"You as well," he says, voice like stone. "I'm glad your troubles have ended. You must be relieved."

"I am, thank you." We stand in silence, more or less glaring at each other. I know this is a challenge and his wolf wants to go for my jugular, but I don't look away.

We both turn when Adam walks down the steps. "Hey, guys!" I step aside to let the men in. The underlings, one in his mid-twenties with thick brown hair and the other thin as a rail and pale, do that whole bro-hug thing as the girls watch.

"You ready to go?" Jason asks gruffly.

"Where's he going?" Cora asks.

"I'm just going to visit with my friends," Adam says. "I'll be back." Jason scowls at this response but when Adam gives me a peck it deepens. "See you tonight."

He steps toward the men again but I grab him by the collar, kissing him with my all. He returns my pa.s.sion with abandon. Neither of us can breathe when we break apart. "See you tonight."

Now all the men are scowling. Adam walks out with them, but Jason turns around and says, "See you at the meeting."

"Can't wait," I say with a smirk. I shut the door in his face. "Jerk."

"He's coming back, right?" Sophie asks.

"He said he was," I say. I compose myself and turn around. "Come on. Lots to do."

I field more phone calls from witches and people in the co-op, but my mind isn't on the task. Every five seconds I think, "What are they doing?" or "What if he decides to leave?" This is one of the reasons I hate relationships, they make me nuts and an ineffective leader. At least I get through to Debbie, who has since calmed down. I'm being a c.r.a.ppy mother of the bride. I should be by her side putting out fires. I'm useless today.

Keeping busy is key, and in that regard I'm lucky. Pressing supernatural matters abound. I have to appear strong, capable, focused or I'll lose all their respect. If they knew my hands were trembling as I fold Adam's clothes before putting them in my bedroom, they'd never take me seriously again. Faith, Mona. Faith. When we finally arrive at the playhouse with The Crucible set still up, it's as if a switch is flicked, and I'm all business. This is my domain. They need me, and I will not let them down.

At four thirty, my witches start arriving. Auntie Sara and Billie hand out the agenda and packets as they walk in. I wait backstage with the girls as the cacophony of voices grows louder by the minute. I'm a tad nervous but when five rolls around faster than I wish it to, I push the nerves down and walk onto that stage with my head up. I scan the audience. Erica is in the third row, typing on her iPhone. Bethany talks with d.i.c.kie a few rows back. No Collins or Debbie.

"Good evening and thank you all for coming," I begin. "Before I start, I feel I must address yesterday's events. Since it is still an open case, I cannot say much except it appears that Cheyenne Bell was the one who summoned the demon. When confronted, she grew violent and ... died. I also understand there is a rumor going around that she summoned it to cause me harm. To save her family further grief, I will not comment on this. I will simply say ... we all have our demons, pun intended. Some are simply stronger than others. What happened was a tragedy, and I can only pray we learn from it and grow stronger as a community. As a family. Because that is what we are."

I sigh. "This week has been trying. We've faced elements few have, and we made it through by sticking together, looking after one another. I just want to thank each and every one of you for that. This is what makes us great. This is what makes us a force to be reckoned with. This is what makes me so proud to be your leader. Thank you."

The audience burst into applause. Even Erica seems impressed.

"Now, if you please, turn to the first page of your packets. I have received many requests for additional protection charms and spells. Let's go over some."

I spend half an hour going over spells, then forty minutes answering questions or concerns about demons and black magic. A few attempt to get details about Cheyenne, but I evade. All in all it's a good meeting, though I'm glad I won't have to have another for a few weeks until we celebrate the Sabbat Beltane. I have to spend another ten minutes being fawned over and asked a dozen times if I'm alright before I have no choice but to excuse myself. One down. Now I have all of ten minutes to eat and change for the co-op summit at City Hall.

When we walk in the door at home, I half expect to find Adam in the kitchen, but the house is empty. Not even a message. Okay, now I'm just kind of p.i.s.sed. He has to know I'm worried. Whatever. I rush around the house eating my tuna fish sandwich, collecting my papers for the meeting. Since I'm about to walk into a room with the scariest creatures on the planet, and these summits usually end with screaming or the occasional fist fight, I need to look serious. I change into my only black suit and put my hair in a French twist. Time to play with the big boys.

