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“No. I did it as part of my job. You aren’t the only one with a background in intelligence.”

I couldn’t get a read on Slade. Sometimes he seemed friendly, but other times he was hostile. He clearly wasn’t a fan of mine but I wasn’t sure if it all had to do with Vera or more what I was.

“How much further is that cabin we stayed at, Jared?” Vera asked.

“A few miles. Why?”

“That’s not too far, is it?” She asked.

“For us to walk right now?” I looked up at the still dark sky. “We could try.”

Vera ran a hand through her tangled hair. “There was a car there. I bet the keys are inside.”

“Good idea.” I held out a hand to her. “Ready?”

“See, I am useful for something.”

“You’re useful for a hell of a lot more than that.” I waggled an eyebrow.

“Please. That’s worse than the finance talk.” Gemma made hand earmuffs.

I laughed. “Sorry. Couldn’t help it.”

“There are a lot of things Jared can’t help.” Vera elbowed me in the side.

“Let’s just get to this cabin.” Slade tapped his foot impatiently.

“It’s southeast of here.” I headed in the right direction, assuming everyone else would follow.

“What’s our plan beyond finding the car? We have the crystals, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy to break into a witch stronghold.” Vera rolled back her shoulders.

“Jared will think of something.” Gemma smiled at me. “Won’t you?”

“I will?”

“You were Director of Security and Intelligence for The Society, which must mean you’re resourceful.” Gemma watched me expectedly.

“I’ll think of something.” She had a point. If it was Levi asking me to come up with a plan, I’d have promised it in a heartbeat. The problem was I was used to having endless resources.

“You can do this.” Vera bumped her shoulder into mine.

I bumped my shoulder right back into hers. “I know I can.”

“Do you?”

“Oh no. Not this stuff again. No existential crisis talk.”

“I’m looking for your usual confidence. Normally you’d have demanded that everyone listen to you. Instead you’re reluctantly agreeing like it’s a huge obligation to you.”

“It’s different doing this without The Society behind me.”

“Do you really think The Society had anything to do with your skill?” She patted my arm.

“Not all of it.”

“Ok, that’s a start. At least you’re admitting some of it is you.”

“I’m surprised you aren’t trying to piss me off right now. Trying to get me so angry I come up with a plan.”

“Anger helps release your strength, but it might do the opposite to your brain.”

Then like a lightbulb it came to me. “I am going to walk right in.”

“Uh, what?” Gemma asked.

“For all they know I left The Society for other reasons than the ones I had. Maybe Levi and I fought. Maybe I gave in to the natural instincts that clearly control the rest of the males in my family.”

“They’ll think you’re looking to help. That you changed your mind.”

“Exactly…”

“That’s actually a really good plan.” Slade sounded impressed.

“Actually?” I narrowed my eyes.

“I figured you’d be focusing on brute force, but that’s brilliant. It will help with the intel too. Wish I’d have thought of the idea myself.”

I grinned. “Well, you didn’t.”

Vera leaned up and brushed her lips against my ear. “And that’s the Jared I wanted.”

“Glad I can make you happy.”

“You can make me very happy.”

We continued walking, and the exhaustion started catching up with me. Usually I could recharge, but I’d pushed myself harder than normal. I needed a ten minute break, but I didn’t have ten minutes. As much as I hated letting someone else drive, I was going to have to. I needed to be on my A game when it came time to face the witches. I needed to convince them I’d switched sides, to keep my guard up, and to find any intel I could while getting my mom out. The key would be keeping everyone else away. My plan was a good one, but it was dangerous. I couldn’t risk getting anyone else hurt.

The cabin came into view, and we all picked up the pace. Bears aren’t as fast as Pterons, but they are a whole lot faster than humans.

“Let’s split up. The faster we find the keys the better.” Maybe splitting up now would get everyone used to the idea of us working separately.

“Where’s the car?” Slade asked.

“Out under the carport.” Vera gestured to the right of the house.

“What kind is it?” Slade walked over toward where she’d gestured.

“Some sort of old truck. It’s a four door so we’ll all fit.”

“Great.” Slade nodded. “You guys look for the keys. I’ll be out here.”

“Real helpful,” I mumbled while I walked inside with the girls. If worse came to worse I’d figure out how to hotwire the thing, but I was hoping to avoid it.

The cabin appeared untouched since the last time Vera and I had been inside. I glanced at the bed—had I really laid beside her without touching her? So much had changed in a few days’ time.

“Day dreaming about me again?” Vera ran a hand down my back.

“You’re supposed to be looking for the keys.”

“So are you.” I opened the drawers to one of the night stands. We didn’t have time to waste. Despite my exhaustion, we had to get moving.

Vera moved over to the dresser. “I shouldn’t be as upset as I am. Gemma and Slade, it’s legit, but not me.”

“Why not?” I stopped my searching. “Just because you didn’t live there doesn’t mean you don’t care.”

“But it does matter. I was a bitch to Gemma, and she’s the one who needed me to be nice.”

“I don’t mind.” Gemma walked into the room. “I’m glad you care enough about Norco to be a bitch.”

“You’re strange, you know that?” Vera smiled.

Gemma laughed. “Coming from you that might be a compliment.”

A loud roar of an engine had us all frozen. “Was that an engine?” Gemma asked.

“Sounded like one.” I headed back outside, and the girls followed.

We walked over to the carport where Slade sat grinning in the driver’s seat. “Ready to go?”

“You know how to hot wire a car?” I asked.

“I know a few things.”

“But you live on an island with no cars.”

“Like I said earlier, I took several trips off the island.”

