Sacrificed in Shadow

by SM Reine

  But she said, “Seth’s smart enough to stay out of it. I don’t want to hurt you or anyone in your pack.”

  Rylie winced. “Oh.”

  “You should realize that James will be back. I could do more for your pack than rebuilding a few cottages. I’d be a good ally to have.”

  The werewolf focused harder on the toes of her hiking boots. “Yeah. I guess I’ll keep that in mind.”

  That was the end of the conversation. They shared some niceties for a few minutes, which Elise found to be terribly mind-numbing—something about ordering new roofs, digging another well, clearing defensible space in case of future fires. Small talk wasn’t her strong suit.

  She was spared from having to discuss the benefits of metal roofing versus shingles by the approach of a pickup with a camper shell, which stopped inside the wards.

  Seth jumped out of the driver’s seat. Elise was surprised to see him again—she had thought that he had only been making excuses to reenter the safety of the wards.

  “Still want the dog?” he asked, jerking his thumb at the camper shell.

  Elise lifted an eyebrow. “You kept him?”

  “What else would we have done?” Rylie asked as Seth rounded the truck.

  “I expected you to have put him down.”

  She laughed. “If I put down every dangerous dog that ended up on my doorstep, I wouldn’t have a pack.”

  Seth wrestled Ace out of the back of the truck. After a month of the pack’s tender loving care, he was still muzzled, but he wasn’t trying to bite anymore. He was straining at the chain like he was eager to go for a walk.

  Rylie brought him through the wards to Elise. The Alpha didn’t have to fight against Ace. One hard stare with golden eyes, and he flattened his belly to the path.

  Elise took the chain. It felt satisfyingly solid in her hand. She tried to stroke the top of Ace’s head, but he whipped around and snapped through the muzzle. So much for gratitude.

  “We’ve got him eating kibble, finally,” Rylie said. “And we’ve walked him every day, even though he tries to eat anyone who ends up on the wrong end of his leash.” She pulled a face. “Well, except me and Nash, but nobody dares to bite Nash.”

  “Thanks,” Elise said. “Really.” She didn’t have to fake her gratitude. Ace might not have been happy to see her, but she was weirdly, genuinely happy to see him.

  “It’s the least we could do, since you stopped the cult and all. That’s stupid, right? Thanking you for killing something like thirteen people? But it means a lot to the pack. You’ve kept us safe.”

  Safe for now, maybe. It was only illusion. James would be back for Seth and Abel, most likely sooner rather than later. And when he came back, so would Elise.

  She gazed at the young Alpha, frustration growing in her gut. A pack of werewolves could be excellent allies. Despite appearances, Rylie was fierce, and her pack loved her. They could be priceless in the battles to come.

  Yet lines had been drawn, and Elise clearly wasn’t on the same side as the pack.

  One more thing that James had taken from her. Might as well add it to the list.

  “Contact me if you see Lincoln or James,” Elise said, which was somewhat less threatening than saying, Call me when the crazy witch-angel comes to bleed your boyfriends.

  “Okay,” Rylie said. “I will.”

  With a wave goodbye, Rylie stepped back into the wards with Seth…and out of Elise’s reach.

  DEAR READER,

  AS you can probably guess, this isn’t the end of the series! The next book, Oaths of Blood, will be available around October 2013. Rylie and Elise will be teaming up again!

  If you’d like to know when Oaths of Blood comes out, visit my website to sign up for my new release email alerts. I hope you’ll also leave a review with your thoughts on the site where you bought the book—this is my favorite novel to date, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

  Side note: Ace’s appearance is based on an American Staffordshire Terrier that used to be in my life. Unfortunately, the family that owned her decided to euthanize rather than help her through her anxieties, and I didn’t learn in time to save her. Writing Ace is helping me come to terms with that tragedy. Pit bulls are fantastic dogs, but all too frequently victims of abuse and unprepared owners. If you don’t have room in your life to adopt one like Elise has, please consider donating to a local rescue that rehabilitates the survivors. You don’t need super powers to be a hero!

  Thanks so much for your ongoing support. Happy reading!

  Sara (SM Reine)

  http://authorsmreine.com/

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