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Epilogue

“I don’t agree. She may have warmed up to me, but I don’t think mine is the first face she should see. We don’t have that kind of connection,” I argue as my girlfriend’s circle of men glare at me.

“That’s exactly why it should be you, Jules,” my former charge says softly. “If she remembers when she wakes up, she’s going to be angry with all of us for not telling her the truth. She has no such expectation with you.”

Tharin rumbles low, giving me an imperceptible nod. “The fairy is correct. Her mind will scramble for connections and if she can attach her emergence to the feelings of betrayal, it will make everything harder.”

I roll my eyes, but I can see the wisdom in his words. Newly emerged supes with knowledge of our world can struggle with the change. A lost one of this age who has lived a lie amongst people she cares about is going to be very difficult to manage. I fear Saoirse is not sufficiently ready for this undertaking—and neither are her mates.

“Have you considered what we will do if the unknown spell has not completely lost its grasp on her mind? Has anyone asked the Society what we are permitted to do?”

The silence tells me they hadn’t even considered the possibility. They all want so badly to be able to share their lives fully with their friend or mate that it’s clouding their judgment. I look over at my cunning merman, hoping he has a suggestion that might benefit the situation.

Zasha strokes his chin, looking pensive as he leans against the hospital wall. “I believe that even if she remembers some of tonight, she will not make the connections on her own. This woman seems to have multiple sides, and you admitted that this could have been the one that has previously presented.”

“Her hound fully shifted, but in the morning, she was clueless about the previous night,” Boone says as he runs his fingers through his hair.

Tapping my fingers against my lips, I consider the options again. Whether Jolene remembers what happens or not isn’t the only concern; what powers she’s unleashed and what’s to come are important variables that tie directly to the secret of her heritage. If she awakens with a partially broken spell but no memory, she will have access to at least one shifter side and all the abilities that come along with it—with zero knowledge that it exists or how to control herself.

That’s a recipe for disaster.

“Okay. We need several plans. They need to account for the most predictable possibilities and the results of those paths being correct. Seer, you need to contact the Society and give a brief verbal report of the incident. Get their take on what we’re permitted to reveal to your charge based on what she remembers when she wakes up.” Zasha tilts his head at her and I nod, agreeing that he can go with her to help her remain diplomatic.

The winged doctor squints at me. “I’ll be expected to examine her fully as soon as possible, so whatever plans we make have to take into account procedures for newly emerged lost ones. I can hold off as long as I can, but there will only be so much leeway I can give you to help her understand.”

“As hard as it would be to continue the charade, it might be easier if she didn't remember,” Wolfgang says softly. “Until Sugarplum has everything come out, we’ll have to keep her under constant watch and that will really piss her off.”

Boone snorts. “Fuck yes, it will. Tilly is barely accustomed to having us all around, much less following her .”

Frowning, I glance at Tharin. A decade ago, our team was sent to help a Guardian named St. James track down her errant lost one. We spent months sniffing trails across the country, both online and live. If a charge is both smart and angry enough to decide to disappear, they can. We never found St. James’ lost one, but it seems the missing supe came back to find her recently.

Seer and these idiots would lose the fucking plot if Jolene went walkabout for a week, much less a decade. I have to handle her carefully or I’m going to ruin all of their lives.

I’m not known for coddling people, so this is going to be interesting.

“Boone, I need you to consult with the Mayor. If our fearless leaders put the kibosh on telling Jolene before she’s gone through the entire emergence, she’ll need to issue a Council decree with provisions for possible ‘accidents’ so you don’t have to go through another one of those ridiculous trials.” I pause for a moment, considering what else we will need. “Haggerty, if you could visit Hazel and MacAuley to see if you can charm anything out of them, it would be extremely helpful.”

They both look irritated, but their big dick energy is not going to help the situation. In fact, they probably should be the last two people to see their girl so she’s calm by the time they come in. Tharin tilts his head at Foster, waiting for me to decide how someone with his particular issues can be of help.

“Benjy? I’m putting you in charge of the companions for the moment. Take them out for a stretch every once in a while, but keep your phone on so we can call you back if Jolene wants them close by. We weren’t able to pry the python loose, and that may end up working in our favor. Seer says it’s like an emotional support blanket; hopefully, she’s right.”

“Jules? What should I do?”

I look over at my former charge with a warm smile. It doesn’t surprise me that Wolfgang has found a family; he’s the most lovable hybrid I’ve ever met. The trauma of his childhood paired with the nightmare that is his birth mother managed to create a perfect storm of caring and needing to be cared for that makes him irresistible. “Wolfie, I want you to stay here. I’m not the… friendliest person when I get frustrated, and if it starts going downhill, I think you will be the most soothing presence I can offer.”

He beams. “I’ll do my best.”

“Does anyone know where Bane got off to?” I ask. “I’d like her to brief me on Jolene’s file from school. The way it’s written leaves much to the imagination and I suspect there were things she didn’t want to put in formal reports.” The others look shocked and I shrug. “Guardians are sworn to protect their charges and to be loyal to the Society. Sometimes, the two things are in direct conflict. We have to… finagle… our reports and documentation to prevent people from making rash decisions.”

In other words, sometimes we have to hide our knowledge or suspicions about our supes to make certain some power hungry jackhole doesn’t come after them in secret.

Tharin lumbers over to me, looking down at me with a concerned expression. “Are you sure you can handle this? It has been many years since the incident, but we do not know what secrets this girl is hiding. If she should lose control, you may be forced to choose.”

I sigh and rub my temples. “I was much younger then, Tharin. A baby, really. I haven’t had to calcify a hybrid or lost one since before humans came to this shore. You’ve always been a worry wart.”

Grinning toothily, he shrugs. “That is my job now. Zasha smooths things over, I worry and bulldoze things, you strategize, and our Saoirse will keep us light hearted. It is a good fit, I think.”

It really is, and I have this backwards town and its irritating residents to thank for it. How humiliating.

“Tharin, I need you to go with the doc for a few. He needs to bring me all the research his girl’s been doing since she got home. While we wait for Sleeping Beauty to wake up, I want us all to get on the same page. We can’t protect or help her if we don’t know what the hell she’s mixed up in.”

Presley nods, dangling his keys at my grumpy dragon. “C’mon, Chuckles. With you along, this shouldn’t take long.”

Watching as they all head off to their assignments, I drop into an armchair next to Wolfgang. “Do you think she’ll be able to forgive all of you for lying to her? That part of it is much easier when they’re young like you were. Adults tend to hold grudges.”

He stares at the closed door to her room, setting his face in his hand. “I don’t know, Jules, but I hope so. Everyone in this room cares about her in different ways and for different reasons. The rest of this place only wants to tear her down—except for the fucker stalking our place. If she sends us all away, the weight of dangerous enemies will fall on her shoulders while she’s relearning reality. That seems like it would be scary and lonely.”

Not to mention what will happen if she’s managed to complete any mate bonds—she’ll be lucky if that doesn’t kill her.

But I don’t tell him that. Worrying about fated mate bonds is much further down the ‘what if’ list at the moment.

First, we have to see if the girl that’s captured the attention of an entire town ever wakes up.