Page 48 of Collar Me Crazy
"It's mapping us," Sonya said, another vision flashing through her mind. "Every location that holds emotionalsignificance for each couple. When it makes its real move, it'll target those places specifically."
Shadow creatures began circling their defensive formation, not attacking but observing. Counting their numbers. Testing their response times. Learning how they coordinated their abilities.
"It's preparing for war," Emmett said grimly.
The massive crack above them began to close, the Void's presence withdrawing as gradually as it had arrived. The shadow creatures dissolved one by one, their mission complete.
"Why is it leaving?" Katniss asked, her grip tight on the silver blade she'd drawn.
Sonya closed her eyes, letting her seer abilities stretch toward the retreating entity. What she found made her blood run cold.
"Because it has everything it needs," she said quietly. "It knows our strengths, our weaknesses, our most vulnerable points. And it knows exactly when we'll be most distracted."
"When?" Ryker demanded.
Another vision flashed—Thanksgiving morning, the entire town gathered in celebration, their magical defenses focused on joy and community rather than protection. The perfect moment for a coordinated assault on every meaningful location simultaneously.
"Thanksgiving," she said, meeting Ryker's eyes. "While we're celebrating, while our guard is down, it's going to hit us everywhere at once."
The last of the shadow creatures faded away, leaving the square eerily quiet. But the silence felt ominous rather than peaceful, like the calm before a devastating storm.
“We need to find out how to complete our bond properly, coordinate all eight couples, and prepare for the fight of our lives."
Around them, the other couples began to disperse, each returning to their homes and businesses to begin whatever preparations they could. But Sonya and Ryker remained in the middle of the square, surrounded by the lingering energy of the battle.
The Void had withdrawn, but its message was clear. It would return. And when it did, everything they'd built in Hollow Oak would hang in the balance.
28
RYKER
The walk back to Ryker's truck felt different than it had an hour ago. Sonya moved beside him with the confident stride of someone who'd just proven herself in battle, while his wolf hummed with satisfaction at how perfectly they'd worked together. No fumbling, no hesitation—she'd directed the defense like a seasoned commander while he'd provided the muscle to back up her strategy.
He grabbed a pair of sweats he kept in his truck and pulled them on. "That was incredible," he said, breaking the silence that had stretched between them since the square cleared.
"Which part? The Void's reconnaissance mission or you shifting into a seven-foot killing machine?" Her tone was light, but he caught the tremor of adrenaline still running through her voice.
"You. The way you saw the whole battlefield at once, coordinated everyone's positions." He paused at the truck's driver door, studying her face in the streetlight. "I've never seen anything like it."
"And I've never seen anyone move like you did in wolf form. Fast, efficient, protective." She leaned against the passengerdoor, her brown eyes warm with something that made his wolf preen. "We make a good team."
"Yeah, we do." The admission came easier than he'd expected. "Better than good."
They climbed into the truck, but neither reached for their seatbelts. Instead, they sat in the quiet cab while the engine cooled and the town settled back into evening routines around them.
"Ryker," Sonya said carefully, "about what I said during our fight. I didn't mean?—"
"You meant every word, and you were right." He faced her fully. "I have been protecting myself instead of protecting what matters. And I have been so focused on preventing one future that I never considered there might be another option."
"What changed your mind?"
"Watching you guide that battle. Seeing how the other couples trust each other completely, even in crisis." He gestured toward the square where Callum and Cora were walking hand in hand toward their home. "And feeling how right it was when my wolf defended you. Not because you needed defending, but because you're mine to protect."
Her breath caught. "Yours?"
"If you'll have me. If you're willing to risk everything on a wolf who's spent thirty years running from his own destiny."
Sonya's hand found his across the seat, her fingers warm and sure. "I've been willing since the moment I saw you in my visions. The question is whether you're ready to stop running."
