The Milky Way filled the sky with complex designs. Amari stretched her neck as she drove the twisting roads. Barely audible music filled the car. A decade of friendship provided peace after the packed day.

  They had settled Nova safely with a trusted Abstinere. Roberta, a woman in her forties, regularly took in young Mutares until they decided on what path they desired.

  “Do you think that she can feel it?” Diana leaned over the dash staring at the sky through the dense trees.

  “I think she is overwhelmed by everything that is happening. A new place, new people, and a new reality. You remember what it was like when we faced this. We were lucky to already kinda sorta know each other and we at least knew of Rema and Orion.” Amari flipped the turn signal as she pulled the car onto the right block. Years didn’t diminish her memory. The headlights swept across the street with the final turn.

  “Is that?”

  “Benjamin.” Leaned against the front bumper of his SUV, Amari clenched her jaw as a smirk pulled at his lips.

  “What is he doing here?” Diana’s eyes darted between the two a low rumble in her throat.

  “We ran into each other.” Amari stared unblinkingly out the back passenger window.

  “You didn’t tell me that. Do you need me to?” Diana’s hand was already opening her door.

  “No. I’ve got this. I’ll meet you inside.” Amari rushed out her door. It slammed behind her. Diana slowly walked up the drive as Amari walked down the sidewalk. She stopped short of his car standing in the light at the bottom of the stairs.

  “I stopped by your house, when you didn’t answer I thought I would try here.” Benjamin pushed off the bumper, standing half in shadow.

  “You know where I live?”

  “We still have a few friends in common.”

  Amari subtly shook her head. His tie was pulled down and the top button of his shirt was undone. Moss and stone pressed into her palms tucked behind her. “What do you want?”

  “I can't get the thought out of my head.” Benjamin breathed deep. His hand brushed back his hair on its way to pull at the back of his neck. “You changed your mind.”

  “I did.” Amari straightened, only to lean back against the retaining wall. Boundaries. “About being a part of this world.”

  “When? A week? A month? A year? When did you change your mind?”

  “It doesn't matter.”

  “It does to me.”

  “A few months.” Echoes of joy pulled at Amari’s lips.

  Time away had been the right choice. Disappearing to where no one knew her past. Space allowed her to think without outside influence.

  Life consisted of school and hobbies, no extra responsibilities or pressure. Then she met him, the Alpha King. Not that she knew who he was at first. Not that it mattered. He was just Asseric. Teller of bad alpha jokes and wisdom without condescension. Never once did he press her to stop taking the wolfsbane.

  “What changed your mind? You left an adamant Abstinere.”

  His tone shot at her heart. Amari paced back towards the drive, hands waving violently through the air. “I was young. A lifetime commitment to being something I didn't understand? Who wouldn't be scared?”

  She may have known of Rema and Orion from school and the Morningstar group home, but she hadn’t been friends with them. Diana happened to share a suite with her, but hurt kept them at arm’s length for months. Benjamin had been a volunteer that delivered supplies his parents bought to support the home, she knew him from school. Crushed on him for a while, never allowing it to go further than that. He was the popular, rich kid that made skating cool. She was the awkward kid that got along better with the teachers than other students. Their friendship, born from the school play, surprised everyone.

  “I would've helped you.” Benjamin reached out before dropping to his sides.

  Amari looked at him, the edges of him wobbling. A quick sniff, she shut down the rising pain in her throat. “The past doesn't matter.”

  Benjamin stepped closer. Deep inhale through his nose, his brow rose. “You're different.”

  “It's not uncommon for our scents to change after we fully transform. I heard from a few people that Abstineres only smell of wolfsbane.”

  “It's not just that.”

  Amari’s gaze followed patterns in the pebbled cement. So much had changed and a part of her wanted to fall back into the easy friendship from their youth. She bit her tongue.

  “Ah. I get it.” Benjamin stood tall. A professional mask hardened his features as he turned back to his vehicle. The interior light bathed the warm brown leather in a soft glow. A loud clunk, he lifted a bag to her. “As the Alphas of the region all agreed, you are in the best position to liaison with Nova and any others that are altered from here on out. I figured you could return this.”

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  “Thank you. We are both grateful.” The side crumpled in her hand. Tucked into her chest, Amari wrapped her arms around it.

  “I remember what yours meant to you.” The mask slipped before he shook his head. “Do you think Nova will choose to be Abstinere?”

  “I don't know. I'm not sure she understands her choices yet. I am meeting with her tomorrow.”

  “Well she is a good kid, Morningstar Pack will offer her a place. We have the resources to support lone wolves. And look, the offer still stands.” Benjamin held up his hand to stop her words before they filled the air. “For you and your family. The Morningstar Pack has international resources and connections. Polaris is not big enough to fight off a larger attack. Just think about it.”

  Benjamin stepped into her space. His words tickled her ear. “I just want you safe.” His arms held tight for a moment before he released his hold. His eyes darted away from hers for an instant. “Good night.”

