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“Don’t make it weird,” I grumbled.

Prue thankfully danced back our way, a light sheen of sweat on her skin now. “I’m dying of thirst. Let’s grab food and drinks now.”

Blake was still with the alpha but Prue just gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and pulled me with her back inside.

The lights were lower now and candles and floating lanterns cast a warm, inviting glow over the room. They’d stretched out spiderwebs and had giant carved pumpkins, too.

“I’m still not over how much they did for this,” Prue said as she snagged a passing cocktail that was smoking. She sipped it and let out a pleased, little hum. Making her happy was something I was quickly growing addicted to. I wanted to spend our lives making her smile as much as possible, even if we were stuck here.

“So, I heard a rumor,” Rook said, glancing around to make sure this conversation stayed between us. Merrick leaned in, closing the gap between us all. “That a couple in town bonded and their curses calmed. Just like yours.”

“Wow,” Prue said. “And we haven’t even bonded yet.”

“Which means,” Rook continued. Dragging the damn story out just to drive us crazy. He always had a flair for the dramatic. “That the magistrate is meeting soon to discuss letting them out. I hear there was pushback from the outside, so they had no choice but to consider it…”

Rook trailed off, letting the words settle between us.

“That means… that they could possibly leave?”

Rook nodded. “Not set in stone, but now that the outside Magistrate is stepping in, it’s a possibility. I think your brother’s attack has raised a few questions about leadership. I’m going to switch my research to focusing on this new development, but I think this means we’ll have real freedom.”

Prue was quiet now. She looked so conflicted that I couldn’t resist pulling my little mate closer.

“What’s wrong, witchling?” Merrick asked. He stepped closer to run his finger over the spot between her eyes that was wrinkled.

“What if I don’t want to leave? Permanently, I mean. I’d love to travel and see the world and find new cursed objects and antiques… but this is my home now. Blake is here. My home and business is here.”

“Then we stay,” Rook said. “No one will kick you out. Even if they let some of the people move away they’ll have check ins at the very least. But, as a whole, the magistrate isn’t big on imprisoning people for no reason. The curse department of the magistrate has just been a bit… corrupt, as of late.”

“Understatement,” Prue muttered. “Now this party feels like a bit of an apology.”

“Prue! Our song!” Blake called out as she poked her head inside. The first lines of Witchy Woman started and Prue let the conversation drop as she gave us a grin and ran out to join her best friend on the patio.

I snagged a plate and loaded it down with finger foods so our girl could eat if she got hungry after dancing.

By the time I joined them, Rook and Merrick had snagged us a table. Rook disappeared when I came out, walking out with another two plates when I finished.

“Figured that way there’s enough for all of us, not just our mate,” he teased. My cheeks warmed at realizing I’d definitely had a one-track mind. I was barely used to taking care of one person, let alone a pack.

Seeing my face fall, Rook reached over and clapped me on the shoulder.

“I love that you think of her. I’m the caretaking sort who sees the pack as a whole, too. Merrick is the force that calms and brings reason in. We all have our strengths.”

“I’m learning that,” I said as I relaxed and looked over to the dance floor where the two omegas were twirling around together, hands up, and grinning like fools

Gods, my little mate was gorgeous. My entire world shifted the moment I’d scented her. Then again when I realized just how incredible she was. If this little witch could fight through her curse and keep such a kind heart then I could push past my own self-pity and find a way to embrace who I was now.

Even Merrick and Rook had changed. My brother was more fulfilled having a pack around him. He always deserved a family that saw and appreciated his efforts and I was grateful he found that with our pack.

Merrick needed someone to see him in the sea of faces he wore. A pack that embraced that and could show him that he could breathe and embrace the shifting.

As the song ended she moved back toward us, her skin flushed from the exertion and she plopped right down in Rook’s lap and snagged a nacho from the plate I’d chosen. My wolf flushed with pride as we watched her eat then snag more.

She turned to say something when two guards came up, faces grim.

“Prudence Ever. Come with us.”

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered to the person sitting next to me. He didn’t even bother to look over at me, his back was perfectly straight and stiff, his eyes dead ahead.