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“Absolutely not,” the oldest vamp says, causing me and Chayton to turn and look at her. I don’t think either of us expected her to deny Elizabeth’s request the way she did.

“I love you for wanting to help, Liz. But that will never be an option.”

Luna places her hands on her hips. “Well then, go and get her blood. Do you need me to stay here with her until you get back?”

“No. She can come with me.”

With that, the vamp walks out of the living room, leaving her sister behind. She has never done that. Something was off with her. Something happened when she shut her eyes that caused her to get weak.

Luna turns to face all of us. “Can I speak with you all outside?” She doesn’t wait for us to reply as she storms out past us.

“Sounds like you guys are about to get in trouble,” the youngest vamp sings.

I turn to look at her, and she smiles at me. Without another thought, we all follow Luna outside. Torak is the last to leave the house. He shuts the door behind him. Luna turns around to glare at us.

“Are you happy now? Was that enough of an answer for you guys? Can you put down your pitch forks?”

“Luna,” Chayton calls her name. She holds up her hand to stop him.

“No, Chayton. I get it. You’ve got bad blood with vampires. But you guys aren’t giving her a chance. She has followed every rule you gave her, even to the detriment of their health. She’s taken months’ worth of your bullying and torment without retaliating.”

I glance over to Chayton, who has a guilty look on his face. The look probably mirrors my own.

“You thought I didn’t know about it?” Luna asks, huffing. “I’m still Luna of this pack. I have the same connection you have with them. I’ve felt the tension, but Michaela refused to allow me to do anything about it.” Luna drops her hands from her waist and sighs.

“Michaela is the strongest person I know. She has never asked or needed anything from me. Yet she has always been my backbone. If she is here asking for help, I know she needs it. I’m asking you as your wife,” she looks to Chayton. “the mother to your godchild,” she cuts her eyes to me. “your friend and luna,” she turns to the others. “to please give her a chance.”

“Sorry,” we all say at once.

“I’m going back in to see if they need anything before they leave.” She walks past us and slips back into the house.

We stand on the porch for a moment in silence, all feeling thoroughly chastised.

“We’ve got ferals and vampires in my town,” Chayton says. “This isn’t good.”

“You sure they aren’t drawn to those two?” Zyion points to the door. “Not saying they are in cahoots with them. I’m just saying maybe their scent is drawing them.”

Alarick shakes his head. “No. I doubt they are following the scent.”

“Could it be the vampire looking for them?” Torak asks. “Maybe he’s here for them.”

“That could be possible,” I say.

“Wouldn’t explain the ferals,” Alarick adds.

Chayton rubs his chin. “Either way, we need to be prepared. Time to train some scouts. Enzo, I want you and Alarick to take charge of that. And in the morning, I want you to talk to Michaela. See if this vampire has anything to do with her.”

“I got you.”

We go our separate ways after that.

I wake to a scrubbing sound in the middle of the night. Turning to look at my clock on the nightstand, I see that it’s almost three in the morning. Rolling out of bed, I grab a t-shirt and slip it on, following the noise out of the house. Stepping out onto my porch, I spot the oldest vamp down on her knees. A bucket at her side. Painted like blotches of artwork on her doors and all over the front porch, is what I assume is blood.

Looks like the pack is back at it again. I figured there would be some backlash over what went down tonight. Even though they now know the vamps didn’t kill anyone, they aren’t happy about them being here still. I turn to go back inside when her voice pops into my head. “Your slave owning founding fathers were much more brutal.”

Running a hand down my face, I turn back around. Even though this stuff doesn’t faze her, I still go over.

I know she hears me coming. Vampire’s hearing isn’t as good as ours, but it’s still better than humans. She doesn’t turn around or stop scrubbing.