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It’s our responsibility. Kitt’s face is closed down as he looks between us. This job is different. It’s for the good guys. I’m tired of being the bad guys, so let’s be good for once and help people.

Fine.

I’m in. Bram nods.

Ferol? We all turn to her, and she gnaws on her lip as she thinks.

I did kind of set them free. Ah, fuck it, let’s become monster hunters.

Choice made, she faces Tate. “We’ll track them down, but we’ll decide how we deal with them.”

“Interesting,” Tate murmurs, looking between us, no doubt picking up on the fact that we didn’t talk out loud. “Of course, it’s your job. I’ll give you whatever you need, so we will keep in contact.”

“You’ll protect these girls, won’t you? You won’t hurt them? It’s not their fault they were made into monsters,” Ferol asks, looking worried.

Tate smiles at her men then steps forward, offering her hand. One has a glove on it, and the other doesn’t. It’s clear my girl is hesitant, but she takes her hand and gasps, and we all feel why.

Tate staggers back, lifting her hand when her men surge forward. “She didn’t attack. I wasn’t aware of their shared cognitive mind is all. It was a lot of power and memories. Can I try again? I just wanted to show you the truth.”

We all felt her in our heads, not rifling per se, but a heavy presence that didn’t belong. Ferol still offers Tate her hand. Tate accepts it graciously with a grateful smile, and this time I see her soul, her plans, and her promise.

“You’ll take care of them.” Ferol relaxes, pulling her hand away. “Handy gift, pun intended.”

“Not as cool as yours.” Tate grins. “The last living phoenix. It will make you quite the wanted woman, but I suppose with your mates, anyone foolish enough to try would end in a very painful death. Go, Ferol, Oriana Draven, and your lost monsters and live your life. You deserve one. See the sun, watch the moon again, and breathe fresh air. You lost a lot of years. Take them back.”

Tate departs, trooping downstairs with her entourage of mates, one of which salutes us, and we are left all alone.

Turning to us, Ferol blinks. “Where do we begin?”

CHAPTER

FORTY

It’s been a busy month. It’s insane to think that’s all the time it’s been since we first met our mate. I was so resistant at first, hating what she represented, but now I’m all in.

She is one of us, and even if I could, I wouldn’t let her go.

She’s insane, cruel, violent, and⁠—

Hey!

Smirking at her outburst, I can’t help but be happy despite everything.

Our job is complete, Ferol had her revenge, and now we have a new purpose, but first, we need to rest. We won’t be good at hunting without it, so we take a leisurely drive back to our boat. Once there, we simply collapse in the dining room in a pile of blankets and pillows.

“We’ll need to change the sleeping arrangements,” I remark out loud. It’s become something I’m used to, even if she can hear us in our heads now. My mind is already whirring with everything we need to do.

“So we are really sure about this mate thing, huh?” Raiden teases.

“I might still kill you,” Ferol grumbles, making me sigh.

“You would?” Bram asks sadly. “Oh, wait, I see the joke now.”

“So cute, but so dumb,” she teases as she lifts her head. “Tate was right. I want to do more. I want to be more than a monster. I know you all do as well. I’m glad we took the job from her.”

I can see her thoughts and the things she did in Gehenna to survive. Worry clouds her mind, so I cup her cheek and pull her closer.

“We are all greater than the worst things we have done, Ferol. We are monsters and carry darkness. We shoulder it in a way no human ever could. The things we have seen and survived would break most, but not us because we keep moving and leave them in the past. You’ve been carrying around this weight for far too long. It’s time to let it go or let it change you.”