I shut the door and walked downstairs. The protectors came into the house dazed and confused. They didn't look injured, and they didn't look like they were going to snap. "What's wrong with you guys?"

"I'm not sure." They exchanged confused glances with each other. "What are we doing here? Where's Mikko?"

"Mikko's gone," I said gently. These guys had some kind of amnesia.  "He's been gone for four or five days now. He left you guys in charge."

Again, the confused glances were exchanged. The house rumbled like an earthquake struck. I was quickly carried outside by one of the protectors. The earthquake was extremely frightening and lasted a good fifteen seconds.

When the quake stopped, the confused looks vanished.

"What happened?" the one holding me asked. "My memory from the last fifteen minutes is gone."

"Amnesia," I suggested. "You can put me down now."

He shook his head. "Was that witch here again?"

I nodded. "She was."

His jaw set. "You should have called for us. Mikko's not going to like this."

"She was in my room, dying," I said gently. "I'd guess that when she died your memory came back."

"With the earthquake?" another protector suggested.

I shrugged. "Let's go check out my room. She should still be there."

She was still there. I was pulled back and taken down the hall.

One of the guys came out and confirmed it. She was dead. The witch who had blackmailed Mikko, who had been taken by Marshall, who had been beaten, who had given my children protection, who had given me a spell that could kill anyone I wanted, and who was now dead.

Was that earthquake a result of her death? Why would her death cause it?

"Finn's on his way," the one who held me muttered.

"So I can be put down now, right?" He nodded and put me down. "Can I go to my room?"

"Not yet." He walked down the stairs, coaxing me to go with him. "Come with me while they clean up the room."

"What happened?"

He gave me a small smile. "It doesn't matter right now. You should rest."

I scoffed. "Like that could happen right now." But I cut the guy a break and followed him down to the living room.

The two protectors carried out Clare's body, bundled with the blankets that had been on my bed. It was then that I noticed the pendant was still wrapped around my hand.

I handed my gun over to one of the guys then put the necklace on. The chain was long. So long that it disappeared completely into my shirt, the pendant dangled past my breasts, resting on its side since my belly stuck out so much.

I was stressed out beyond belief. When Finn came through the door, I was very disappointed. I expected Mikko to come through the door. I wanted Mikko to come through the door. I had questions for him.

Who was Clare, really, to him?

What's so special about the necklace that he'd want to take it from me?

Who was Clare's sister? Did I really look like the woman?

Why did Clare say Mikko was the last of her family? Why not Finn? Why not Philip, or Margaret, or Madeline?

Why would the woman come to me?

Finn eyed me carefully as I sat next to the wrapped corpse of the woman I hardly knew. "What happened?"

"She came here to die." I looked down at the wrapped body. "Do you know why she would come here to die? Why wouldn't she just wait for Mikko?"

Finn crouched down in front of me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded. "I'm not the one wrapped up in bedding."

Finn looked over at the bundle and gave a short nod. "Get her out of here. Take her to the alpha's house."

The guys jumped at Finn's words.

"I'm not worried about the dead witch." His tone was mildly spiteful. "I'm worried about what her death has done to my grandchildren."

"What would her death do?" I kept my eyes on Finn. When he didn't answer, I asked him again, this time with some forcefulness behind it, "What would a witch's death do to my children?"

Finn sighed. "If she were a good witch it wouldn't have mattered. But she wasn't a good witch. Witches, such as Clare, hoard magic. They keep trinkets and pendants that hold power. They use it mostly to prolong their lives." Finn got off the ground and sat next to me. "They power such spells with sacrifices."

"Like the spell she used on the babies."

Finn's eyes lightened.

Uh oh, I thought, did he not know about that?

"That witch used a spell on my grandchildren?"

"Well, it wasn't a bad spell," I rushed out my answer. I didn't want him to be mad! It wasn't my fault Mikko hadn't told him! "She said it was protection."

Finn growled. "That was what Mikko sent me."

"The drawing?" Finn nodded and looked down at my belly. "She didn't try to hurt me," I offered. "She said she came here because she wanted to see her face one last time."

Finn's eyes went back and forth in thought.

"Do you know who she was talking about?"

Finn took a deep breath. "Yes. She was talking about her sister." He stood up and looked out the living room's window. It offered a view of the entire front yard. "It's uncanny how much you look like her sister."

"What happened to her sister?"

