“They are coping. It was a very smart idea to keep the other wolves far away.”

Vasile turned back to his mate when she made an especially painful noise. Cynthia winced and wished for the hundredth time that she could do something more to help.

“Thank you Cynthia for your help; I know this isn’t easy for you. Please let me know the minute Peri is back.”

And just like that, she was dismissed.

Q

Peri stood before the council in the great meeting hall. The walls were tall, and white polished stone. The ceilings were so high that it was hard to know if there really was a ceiling at all. The floor beneath her feet gleamed under the soft glow of the Fae lights that floated throughout the room. She felt a strong sense of dèjá vu as she stared at the other members of the council. It didn’t seem that long ago that she had stood before them, petitioning for their help. Once again, just like on that occasion, they were feeding her a load of crap.

“We have told you, Perizada, that we have played our part. We did what the Great Luna asked of us. We called the packs.” Alston’s tone was dry and bored, and it made Peri want to slap him.

“Do you honestly believe that is all she intended for you to do? All hell is about to be loosened upon their world and you think that all you are required to do is use a rock to call on the wolves?” Peri’s voice rose with every word.

“Don’t you think you are being a little dramatic?” Lorelle asked.

Peri’s eyes snapped over to her and they narrowed. “You would know of dramatics wouldn’t you Lorelle?”

“Come now, Peri, let’s not let family feuds cause any more problems. Since you seem to think the sky is falling it would be wise not to add to your predicament.” Alston brushed his long hair back from his face and stood from his seat. “I think this meeting is over. We have told you what we have done, the part we have played. Now Peri, since you have always been the ambassador to the wolves, it’s your job to take it from here.”

Peri’s mouth dropped open at the audacity of the highest member of their council. She was hoping that at any moment the Great Luna would drop a bolt of lightning on his head.

“Okay listen up ass hat,” Peri’s voice boomed throughout the meeting hall. “I realize that you may not believe this, but your crap stinks too, just like the rest of us. You aren’t any better than the next person in line, human or supernatural. Pretty soon, all of the races will need each other’s support—even the Fae.

"I’m telling you now, if you keep this up, all of you are going to end up standing alone covered in ashes, bruised faces, singed air, bloodshot eyes, looking from left to right saying, “what happened, where’d my eyebrows go?” And, you know what my answer is going to be? They went down the toilet bitch, along with the rest of the world. So how about for just a tiny blink in your completely undeserving long lives, you think about someone other than yourselves and step up to help? Can you try that for me?”

The six council members stood with their mouthsagape, staring at Peri as if she’d grown a third arm. Finally, Lorelle cleared her throat and schooled her face. “And if we don’t?”

Peri smirked at the one and only sister she had. “Then I will save Mona the trouble of having to fry your butts. I’ll take you out myself.”

Alston snorted. “Be realistic, Peri. You don’t have the power to challenge us. Not unless you possessed all of the Fae stones.”

Peri pulled both hands from the pockets in her robes and held them out, fists clenched and palms upward, to the Fae arrayed before her. She slowly unclenched her fists, revealing the five Fae stones, two in her left hand, and three in her right. The Fae stones, which only appeared in times of greatest need, lay ominously in her outstretched hands.

“How do you like me now bee-otch?” She grinned, wickedly.

“What do you need from us?” Dain finally spoke up.

“Why, Dain, thank you, it’s so nice of you to ask,” Peri’s voice dripped, with false congeniality. “I have this small, teeny, tiny problem. You see the nasty old witch has put a spell on the mates of the wolves, well seven of them to be exact. They are experiencing the very same torments that their mates experienced while trapped in the In-Between.” Peri didn’t bother to tell them that their mates couldn’t touch them. There were just some things that were need-to-know, and these Fae didn’t need to know. “I can’t break the spell by myself and the two healers are also under the spell so I cannot ask for their help. That leaves me with you bundle of joy.”

“We will come with you,” Dain nodded, “we will help these wolves who obviously mean so much to you.”

Peri rolled her eyes. “I’m glad that you all have decided to come to your senses. But, I do hope that you are acting for the right reasons. And, don’t expect someone to bow down at your feet and kiss your toes for saving the day. Saving the world is the most thankless job ever. If you don’t believe me, then go ask the humans who do it daily.” The Fae continued to goggle at her. Peri clapped her hands together and rubbed them as if they were cold and she was trying to get them warm again. “Enough with all of that, let’s get down to business.”

Q

Costin lay next to Sally on his bed. He was as close to her as he could get without touching her and yet it felt like they were worlds apart. Her eyes would flutter open occasionally and the lost look that glazed over them nearly broke him. His Sally was shutting down. She was escaping into herself to get away from what she was going through, even though it wasn’t really happening. She didn’t have a wolf to turn to for strength and help; she only had the deep recesses of her mind to run to. She was trying to get as far away from the bad things as she could, but it also took her far away from Costin. He continued to try to speak to her using their bond, but she had effectively severed it. The only thing that he knew to do at that point was to talk to her, to share with her, his heart, his love, his longings.