****
Jacob prowled in thevoid, restless, his wolf clawing at the barrier that held them beneath Willow’s skin.Every sound she made, every breath she drew, echoed through him and Liam both.The bond between them had always been fierce, but now?Now it was something else entirely.Stronger.Sharper.They weren’t just tethered to her—they were beginning to merge with her in ways that defied everything he’d ever known.
“I can hear her clearer now,”Liam murmured in the dark.“Every word, every thought.The bond is strengthening.”
Jacob growled softly in agreement.“And yet we’re still trapped in this fucking limbo while she faces him alone.”His fists clenched, useless.“Our mate is walking into danger and we can’t surface to protect her.”
Then Willow’s voice came—soft, uncertain but unmistakable.I can hear you.Both of you.
Jacob stilled.“Sweet?Is that you?”
Yes.I don’t know how this works, but...I can hear you in my head.And you can hear me.
Liam huffed a ragged laugh, relief cutting through the frustration.“The bond grows even stronger.She’s with us, Jacob.Even now.”
Jacob swallowed the ache in his chest.“Then hear this, Willow.We will never stop fighting for you.No matter the curse, no matter the chains.”
I know.Her reply was faint, trembling.But I’m scared.
Rage rolled through Jacob, his wolf snarling in the dark.“We will tear his fucking throat out for making you feel that way.”
And then, it happened.
The conference room door opened, and Marcus stepped inside.Through Willow’s eyes, Jacob saw the two cops at the table go utterly blank, their gazes glassy, their movements mechanical.Without a word, they rose and left, leaving their mate alone with the monster.
Jacob slammed against the barrier, howling in fury.“Willow, don’t let him near you!”
“Love, stay strong,”Liam urged.“We’re with you.”
She sat frozen, fear pounding through her so loudly Jacob swore he could taste it.
Marcus smiled—cold, cruel, familiar.“This is what’s going to happen,” he said, voice calm as poison.“The new moon is in two days.Before it arrives, you will come to me willingly, or I will kill your witch friend.”His grin widened.“And I’ll make sure your precious wolves are trapped between realms forever.”
Jacob roared, the sound tearing through the void.And this time—Marcus heard him.The bastard froze, eyes narrowing as if the growl had brushed against his ear.“Interesting,” he mused.“So, the bond deepens.No matter.It won’t save you.”
Shock rippled between Jacob and Liam.If Marcus could hear him, then the bond wasn’t just growing—it was breaking rules neither of them understood.They were bleeding into her reality, step by step.
Willow’s hands clenched on the table.“You killed them before.You killed me, too.But I’m not the same woman you faced then.This time, you won’t win.”
Marcus leaned close, his smile a mask of hunger.“We’ll see.”
The door banged open before he could touch her.Ursula strode in, fury burning in her eyes, Saffie a step behind her, her anger like a banner of war.Ursula’s voice cracked like a whip.“Get the fuck away from her.”
Marcus snarled, power flaring around him, but Saffie stepped forward, gaze locked on him.“We’ve danced this dance before you and I,” she said coolly.“I enjoyed making you bleed out the last time we faced each other, care to give me the chance to do it again?”
For one long, tense moment, Marcus held his ground.Then he hissed like the cornered predator he was and stormed from the room, leaving the air heavy with menace.
Jacob sagged in the void, torn between fury and relief.“Sweet, are you all right?”
I’m...I’m okay.He hated that her voice shook.
Saffie stepped up to her and placed her hands on her shoulders.“What did that bastard say to you!”
Her voice wavered, her gaze flicking toward the glass where she knew they watched.“Um, shouldn’t we wait until we get back to Ursula’s to talk about this?”She shot the words with a sarcastic edge, but beneath it lay a trembling core that let Jacob breathe easier.
Saffie’s expression softened only slightly.“Don’t worry about it.I froze every officer in this building where they sat, bent the tech in the room so the cameras show nothing but static and muted the audio feeds.Right now, as far as the department is concerned, this room doesn’t exist.That’s the only reason I let him get as close as he did—I needed to be certain of what game he’s playing.”She tipped her chin at Willow.“You’re not fully of our world yet, not consciously.So, I’ll spell it out—I can bend the edges of reality here, buy us time and space.But it’s temporary.He’ll push back.”
Willow blinked at her, shaken but unable to stop a crooked smile.“Well, that’s...both reassuring and terrifying.Thanks for the clarity.”She drew a shaky breath, then added quietly, “We have two days.He told me when it happens—the new moon.”