Auntie Sara watches the girls, and I drive to City Hall. There are a few cars and even limos in the parking lot. I roll my eyes: vampires. No sign of Jason's SUV. I hurry to find two thirds of the co-op members have arrived. It's mostly vampires who like to use this summit to suck up to the F.R.E.A.K.S. and witches from their areas. Per usual there is a bloodsucking crowd around George. All look like they belong in magazines with perfect figures and glossy hair. Lord Thomas, dressed in a white Armani suit that elongates his short frame, isn't playing. He sits at the table looking bored. The vampire gives me a long, respectful nod that I suppose concludes our involvement, then returns to his cuticles. Jerk. I work the room, speaking mostly to the other High Priestesses who are not being flirted with by vampires. I barely pay attention, nodding and smiling seems to placate them, keeping my eyes on the door. A few lone psychics and vampires come in, but no werewolves.

As I'm listening to the Priestess of Chicago complain about the weather, I glance back for the millionth time just as the werewolf contingent walks in. Jason scowls but Adam grins at me. I want to run over and leap into his arms, but that would be unprofessional. Instead I excuse myself, yank down my suit jacket, and stroll over to the men. "Thought you weren't going to make it."

"We lost track of time," Adam says with a half smile. He wraps his arm around my waist and kisses my cheek. "Hey."

The other three men's eyes narrow. "We better get our seats," Jason says.

As they move to the table, I back Adam through the door, pull him to the side in the hallway, and kiss him as if we've been separated for a decade. Chuckling from the door makes me pull away. We just smile as the Lord of D.C. walks into the conference. "There goes my rep."

"I missed you too," he says.

"Did you ... enjoy yourself?"

"Yeah. We went and got lunch at this barbeque place and ate the place out. Then we went for a run," he chuckles, "and I ended up getting into a wrestling match with Rory. Then we went for drinks, which is why we're late."

Here I thought Jason was all brawn and no brains. He played this beautifully, giving Adam all that I can't. Familiarity, male bonding, kinship. The light in Adam's eyes stings my heart. "I'm glad you had fun," I say with a fake smile.

"It was a great sendoff," he says, kissing my forehead.

One of the F.R.E.A.K.S. agents, I think his name's Chandler, steps into the hallway. "George wants to begin."

"Thanks," I say. The man nods his head and walks in. "Time to be diplomatic."

George, Lord Peter of D.C., Jason, and I, as the founding members or their successors, sit at the head of the table while the others sit along the columns with their attendants sitting in chairs behind them. George begins by giving crime statistics, talking a little about the cases the squad handled this year. Zombies, vampires, trolls, wraiths, and even a rogue pack of werewolves. I helped with that last one. A few vampires raise their hands to ask questions about the law, covering their own b.u.t.ts, but I'm too busy taking notes and trying to ignore the glares coming from the werewolf on my right. George finishes with his report, and it's my turn. I address the questions and comments sent in, and the applicable person answers. Finally, Jason takes a break from glaring at me to glare at everyone else as he spends two minutes filling us in on werewolf news. Short and sweet.

We break after that for a few minutes, per usual. Next the peanut gallery gets to speak. As I'm standing, a tight vise grips my elbow. "I need to speak with you in private," Jason growls.

c.r.a.p. This should be fun. "Of course."

We take a few steps before Adam approaches. "What's going on?"

"It's fine," I say.

Adam looks at Jason. "What are you doing?"

"Do not question me, Beta," Jason snaps. "You haven't left yet."

I can see the struggle in his eyes. He wants to obey his Alpha as he always has, but he wants to protect me too. It's killing him he can't do both. Oh h.e.l.l. "Adam, really it's okay," I say, saving him. "I can take him." I look up at the seething werewolf. "Outside."

Adam doesn't move as I yank my arm from the Alpha's grip and walk out with Jason behind me. The moment the front door shuts, Jason asks, "You saw it too, didn't you?"

I spin around. "You're an a.s.shole, you know that? You're the one doing this to him, and you have for eighteen f.u.c.king years! A good friend, a true friend, would be happy, not threatening to kick him out of the family."

"In this case I cannot be his friend, I must be his Alpha. I have an entire pack to consider. There are rules and safeguards for a reason. I cannot break them. Not for him, not for anyone."

