Untouchable by Marii Solaria

that lost their loved ones, members recovering in the hospital, and assisting with repairing minor damages to the pack house and the smaller homes. Many expressed their fears of another attack and began arranging temporary shelter elsewhere until the danger passes, if at all. It hurt to see many saddened and frightened faces as Zircon Moon lost its medal of safety and security.

But there was a common theme when I checked on the members of the older generation.

Is there a plan in place to rescue Dad, Ashley, and Steven?

No, there wasn’t. At least, not yet.

Osiris’ location was a growing mystery irking my soul. The bastard was proficient in covering his tracks. I caught a lucky break when Anthony phoned me earlier to say that he and his team believes the snake is in Oregon. That small bit of information filled me with hope. Where Osiris is, Lady Sanguine is there. While the information came at a great time, it leaves us both at a lost-the state is huge with endless amounts of forestry. If we deploy our soldiers to search the entire state, we’ll waste time, and by the time we reach our destination, Dad, Ashley, and Steven will be dead. The information isn’t sufficient to move forward with a rescue mission.

Kiya’s necklace rested in my palm as my thumb caressed the cracked full moon pendant. Despite the damage, the image glowed under the moonlight in the darkness. I haven’t found the time to get it fixed, but the chill of the silver is redolent of my mate’s missing presence. Everything is colder without her around, but she’s spreading the flames of hatred as she holds Dad and the Betas prisoner.

But the question is, do I want my father back? Time and time again, he’s proven that he isn’t trustworthy. I can take him assassinating my character, but my respect for him combusted into flames when he admitted to the car crash. He almost killed Kiya and her family because of his anger.

However, that is not the reason he needs to be rescued. It is because of what Lady Sanguine will do. During the aftermath, patrols discovered Odessa’s body, along with the guards I assigned to take her back to the dungeons in the open field. Someone sliced her throat to where the wound exposed the muscles to the elements. Her hollow, lifeless eyes stared ahead at nothing, void of the life they once had. Odessa was killed shortly after Ariel separated from her. Kiya’s scent, once aromatic, turned sour, drenched the area.

end with anything other than my father’s

A part of me doesn’t think so, but even

soul dies. Before the person knows it, they are but

for murder. Kiya, naturally, has a benevolent, bright soul. She is a good person, through and through. However, if Lady Sanguine kills my dad, I’m scared that Kiya will never return to the path of light.

will lose our mate for

to rescue them; not for

breakdown. Mom’s breathing echoed softly between us as held

have stayed this way? Why did they

up, Nero.” Nuria whispered, her fingers brushing against the flower petals. I realized what she meant, but it didn’t lesson the doubt swimming in my head.

of

in the pool. My eyes are red and puffy. “Nuria, Kiya wants to kill me because I hurt her. I want to save her, but I can’t ignore the possibility that…I

you’re right. You hurt that darling and it stuck with her for years, but it wasn’t just you. Everyone, whether they directly harmed her or turned the blind

thing to deal with.

to refer to my mom as her aunt because she was close with her family. Mom loved her like she was her own. Maybe how Mom feels now is what Kiya felt every time she saw me for the first time. I squeezed her hand to let her know that I’m still here, but I wonder. Did Mom see everything? How else would she have known? I glanced at Nuria to see the same amalgamation in her eyes. “Your father and you used Nuria and I as scapegoats for the abuse. Who Lady Sanguine is today directly results from that. You’ve done wrong,

Lady Sanguine didn’t appear on a whim; Zircon Moon, collectively, created a weapon of our own destruction and she won’t stop until we’re all gone. “I know Mom, and