Finn looked back at me, studying me for a moment, before answering, "She killed her sister to power a spell." My jaw literally dropped. "Now you know why no one trusts that witch, especially with you. She was trying to make a dying plea to see her sister's happy face instead of the last memory she had of her sister."

Finn's phone went off. He angrily answered the phone. "What?" His eyes looked over me. "Get back now." He ended the call by throwing his phone against the wall, shattering it into thousands of pieces. "Gather what you need and bring it to my car. You're not staying here tonight."

"Why not?" I asked before I could stop myself. Finn wasn't in the mood to answer questions.

"Her magic reserves burst open when she died. It left a residue here that will attract witches who want Clare's power. Until it's properly collected, you cannot stay here."

I nodded but didn't go gather anything. "So I should stay away from it then."

"That's probably a good idea." He held out his hand for me. "Until Mikko gets back, you're going to be staying with me."

I couldn't go against Finn. Either I went with him willingly, or he was going to make me. I had no choice in the matter. I grabbed my purse then grabbed Finn's hand.

He led me out to the car Mikko had given me. I hadn't touched it since Christmas, when Mikko gave it to me. All it held was a bad memory that I didn't want to relive.

He put me in the backseat of the cursed car. "They're going to be bringing the witches body when they've cleared out the guns."

I let out a snort. "Good luck with finding them all."

Finn started the car. I don't know when he had acquired the keys. He left my house behind without waiting for anyone else. I guess that was the perk of being the supreme ruler of werewolves. He could do what he damned well pleased and he didn't need to wait for anyone to do it.

***

I really did stay with Finn the entire time Mikko was gone. Since it was still very early in the morning, Finn took me to a bedroom and insisted that I slept while he fiddled around with his computer. It was hard to fall asleep with Finn in the room after what happened, having him there only made it worse.

It felt like I had just gotten to sleep when Finn gently shook me awake. I hadn't even gotten close to a deep sleep yet.

I rubbed my tired eyes and looked at Finn.

"Mikko's here."

 I sat up and rubbed my tired face. "I'm up." I tried to convince myself, but it didn't really work. When I slumped back down onto my pillow he chuckled.

"Well, either you get up to Mikko, or he'll come in here to check on you."

I tiredly sat up again.

I didn't have the time to get out of bed before Mikko barged into the room with all the grace of a raging bull. "Why is it that every time I'm gone you attract trouble?" he asked in a furious growl.

I huffed. "Like this is my fault. Maybe if you stuck around things wouldn't be happening to me."I knew the angry werewolf wasn't mad at me. He was mad at what had happened while he was gone, maybe even mad that Marshall was the one who killed the witch.

"I have Marshall to take care of, Emily." I could tell he was putting effort into not being mean.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "You mean things that are obviously more important than your children."

"No," he said with a shake of his head, "things that will make my children safe."

"Like running of after a psychotic wolf."

He looked at his father, who offered nothing to him but a shrug. "And what exactly do you suggest?"

I deflated. "I don't know."

Mikko stepped into the room and looked at his father. "Can you give us a minute?"

Finn nodded once and then left the room, shutting the door behind himself.

Mikko walked to the foot of the bed. "What do you want me to do? I can't just stop what I do. It's important."

"Can't someone else do it for a while?" He shook his head as an answer. "Not even for a few months?"

He shook his head. "Not even for a few weeks Emily. Finn doesn't have the time. My brother doesn't have the skill. No one else has the mental capacity. Solving problems without having to fight the pull of a nearby alpha takes a dominate."

"This isn't fair," I complained, "the kids will hardly know who you are."

He just stood there, looking at me. Then his brows creased. "You have a necklace."

I looked down at the chain. "I do."

"You don't wear necklaces." That was true; it wasn't very often that I was wearing a necklace. I didn't think Mikko would be so observant of what I wore.

"It's new." I looked back up at him. "It's new to me."

"Let me see it."

I shook my head. "I'd rather not."

"Did Clare give it to you?"

I looked away from him. There was no point in lying.

He walked over to the side of the bed. "She did give the necklace to you, didn't she?"

I avoided looking at him by looking down. "And if she did?"

"Let me see it."

I looked up at Mikko. "She said you shouldn't take it from me."

His face was calm. I remembered Margaret warning; when Mikko wasn't yelling you had to worry about Mikko's temper. "I don't care what that treacherous whore wanted. Show me what she gave you before I take it off your neck."

