago.”
    Michelle’s eyes popped open. “Oh, Nicky. That’s awful. Did they find whoever did it?” They’d never spoken of it, but she’d have bet the bar downstairs that Alec had killed the rogue wolf responsible for Derek’s attack. “Yes, they did.”
    “Good.” Her sister sighed. “I’m so tired. But every time I try to sleep I think I hear something. I’m scared I’ll wake up and someone will have come for Aaron.”
    “Sleep.” Tears threatened to choke Nick, but she blinked them away and slid her arms around Michelle. “No one is getting in here. Aaron is safe.” For tonight.
    “Thank you.” Her sister’s voice was a sleepy murmur. “I love you.”
    “I love you too, Michelle.” Nick lay there, unmoving. She could hear Alec and Aaron talking in the other room, their low, unintelligible tones soothing.

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    27

    Moira Rogers
    Her next step would usually be to call her father for help. But the Alpha would be honor-bound to report what he’d learned to the Conclave. The only way he could help was obliquely, with as little knowledge as possible of what was going on. Nick’s heart ached for