  Amari stood still, her eyes following after his car until it turned out of sight.

  ***

  “You okay?”

  Amari looked over her shoulder. “How long have I been out here?”

  “You made Rema nervous.” Diana walked down the short yard and sat at her shoulder.

  Amari chuckled without mirth. “I didn't mean to worry her.”

  “So—.” Diana nudged Amari with her knee. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “At the moment there is nothing to say.”

  “Mmhmm.”

  “What? It is true. Nothing has changed.”

  Diana jumped off the wall. Her finger jabbed at Amari’s chest. “Don't lie to yourself. Everything’s changed. You are not the girl that left years ago. You'd have to be blind and dumb not to see it. And we both know Benjamin is neither.”

  “You know you are the only person I'd let talk to me that way?” Amari grabbed the offending finger. A smile played on her lips.

  Diana lightly shoved her back. “You know it's said in love.”

  “Always direct,” Amari shot a glance back down the road.

  “You can't tell him.”

  “I know.”

  Diana nodded her head towards the house. “Now come on. Half the family is waiting on you.”

  Arm in arm they fell into step climbing up the stairs.

  “Congratulations!”

  Amari froze in the door. A banner hung over the fireplace and there was a card table filled with her favorite snacks.

  “Welcome to the team, little sister. Though I am not sure how I will fare with the Chaos Currents working together again.” Orion enveloped her in his arms. Joy bubbled in his tone.

  Amari smiled at Diana over Orion’s shoulder. Their combined nickname was well earned. From the moment they were attacked on the school camping trip, they were bonded nearly as closely as the only bio-siblings in their little family. While Orion and Rema took on the mantle of leading the family, Diana and Amari found out of the box solutions that leaned towards recklessness. The last few years of high school and into the beginning of adulthood, truth or dare had been epic when neither of them would back down from the other’s challenges.

  “Thank you, Rema.” Amari swiveled her finger around the room.

  “I am glad you changed your mind.” Rema tugged Amari into her side. Ever the nurturer, Rema took care of the family. She balanced her younger brother’s shepherding perfectly.

  Orion clapped his hands. “Now that everyone has full plates. We need to talk about the werewolf in the room.” Orion chuckled to himself.

  “Not more Alpha jokes.” Diana rolled her eyes.

  “Alright, alright. In all seriousness, Chilly, you are the point person for this region now for those that have been altered. Now that you have had the chance to introduce Nova to the idea of being a werewolf, what are your observations?”

  “Nova is tough. Sarcastic. It might be the camaraderie I feel as she is a foster kid as well, but yes. I think she can handle the transition to being a full werewolf.”

  “Diana?” Orion looked at them in turn. “You have met her as well. Do you think she can handle our world?”

  “Handle yes. Want to,” Diana shrugged her shoulders. “I am not sure. I see a lot of AC in her. But if she does, I think we should consider asking her to join our pack.”

  For nearly a decade their family had been the six of them. Slowly they had added those in the group home that had been altered. The familiar histories and transformations bonded them in a way that few understood.

  All the siblings let out a variation of surprise as they turned to Diana. No one ever mentioned possibly adding to their little group.

  “The girls would outnumber the boys.” Rema teased Orion.

  “I think we can handle that.” Orion’s smile faded to concern. “Nothing will be decided without Max and Elias. But it is good to know where you all stand with that possibility.”

  Orion clapped and rubbed his hands together. “Now on to why we even have this possibility. Alpha King Asseric assigned us to investigate the alarming uptick in attacks. Jointly we need to figure out if the handful of Mutares are connected or coincidental.”

  “Benjamin said Nova was an accident as he tried to get her out of the bus.” Amari ignored the collective agape jaws. “If you get me some information about the suspected others, I can look up their charts and see if there is anything important disclosed in the notes. Perhaps figure out if we missed any since the last full moon, maybe beyond. Then we can divide and conquer.”

  “Benjamin was there?” Orion held a chip halfway to his mouth.

  “He told me he was nearly part of the accident,” Amari said in a tight whisper. His alpha aura filled the room. She swallowed hard, his protective streak was intimidating. “You didn’t see him there?”

  “I was busy dealing with the whole scene.” Orion his teeth ground, eyes jumping towards Rema. “I probably just missed him.”

  “We can also ask Max about anything that crossed his desk.” Rema jumped in, guiding the conversation back to the mission at hand.

  “Good thoughts. Rema reach out to Max, figure out if he can plot us a map of the attacks he knows about. Amari, I will get you the names before your next shift.” Orion let out his breath, his aura dissipating.

  Amari saw his look, this was not the end of this sore subject. Another bite of buffalo chicken dip, she averted her eyes. Nothing was going to happen with her and Benjamin. It couldn’t, not if her Alpha and Beta had anything to say about it. Rema brought out Pirate Fluxx and the rest of the tension left as the gathering settled into a fun night of teasing. It had been a while since they had time to just be siblings.