“And learned how to hot wire a car? Gotcha.” Maybe he had more useful knowledge than I thought.

Vera and Gemma laughed. At least I still had that.

With Slade sitting in the driver’s seat, I got into the back. I didn’t particularly feel like sitting next to the bear, and I still needed to rest for a few minutes. I preferred to do that more inconspicuously.

“You can sit up front,” Gemma said sweetly to Vera.

“No thanks, it’s all yours.”

“Really I insist. We can’t have our future leader sitting in the backseat, can we?”

Vera opened the back door and took a seat. “I want to sit in the back.”

Gemma nodded and got into the front.

“You wouldn’t happen to know the directions would you?”

“We need to find a main road.”

“I figured that much.” Slade backed out of the carport.

“Thanks for getting the car moving.” I rested my head against the worn fabric seat.

“I’m sure you could have done it yourself.”

“Sure, but you saved us some time.”

“No problem.” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. Hopefully my thank you would keep his attitude at bay for a few hours.

No one said anything as we drove down the dirt road. The old truck was low to the ground and we felt every bump, but I didn’t care. We were on our way, and at least we were all alive. So far. There’d been a few close calls on the island, and I didn’t like the idea of bringing the girls closer to danger again. Even with our new super-strength we weren’t invincible, and it was going to make us more of a target.

Vera rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m going in with you.”

“No, you’re not.” I enjoyed the feel of her leaning against me. It felt right, even though I wished it didn’t.

“Yes, I am.” She wrapped her arm around mine. “We’re staying together.”

“That isn’t part of the plan.”

“It can be. It can be that I only helped you escape from Tiffany because I was protecting Casey. I never switched sides. Our passion for each other is stronger since we’re both so dedicated to their cause.”

I ran my fingers over her cheek. “Good try.”

“It will work. You need me with you.”

“I don’t need anyone with me. I’ve always worked best alone.” I had. I always got pissed when Owen decided to tag along or when Levi insisted I couldn’t do something alone. It seemed like he didn’t trust me, and that stung more than most things.

“Well that was then, and this is now. We stay together.”

“I can’t be worried about you. I’m going to have enough to worry about.” I tried to whisper. Slade and Gemma could probably still hear us over the engine, but I had to at least try. I’d been avoiding this conversation since I brought up the plan. I’d known what Vera’s reaction would be.

“You really think that’s going to be the case? You’re going to have to worry about me?” She raised an eyebrow.

“You’ll distract me.” I back peddled a little. I didn’t want Vera to think I was underestimating her. That wouldn’t end well.

“That’s your problem, not mine. I’m coming. I have as much at stake here as you.”

“I’m not denying that, but my plan will work.”

“Glad you’re confidence is back, but I’m not putting the fate of my people solely in your hands.” Vera looked shocked by her words.

Gemma turned around and grinned. “I knew you’d accept who you were!”

“Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself. Who said anything about accepting things? I just don’t want to watch a bunch of psycho witches and jerk bears hurt innocent people.”

“You said your people. That means so much. We’re going to be okay.” Gemma grinned from ear to ear.

“Ok, stop. My saying a few words changes nothing. We’re going to be okay, but it’s not because I’m doing or saying anything. We’re going to be okay because we have a plan, and we’re dedicated.”

“And you’re acknowledging your rightful place.” Gemma gave a bright smile before turning around in her seat.

“Annoying little bugger isn’t she?” Vera hissed.

I laughed. “I love this side of you, babe.”

If Gemma heard the comment, she ignored it. “So I know the plan is for us to just walk in… but what else is there?”

Vera leaned forward. “He thinks he’s going in alone.”

“Not a chance!” Gemma turned around again. “We’re a team.”

“How is this going to work? No one is going to believe we’re all just working together and switching sides.”

“Why not?”

“Because I work alone. Everyone knows that.”

“Times change. People change.”

“Not that quickly and completely. Besides, everyone also knows how I feel about lower shifters.” I regretted the term as soon as it slipped out of my mouth. I was too tired to watch myself.

Slade grunted. “Lower shifters?”

“I’m not looking for a fight, but you know how Pterons think.”

“Yes, but now that you’re planning to mate with an Ursus, I’d have thought that changed.” Gemma wagged a finger at me.

“I admit bears are stronger than I’ve given them credit for.”

Vera ran her hand up her arm. “That’s a good start. Let’s continue.”

“I thought you were the one telling me to get my confidence back. How does admitting bears are good help?”

“Because admitting we’re strong doesn’t take away from your strength. You’re not strong because you’re a Pteron. You’re a Pteron who happens to be strong.”

“I liked the old you better.”

Vera pushed my shoulder. “Hey, I’m being helpful here. You need to start valuing yourself for more than your form.”

“And you value yourself separately from your bear form?”

“Yes,” all three said at once.

Gemma turned around. “Our bear is separate so we view ourselves as two wholes. Both are important. Pterons don’t view things that way, do they?”

“No, because they aren’t truly separate.”

“Are you sure? Right now, are you human or Pteron?”

“Pteron. I’m never human.” That was one of the first things you learn as a kid. Pterons are not human. They can never forget that.

“Sure you are. You’re human when you keep your Pteron side in check.”

“What does any of this have to do with our mission?”

“Everything. You need to remember that you’re still part human. It’s what connects you to everyone else. Whether witch, or bear, or humans. Pterons think they’re better, and I’m not about to get into a debate on superiority because you know I’m, uh, impressed with your physical specimen.” Gemma grinned. “But that isn’t what is important right now. You can’t lose sight of what’s important, and how many people’s lives rest on you pulling this off.”