"I'm your ally! I helped you and the pack many times without question. Did it ever cross your mind that these hypothetical children we may or may not have might be good for the pack?"

The hard exterior cracks just a smidge. "As a matter of fact, it did. I have broached the subject to the other two Alphas on more than one occasion, and I have been shot down every time. It would set precedence, and it would only take one to topple us all. If I could make an exception, I would."

I hug myself. I'm losing. "This is wrong, Jason. It's unfair."

He nods. "I know that. If there was anything I could have done, I would have by now. Despite appearances, I do like you. More, I respect you and under other circ.u.mstances I'd be honored to have you in my pack. It cut me deep every time I saw him looking at you all these years, knowing what it was costing him. I can sympathize in ways you can't fathom. That's why I gave him the week."

"That was nice of you."

"It was fair of me. I didn't think it would work. You're a hard woman, Mona. A lot like me in most respects. All business, pragmatic, keeping emotion out of the equation. I should have known better. Love ... there is nothing more powerful in this universe."

"Yeah." I sigh. "Where is this going, Jason? What do you want from me?"

"I want you to give me a week. If half of what he's told me about the past week is true, then you've been through h.e.l.l together. It's been constant intensity and danger. I know from experience how those two elements can draw people together. How they can make you do something you swore you'd never do. But you're still in that bubble. You both need time to think and reflect because if you're wrong about this, about how you feel, you've ruined his life. Once he leaves the pack, I can't take him back." He steps toward me. "I'm asking you to be smart. Be sure. If it's meant to be, it will be."

I stand as still as a corpse as those words sink in. There isn't time. Chandler steps out, telling us we're back in session. Like a zombie I follow Jason back in. The other two wolves are making Adam smile with conversation when we enter. Adam puts one, I think Rory, into a headlock and gives him a noogie. When he sees us, he releases his friend, and the smile drops. I half smile to rea.s.sure him but hold up my hand to stop him from coming over. He gets too close to me and all logic fades.

Needless to say I barely pay attention for the rest of the summit. I could give a d.a.m.n about territory borders or a local newspaper outing a psychic because I know Jason's right, and I'm failing at convincing myself otherwise. I love Adam, and he loves me. I know it, just as I know I didn't fall in love with him when he was chasing the demon or breaking into houses with me. It was when he made us dinner, danced with me, walked the girls to the bus, smiled with his whole heart. But love isn't enough. What if he's just so happy to have caught me after all these years he's not thinking clearly? What if in a month, a year, a day, whenever, the doubts start to creep in and he begins to resent me for making him choose? This is forever we're talking about. No going back. I think I have to let him go. I have to trust.

The Thirty-First Annual Preternatural Co-Op Summit ends forty minutes later. What we accomplished or decided, I couldn't tell you. As we get up, Jason glances at me, but I look away. "Are you alright?" George asks.

"Fine."

"When everyone leaves, I need to speak to you about yesterday," George says. "We-"

"Fine. Whatever. Excuse me." I walk over to the wolves. "Let me walk you to the car."

Even though his arm wraps around my waist and he smiles, I can read Adam's face like a book. The sadness and apprehension is etched in every muscle. The others seem just about as happy, and Rory is downright hostile. For a moment I close my eyes, recording the feel of him against me, his smell, that arm circling my waist. I can do this. I can do this for him.

When we reach their SUV the tension is palpable. "So," Jason says.

"So," Adam says, voice cracking a little. "I, uh, guess this is it."

"I guess so," Jason says.

His arm drops from my waist. "I, um-"

"You need to go with them," I blurt out.

Adam's eyes narrow. "What?"

"You need to go back with them," I whisper.

His eyes grow triple their size in disbelief, then grow enraged as he turns to Jason. "What the h.e.l.l did you say to her?" he roars.

"Nothing she didn't already know."

Adam c.o.c.ks his fist back and is about to lunge, but I grab his arm. "No!" I pull him away from the group, who takes their cue to climb into the car.

"Did he threaten you?" Adam asks. "What-"

"I love you."

He does a double take. "I don't understand this. You love me, but you want me to leave?"

I chuckle as I wipe the falling tears from my eyes. "I don't want you to leave. But you need to. So you can come back."

