He approached her and went to his knees. He spoke to her in their ancient tongue, pledging his fidelity, his loyalty and his honor to their union. But she had no need for an interpreter.

Getting to her knees, she handed him a bundle of flowers woven together with herbs and tied with ribbons the color of their Pack.

She spoke back in the same language. Accepting his pledge and giving one of her own. Tila and Rain came forward then and bound their hands together at the wrist. Wreaths were placed on each one of their heads and ceremonial smoke was blown over them as the oldest of them, his great, great uncle, came forward.

As the elder, he was the repository of their history. Of the Pack’s magick and lore. He performed all important rites and ceremonies. One hand on each of their heads, he began to speak low, his beast very close to the skin.

Faine felt his own stir in response and scented Helena’s magick as it rose and filled the air.

Pere hit the earth beneath them hard with his staff and the rush of Helena’s magick filled him to bursting. His skin was tight and super-heated. She gazed at him, calm as beast rushed through him and into her. Then her head fell back as she said oh softly.

Her magick was cool and confident as it took up space in his gut. Where his beast usually curled up.

The elder sliced each of their hands with a ceremonial blade and their blood mixed and dripped over the cords binding their wrists and then the earth at their knees.

Her magick burst from him then, mingling with his beast as it rushed back into his belly and filled him once more. But it was changed. He was changed. Her magick was part of him now and he realized his beast was part of her in much the same way.

She was satisfied. Full of joy and certainty.

“It is done.” The elder spoke and removed his hands before he cut the cords at their wrists and stepped back. “You are bound.”

And he was. And it was the best thing he’d ever felt.

“Now, we have but a short time before Faine and Helena have to leave, so let us celebrate this new binding!” Cross cracked open a bottle.

Faine helped her stand and pulled her close. “Hello.”

“Hi there. Wow, your beast is amazing. No wonder you carry yourself like such a badass. I would too if that much power lived in my belly all the time.”

He kissed her and held her for long moments. “You learned the words of the binding for me.”

“Even better. Rain found a spell, sort of a universal translation spell.”

“Amazing. And your magick lives in me as well. I rather like it. My beast is curled up with it as if it’s his.”

She laughed. “Like a chew toy? I like that.”

“Me too. Now, let’s drink and have food. In a few hours we have to leave here and face the day back home.”

“Oh that.” She winked and squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry I don’t have a ring for you. But can I tell you how much I really love those braids you’re rocking? I’m going to need to learn how to do them.”

“I’d like that. I was thinking that we could get rings designed once this mess was taken care of. And I’ll need to come back here to receive the binding marks.”

“Oh like the ones Seymeon has over his heart?”

“Yes.”

“Would they do it for me too?”

“It’s old-school ink, Helena. Sharpened bone tapped into the flesh. It takes multiple hours over a few days.”

“I understand.”

“I don’t know how you always manage to say the right things. But I thank you for it.”

“That’s why I’m your key, right?”

“Right.”

They turned to their loved ones, still holding hands, and received all their love and well wishes.

TOSHIO had overheard something he was sure he shouldn’t have. He hurried down the hall, heading to Delilah’s office, which was closer than his own.

“Toshio!” The hail at his back sounded an awful lot like Carlo Powers. The way the man had just been saying what he had and also referred to Tosh by his first name instead of Senator Sato rubbed Tosh the wrong way.

He was a veteran. A JAG. An elected official and most definitely not a coward. He would not run from this garbage.

He slowed and turned, not bothering with a smile.

“I didn’t realize you meant me at first.”

“I called your name.” Powers’ smile was smarmy and patronizing.

“No, you called Toshio instead of Senator Sato, so I was sure you didn’t mean me.”

“Ah, I thought we were past such formality.”

“Why would you think that? What is it you want, Mr. Powers? I’m a busy man.”

“There’s no need for hostility. I saw you in the hall outside Marlon’s office and we hadn’t yet spoken about the troubling issue of the Others.”

“Like your despicable call for the death or incarceration of a significant minority of our citizenry? I should think such a conversation wouldn’t be necessary. I find you and your ideas repugnant. That you have a senator in your back pocket makes it more so. My opinions regarding the civil and human rights status of Others are well documented. I’ll pray for you, Mr. Powers, but there’s no use in discussing your ideas because they’re disgusting and un-American.”

The smarm fell right off Powers’ features then and the mean settled into his eyes. Tosh had seen that brand of meanness, usually before someone used a racial epithet on him.

“I’m sorry to hear it. I’d hoped you’d choose America over your Other-loving ways. But I guess once you get one into bed you lose your mind.”

“I’m not surprised your mind is in the gutter right along with your soul.”

“Save it, Toshio. You’re nothing and neither is that werewolf whore.”

Delilah materialized at his side as if he’d dreamed her up. And thank goodness she was there to grab his fist before it slammed into Carlo Powers’ face.

“Careful there, Carlo. Your pornographic imaginings might get you into trouble. Run along and go find your white sheet.” Delilah actually inserted herself between them, giving Powers her back in what was a supreme wolf insult.

“I was just on my way to your office.” He dismissed Powers before he lost his shit and beat the crap out of him like he preferred to. “Oh, and Mr. Powers? That’s still Senator Sato to you.”

They continued to Delilah’s office and he shut the door, leaning against it and scrubbing a hand across his face. “I apologize you had to hear such filth. I wanted to punch him. I should have punched him.”

She waved it away and took his hands, bending to kiss each fist. “I appreciate the chivalry. But I can assure you, Toshio Sato, that once you do get into my bed, you won’t be the same.”

Her grin eased his spine a little. “Listen, I have to make a call right now. Can you be sure we’re not overheard?”

“Only if you tell me what the heck is going on.”

He did and her eyes got wide. “Be right back. I’ll send my staff out to get me something to eat and have Allen watch the door.”

He got his phone out and dialed Molly.

“Tosh, how are you?” He smiled at the sound of her voice.

“I’ve been better. Nearly punched Carlo Powers in the face for calling Delilah a whore five minutes ago.”

“What? There’s something very wrong with him. Why is he always lurking around the senate offices anyway?”

“I need to talk to you about that. You might want to have Meriel in on this too.”

“That doesn’t bode well. I’m not at the office right now. I’m on my way to a COO meeting.”

“Okay then, you can tell them all when you get there. I overheard something today. Something I shouldn’t have. Marlon and Carlo were in Hayes’s outer office. They have some sort of book. Someone gave them a book and Powers says it has a spell that will open the way to bring the Magister back. One of the turned witches told him they could kidnap Rebecca Gennessee and she could perform the spell. They have her address and handed it over to the turned witches.”