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Ammonia. Even telepathically, Jesse’s temper was audible in our heads.Noah, was this smell here before?

Maybe a little, but nothing like this.

It’s thesedamnhumans!A nasty snarl ripped through the camp to accompany Jesse’s internal bellowing.We need to hunt them down—

Do you really think humans would be able to overpower my father? Your alpha?

No one responded to Orion’s question.

We should use the foul smell, Cara decided.If it’s masking the scent of Nathaniel, then it could lead us to him.

It was a good plan, except we quickly discovered that the smell seemed to permeate the forest for miles in a wide, encompassing radius, so we split up into two different groups, one fanning out west, the other east. Noah and Jesse went with Orion and me.

I stayed close to Orion’s side, but he didn’t seem to notice me. I tried not to dwell on it and concentrated on the direction of the nasty odor. As overpowering as it was, I could still feel the lingering heat of Orion’s body over mine, the pulse of him inside of me.

Get a grip, Diana, I growled to myself.Now isn’t the time.

Soon, we came across a river, and we were no closer to finding the source of the smell or Nathaniel. Jesse looked upstream and downstream, trying to determine the best course of action.

Orion loped up beside him.We shouldn’t split up, he reminded him.

Jesse didn’t answer immediately.We need to cover as much ground as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Getting separated is what got me attacked. It’s why my dad is missing. Wehaveto stay together.

If we split up,Noah volunteered.We could just separate long enough to see where the stench is the strongest.

Just a few miles, I offered.Close enough to turn back if we hear trouble.

Orion deliberated before growling a resigned,Fine.

Noah and Jesse headed upstream, while Orion and I took downstream. Our pace was brisk, but I was not too winded to notice the bristling of Orion’s black fur. I wanted to smooth it down, to take away his worries and stress.

What are you thinking?I tried gently before immediately cringing. It was a stupid question; I knew what was on his mind, but I wasn’t sure how to get him to open up.

A moment passed, and he didn’t answer. I thought he might not have heard me, or worse, ignored my question. But eventually, he divulged,We’ve never faced something like this before. We don’t know our enemy or why they would do this.

The pack is strong,I said by way of comfort.Nathaniel is strong too. We will get through this.

Orion huffed, displeased with my attempt to placate him.This isn’t a territory dispute with a neighboring pack, Diana. How can we face an enemy we do not know? One we have not seen. Why would they kidnap him? Were they trying to kidnap me before?

I didn’t have any comforting words for him, but the prospect of someone taking Orion away, kidnapping him for some nefarious purpose… The thought alone made my chest cave and my tongue taste like metallic bile.

Orion stopped suddenly, and I maneuvered just in time to avoid colliding with him.Do you see that?

I realized this part of the river looked too familiar, and despite the warm sun overhead, I shivered. There was no denying that the odor was even stronger here, at the small bridge connecting to the small wooded eyot in the middle of the river. Cersey’s cottage.

My heart leaped to my throat. I had not made payment to the witch. Did this have something to do with–

I couldn’t bear the thought. But the smell. Did it mean that Cersey was responsible for taking Nathaniel? Did she have something to do with the human campsite? If I had collected her amulet before now, would this be happening?

I tried to calm my racing thoughts. No. It made no sense that Cersey would be at the center of all this. I glanced sideways at Orion.We should leave.

Why? What is this place?

My heart thundered, drowning out every sound in the forest. What if Orion had discovered that I went to Cersey before the Blue Flower Moon? What if he thought I made a bargain with her to make him my mate with some twisted magic…

Or worse yet, what if the only reason he was my mate was because Cersey made it so? That Selena taking off for college was a convenient arrangement engineered by the witch? To what end? Give me a single night of bliss only to rip it all away?