"Baby, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I love you, and you love me. I don't doubt it for a second ... but I think there's a tiny part of you that still does. And it should. We-we've been in this bubble, on this rollercoaster, and it's been exhilarating and scary and romantic and a whirlwind, and on it I found exactly what I needed." I cup his cheeks in my hands. "You. Now it's time for me to give you what you need, and you need this. There is a reason you didn't tell me for eighteen years. This is your life, your whole life you are giving up. If there is a doubt, even an inkling, you need to get in that car. You need to get off this rollercoaster and think, really think about what you are giving up. You love those men in that car too. I see it all over your face. And they love you too, probably a little less than I do," I chuckle, "but they do. They deserve a fair fight." I sniffle. "You know I'm right. I want you here, no I need you here, but all of you. I'm giving it all to you, all my love, all my faith, h.e.l.l, my soul is yours. No one else's. I just ask the same in return."

He blinks his own tears away. "This is so unfair."

I smile. "I know," I say, wiping his cheeks, "but I have faith. In you, in us. I know you'll come back to me. I've waited thirty-five years for you, I can wait a little longer. You're worth it."

He pulls me into a hug, and we cling to each other. "I love you so much," he whispers.

"I love you too."

"You really trust I'll come back?"

"More than anything."

We kiss as if the world is ending. He's the one who pulls away, as I knew he would be. "I'm coming back."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I know that too." I pause. "I'll be here waiting for you, Adam Blue." I kiss him again. "See you soon." I run away before I lose all my resolve, without a glance back. No need. I'll see him soon enough.

There isn't a doubt in my mind.

Comfort the bride-to-be I drive around for a while, trying to calm down before going home. I just want to get into bed with some ice cream and watch Persuasion with my own Captain Wentworth purring beside me. I'm not that lucky. Collins's Ford Focus is parked on the street. My work is never done.

With a sigh, I walk into chaos. My baby sister is sobbing on the couch while her best friend smoothes her hair. Sophie and Cora sit on the stairs, and with one glare from me, scurry upstairs. "What on earth is going on?"

Debbie sits up and breaks into more sobs. "Oh, Mona." She leaps up and squeezes me tight. I can smell the whiskey on her breath. "I'm-I'm a horrible person!"

I glance at Collins, who rolls her eyes. "Why sweetie?"

"It's not going to work. It's not. He's too good for me!"

"Where did this come from?" I chuckle.

"He-he was flirting with Becca tonight, so-so I kissed this guy," she sobs.

I look at Collins for confirmation. "We all went out for drinks, and she obviously got plastered. She barely touched his lips, then busted into tears and insisted I bring her here."

I mouth, "I'm sorry," and Collins shrugs. I rub my sister's back and shush her. "Calm down, sweetie, calm down. It's okay."

"I'm a horrible person," she sobs. "How could I do this to him? I don't love him. I mean, I mustn't to have done this! I have to cancel the wedding. I have to!"

Ugh. I pull away, and hold her by the shoulders. "Deborah Jean McGregor, you stop all this right now! You are not a horrible person, you are not canceling your wedding, and that is final. You are scared, you are drunk, you are being inconsiderate, and I will not stand for it. You know you love Greg, and he loves you. Your feet are just a little chilly right now. It's normal. You are going to have a wonderful life together, and that life begins tomorrow. If you sober up and still don't want to go through with the wedding, then so be it. But you better be a hundred thousand percent sure, otherwise you will have wrecked the best thing that ever happened to you. Got me?" She nods. "Good. Now, march your drunk b.u.t.t upstairs to my bedroom and get into bed. You're bunking with me tonight. Go! March!" Sniffling and with her head hung, my baby sister obeys. When I hear the door shut I flop down on the couch next to Collins. "Oh G.o.ddess, give me strength."

"Kaylee brought a bottle of rum, and they started drinking it around three," Collins says.

"She'll be fine. Tamara acted the same way. All three times." We both laugh and shake our heads. "And how are you doing?"

"Alright ... and I feel bad about it. Right now I'm just focused on the wedding. I figure I'll have a breakdown right after."

"You and me both, hon." I shake my head. "You're a strong girl. You will be amazed what you can survive."