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Things were changing in our world, and I wasn't stupid enough to think it wouldn't get messy or bloody. In war, people died, and that was where this was heading.

With allowing these two to stay, my coven was picking a side and drawing a line in the sand that shouldn't be crossed.

I just hoped we'd picked the right side and came out the victors with only minimal damage being done to our growing family.

Only in time would I figure out if Ariel was either the best or the worst thing that ever happened to us. Either way, I'd have her back no matter the outcome.

And that was a dangerous place for me to be.

* * *

Quinton Alexander

If I had trusted the rumors and snide whispers behind hands, I would have been shocked by my current surroundings, because said rumors and words were that Raven's coven was positively destitute and down to their last penny. It was gossiped about so much because it was out of the norm for covens to be poor. A lot of us had family money, myself being one of those people. Others used their magic for their gain. Something we used to do before Ariel came into our lives and something we were getting back into with the shop being up and running now. But for a coven to be dirt poor? That didn't make sense, not when there were things we could always do to make money come our way. Something was fishy about the whole thing.

I looked around the bedroom Ariel and I had been given to share for however long we decided to stay and knew the rumors were false. The bed was a king and the frame, like every piece of wooden furniture I'd spotted in this place, was beautifully crafted and handmade with care. I didn't care about anything else in the room, because I hoped we weren't here past tomorrow morning. That didn't mean I was blind to the massive flat screen on the wall or the sitting area that was full of plush, comfortable-looking furniture, because I wasn’t. Ariel had taken one look around the room and said it was the shit. I got a kick out of her reactions, especially when she got excited about things. She told me she wished Ty were here with her so they could cuddle up on the fluffy couch and watch one of their lame ass shows. I wished he were here so he could watch their crap with her too, because it would make her happy.

The fact that we'd come here without him and the others wasn't something I'd been ready to process until now. Or the fact it had been Ariel who'd insisted we not tell them what was happening and that we do this without them.

What she'd gone through when she'd been with the Council on her own had really messed with her. Now it seemed like she'd do whatever it was she had to do in order to keep our loved ones safe and away from them. I thought that before, she'd thought she'd be willing to go to any lengths for the ones she loved, but now it was real and she knew just what she was capable of and it scared the shit out of her. But she kept going forward anyways.

I sank down on the edge of the bed and dropped my head into my hands.

I blinked back the tears pooling in my eyes and swallowed down the rage boiling in my chest.

There was nothing worse than knowing you failed to protect and keep safe the woman you loved more than your own life. It was even worse knowing I sent her into that situation with my blessing, because I thought it was what was best for our coven on the whole. And she'd come back out of it more damaged than she'd been when she went in.

Guilt was an ugly monster that ate at my insides and threatened to shred me apart.

The good news? Nobody blamed me but me.

Ariel didn't blame anyone but the Council, and the same went for the rest of the guys. I could even understand their reasoning behind their feelings. That didn't make it okay or right. My first job had always been to protect my coven at any cost or any means necessary. That job had taken a back burner to protecting my woman at any cost and any means necessary, and the rest of the coven came in second.

I had failed at my number one job and now—

The door opened and my head snapped up. Liam casually strolled in and shut the door quietly behind him. He leaned back against the door and crossed his arms over his chest. The guy wore black dress pants and a white, button up long sleeve shirt that was tucked in and had the sleeves rolled up his forearms. He always dressed nice, and I didn't think he even owned a pair of jeans.

I arched an arrogant eyebrow and snapped, "Ever heard of knocking before?" I couldn't even be pissed, because it was his house and I probably would have done the same thing if I were home.

"Did you know what she had in that bag of hers?" he asked me in a hushed voice.

I shook my head before dropping it back into my hands, suddenly exhausted. I had no clue what Ariel was up to these days, I just knew that whatever it was, I was along for the ride. And I always would be. It seemed like she collected people every time she met someone new and they jumped on her crazy train and were now along for the ride too.

Liam being one of them.

"I don't want to know," I said, telling him the honest truth.

"I like her."

He could get in line.

"Rave loves her."

Didn't we all, motherfucker.

"I'm worried she's going to get us all killed."

Weren’t we all?