Page 110 of Fated to the Lone Shifter
They nod, but I can see the worry in their eyes. Not just about what happened. About their son. Noah.
Tori just arrived, breathless from the sprint through the woods and charcoaled from the firehouse fire, responding to my earlier telepathic call. She’s kneeling beside Noah without a word, her fingers already working a soft golden glow into the wound on his leg. I watch the tension bleed out of him, his jaw relaxing as the pain eases. His wolf will have to do the rest.
Meanwhile, Marcus retrieves the trap and as many of the used weapons as we can locate. Together, we dig a deep hole at the base of an ancient pine and bury the evidence, returning the earth to its untouched state. I wave my hand over the earth and whisper, "Protego," a traditional warding spell passed down through my mother’s line. The word hums in the soil beneath my palm, a faint shimmer of energy rippling outward as the charm settles into place, its purpose more than symbolic—a true barrier against dark intent. Hopefully, it’s enough to keep the authorities at bay as well.
The fire has been burning for nearly an hour when the FBI finally arrives—red and blue lights from the nearby road cut through the darkness like sirens of judgment. My stomach tightens. I brace for Ember to tear into me for failing to preserve the scene...and the dead bodies. God knows what the agents will find in the surrounding woods—blood, DNA, maybe even traces of magic. But at least the threat is over. Bode is dead. And that’s what matters tonight.
Ember approaches, cool and composed. "Is everyone alright?"
I nod. Tori offers a quick affirmative, her focus still on Noah.
Once reassured of everyone's safety, Ember gives a clipped update. "We tracked their vehicles to a lot two counties over. Then followed their motorcycles to a cave on the Bitterroot range, just inside Lolo. That's how they've successfully been 'out of town' during each of the arsons. God only knows how they made it from the cave to here."
She places a hand on my shoulder.
I flinch. A sharp jolt of vision floods my mind. Lycans transforming in the cave. Jumping on motorcycles. The FBI finding those bikes over an hour ago and being held back—by Ember.
As I patch together the meaning of my vision, I’m interrupted by Ember's final question: "Are you confident you’ve gotten the arsonists?"
I hesitate, then nod, suddenly exhausted. Ember removes her hand from my shoulder. “Good. We’ll do a quick sweep and then debrief everyone in the morning."
I’m too stunned to question anything—my mind reeling in confusion. Ember’s not angry. Not even surprised at the mess. They just seem... relieved. They wink at me, then nod toward Noah and Marcus, before placing a hand on Tori’s shoulder.
"I appreciate this gesture," Ember says quietly.
Tori’s brows rise at the use of the Fae phrase.
We all share a laugh—soft, tired, disbelieving.
As Ember disappears into the trees, I think to myselfAre you kidding? These supernaturals and their secrets.
Half an hour later, Noah and I sit in silence, hand in hand. No need for conversation; our bond allows us to now read each other’s thoughts.
Marcus crouches nearby, panting, blood smeared across his torn uniform and jaw. He’s not looking at us. His eyes are fixed on the ground, hands trembling where they rest on his knees. The fire’s long out, but something still burns behind his eyes.
Tell me.I hear Noah press the thought into his mind, gentle but firm.Wolf-to-wolf. No rank. No command. Just you and me. What happened to you?
Marcus flinches—his head jerks slightly like he’s about to snap back, but doesn’t. His voice is low when it finally comes, broken glass wrapped in smoke.
“I didn’t come to Lolo to start over,” he says. “I came to disappear.”
He raises his eyes, and we see it—guilt like rot beneath his skin.
“I was dealing in L.A.,” he confesses. “Big players. Fast money. Stupid choices. I turned in the crew I was working for. Got a federal deal in exchange for witness protection. They scrubbed my record, gave me a new name, stuck me in this quiet-ass town. It worked, and I was quite happy…until Bode showed up.”
Noah intervenes. “He knew?”
Marcus nods slowly. “He came to me one night. Told me he knew exactly who I was. What I’d done. Said if I didn’t do what he asked, he’d burn it all down—my name, my life, everything. And I believed him. Still do.”
His voice cracks. “At first, he just wanted me to slow down the crew. Buy him time. Keep people off certain scenes. Let the fire destroy the evidence. I told myself it wasn’t that bad. I wasn’t hurting anyone. Not really.”
Noah’s giant hand squeezes mine tightly. “You were protecting yourself.”
“No,” he snarls. “I was being a coward.”
He looks up at Noah then, eyes rimmed red. “Then once he realized who you were, he wanted more. Wanted me to set you up. To isolate you. Make you vulnerable. I told him to go to hell.”
I clench my jaw. “And Natalie?”