When I didn't move to get it, he reached forward. I leaned away from him. "Alright, alright," I conceded, "no need to get physical."

He waited as I pulled the pendant out of my shirt by the chain. Mikko stared, unblinkingly, at the pendant as soon as he laid eyes on it.

"When I first saw it, I could have sworn it was green." I leaned away from Mikko when he reached for it again. "Clare locked a spell in it."

Mikko reached for it quickly this time, giving me no chance to get away from him. "Death magic turns stones black." He looked me in the eyes. "Did she say who it was for?"

"No." I fixed the chain so it didn't feel like I was being choked. "It's for an emergency."

"And you know how to cast spells." He was sarcastic now. He dropped the pendant on my chest and stood up. "To figure she would choose that necklace to give you," he growled angrily as he walked towards the door. Suddenly, he stopped and turned back. He rushed towards me and scooped the necklace off of my neck.

I got off the bed and tried to chase him, but he was too fast. I lost Mikko down the hallway. I leaned against the wall. The house was dark, which meant I hadn't been asleep long.

"You should have told me that Clare gave you a spell," Finn said behind me, startling me and causing me to bump against a wall.

I huffed and shot a dirty look at him in the dark. Just because I couldn’t see much detail, didn't mean that the werewolf couldn't see it. Werewolves saw just as good in the dark as they did in the light. "Why is it my fault that you guys hate witches? She did nothing to me."

I pushed myself off the wall and headed back to the room.

"You should trust my judgment Emily."

I rolled my eyes once I passed him. "That's right, you're the all knowing." I stopped and looked back at him. "Since you know all, why is that necklace so important to Mikko?"

Finn set his jaw and shook his head. "I won't tell you. Only Mikko can."

I went back into the bedroom and slammed the door. I was never going to know. Mikko was never going to tell me, what was the point of even trying?

***

The next day I woke up feeling refreshed. It was as if all the stress of this pregnancy was gone.

I sat up and stretched. I didn't even feel sore. The necklace that Mikko had taken away from me last night was sitting on the end table. I reached over and put it on. Now I needed to convince Mikko to teach me how to say the spell correctly.

I dressed warmly and went in search of Mikko. What convinced him to give the necklace back? Why was it so important?

The house was quiet. I found two protectors outside.

I put on a jacket and went out to them "Where is everyone?" I crossed my arms over my chest when the chill in the breeze hit me.

"They're watching the witch cleanse your house," he said disappointed. I'd bet that he wanted to watch also.

"Let's go then."

I went into the house and went up to the room I had been sleeping in. I couldn't let them object to the idea, claiming that Mikko said they weren't allowed to go over there. I grabbed my purse and while searching for my keys I remembered that Finn had taken them. Wolves had a tendency to leave keys in unlocked cars. That was my only chance at getting back to my house.

"Either you're coming with me or you're staying," I told the two as they stayed in their positions. I got into the car and shut the door. They continued to watch me. But when I found the keys and jingled them, the two changed their minds. The wolves got in the car when I started it up.

When I got to the house, there was a huge crowd. No one even really seemed to notice I had pulled up. The eyes of the crowd were transfixed on my house. Specifically at the new window my father was installing in the nursery.

I spotted Nikki with Mike so I walked over to them. "So when's the show?"

Nikki jumped and looked over at me. She instantly had me in a hug. "I heard that witch we met at the restaurant died here last night. I've been so worried. They wouldn't let me see you." She let me go and put her hands on my belly. "Are-" she stopped herself just in time, "is the baby alright?"

I nodded. "I'm perfectly fine and the baby is perfectly fine."

I felt the tone of the crowd change as a woman stepped out of the house followed by Mikko and Finn.

From the way she was commanding information from the two men, you'd think that they were bewitched by her beauty, but she looked normal to me. She wasn't ugly, but she wasn't the prettiest woman I had ever seen. She looked like she was older than me too.

Her clothes, on the other hand, now those called for all the wrong kind of attention. She looked like an older mother in her teenage daughter's clothes. They were completely age inappropriate. Her pants were a few sizes too small, her shirt looked like it had originally been something nice but age had done away from it. I could pick this woman apart just from the way she was looking at Mikko, and I hated that I could get so territorial over the man who frustrated me so much.

The only thing that made me feel better was the fact that Mikko wasn't flirting back, or making any indication at all that he was interested in her. Maybe the incident with the babies had knocked some sense into his big, old head.