Serena’s fever pulsed like a second heartbeat, her body weak as she leaned against the wall of her room in the Sloan mansion. The charred pendant from the Witch’s Sanctuary hung around her neck, its faint warmth a reminder of the hope—and danger—she’d found in the grove. Austin’s offer to seek refuge with the Shadow Pack for a day loomed large, a chance to heal her illness and uncover answers about the cloaked figure stalking her. But Hart’s control, the fractured mate bond with Gary and Jack, and the fear of her fire witch powers spiraling out of control tethered her to Blood Moon’s oppressive grip.
Gary and Jack had stayed close after Austin’s visit, their presence a shield against her fear. The mate bond, though strained by her public rejection, flickered with a stubborn warmth, their
