I vaguely remember Emme and Shayna taking me into the house. They led me back to my room, but I didn’t want to return to where I’d been attacked.

“I-I don’t want to go in there,” I stammered. “I’m scared,” I admitted.

Shayna and Emme paused. “It’s okay, Ceel. You’re not alone,” Shayna said quietly. “Emme, take her to your room and heal her. I’ll run in and get you something to wear.”

I showered in the bathroom that connected Emme and Shayna’s rooms as soon as Emme healed my wounds. I had a good cry as the water sprayed down my skin, needing to unleash one last time as all the impurities of the assault were washed away.

Aric and the wolves shuffled downstairs where they were waiting to speak to me. Their voices, while muffled, carried all the strain and anger from the incident. I knew I had to face them and explain what had happened. But sweet heavens, I so didn’t want to.

I stepped out of the shower and dressed in the yoga pants and long-sleeved T-shirt Shayna had brought me. For a brief instant, I simply stood there, until a familiar nudge had me looking toward the vanity.

Once again, there was Shah. I went to him, staring down, but careful not to touch him. An odd pull had me edging closer. He wanted me to take him. I shook my head. “I’m not your holder, no matter what you say.”

The pull increased. “You don’t owe me anything, Shah,” I said. “And I think you’ve been abused enough.” Suspicion made me glance over my shoulder toward the closed door. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know you’re not safe.”

You’re not alone, multiple voices said.

I whirled around. Nothing was there except for me and Shah.

You’re not alone, the voices repeated, seeming to come from every direction.

“Shah…you need to go, bud,” I whispered.

I waited for him to vanish then stepped into Emme’s room. She and Shayna sat on her bed. Taran waited by the door. I knew they’d heard me crying in the shower. They looked as good as I felt. Shayna wiped her nose as she struggled to hold back her tears. Emme was crying into her hands while Taran leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed, appearing ready to kill. All of us had been abused in foster care; my experience with Aric had opened up old wounds.

My cellphone buzzed on the bureau. “It’s probably Misha again,” Taran said. “He keeps calling, wanting to talk to you. We told him you were safe, but he insists on speaking with you directly.”

I picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Taran told me you were attacked by that mongrel,” Misha hissed on the other end.

I tugged on the edge of my T-shirt, trying to cover myself more. “It wasn’t like that, Misha.”

“I am in flight from Paris. My family will escort you to my residence, where you will be safe until my arrival.”

“It’s not necessary, Misha, I—”

“Yes, it is,” Misha ground out. “I felt your terror. I felt your pain. And I felt it all at the hands of that mongrel.”

“It wasn’t Aric, Misha. And I’m not going anywhere—”

“Celia.”

“Misha, something is happening. I’m not sure what it is, but Aric wasn’t who hurt me.” I put an extra push into my tone. “I assure you, Aric wasn’t the cause.”

“I’m not so certain.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I am. Look, as soon as I know more, I’ll call you. In the meantime, be safe. I’m not sure what we’re dealing with here.”

“Very well. But know this, if that mongrel harms you, the treaty between my kind and weres will end, and we’ll deem his actions a declaration of war.”

He disconnected, and for a moment all I could do was stare at the screen. Shayna inched her way forward. “The Elders are downstairs. Bren’s there, too. They want to see you. Are you up for it?”

I nodded. “We need answers and we need to get to the bottom of this.”

My sisters nodded in unison and started to move toward the door when I stopped them. “Just…”

“What, dude?” Shayna asked quietly.

“I need some space from Aric. I don’t think I’ll be able to focus if he’s too close based on what’s happened.”

“I’ll make it clear he needs to keep away,” Taran answered in a dark voice that gave me absolutely no comfort.

I met her square in the face. “I don’t want more trouble, Taran. Like I said, it wasn’t Aric who attacked me. I’m only asking for some distance between us.”

She didn’t respond other than to glare. I rubbed my arms as if cold and left the room with my sisters following closely behind me. We walked down the back stairs and into the kitchen. Shayna slung her arm around my shoulders as we reached the edge of the granite-topped island. Emme and Taran walked forward to stand slightly in front of us. With the exception of Aric, who paced restlessly, all the wolves were seated at the table.

They stood when it became clear that this was as close as we’d approach. Aric stopped pacing and prowled toward me.

Taran blocked his path. “Back off, Aric. Celia needs her space,” she told him flatly.

Aric’s anger seemed to intensify, yet he nodded and joined the wolves at the far end of the table. Bren swore and scratched at his beard as he took me in. “Damn, Celia,” he said. After scrutinizing me closer he left the table and stomped toward me. He pulled me away from Shayna, thereby declaring he was taking over bodyguard duty.

Aric released a threatening growl. I knew his beast was troubled and was determined that he, and not Bren, should be the one protecting me. Except Bren was no submissive wolf and answered his Alpha’s growl with one of his own.

I squeezed Bren’s arm, keeping my voice firm. “Stop it. Both of you.”

Martin’s tone demonstrated the strength of his position as Elder. “Aric, rein in your temper. You’re upsetting your mate.”

Aric backed away from the head of the table, closer to the sliding glass doors leading out to our deck. It was as far away as he could get from me in the room. And I hated it.

For a long time no one said anything. Finally, Aric spoke. “I should be the one at your side, Celia. It should be me keeping you safe.”

His voice was laced with anger and exhaustion. Taran’s was all ire. “That’s a laugh, considering you tried to rape her!”