He rubbed her back slowly, feeling the tremors wracking her body. She’d never been this discombobulated. Bruno knew she acted in the best interest of everyone living here. It was what any decent pack member would have done. He doubted his brother would have. “Listen to me, Serena. You did what you had to do in the moment. You were thinking about the pack, which anyone would have done. I don’t blame you. Now that he’s dead, you don’t have to stay here. Every promise you made to him is finished. You can come with me. You are no longer ruled by the laws of the pack. Where do you suppose the demon went?”

She withdrew from him and studied his face. He prayed she would go with him. “I don’t know where it is. Now that you’re here, I know he’ll be back. God, it’s so good to see you. I’ve been up here all alone now for a week. I would love to go with you. It’s all I’ve wanted for a long time. I only stayed because I needed to help the pack. There’s nothing left for me here now because they’re all dead.”

The news was bittersweet. His heart expanded, knowing she was going to go with him. Still, why would the unholy fiend be scouring the Earth for me? What evil does this damned creature want with my soul? My family’s gone. I’ll never see them again. At least not in this lifetime. If it wanted to inflict any harm on me, then it was successful. It’s already torn out part of my heart. He balled his fists together, keeping a grip on his anger. His muscles rippled. The need to change forms raged through him, but he retained his control. If his rage got the better of him, he could become a danger to Serena. He glanced at her and saw the strong woman he longed for barely holding on to the shreds of her sanity as a result of the trauma she had endured. He couldn’t imagine seeing anyone burst into flames, especially the children. He pulled her into his arms. She began to relax and settle against him, but then she pulled away.

“I-I’m a mess. How can you stand to be so close to me? I stink.”

“You smell wonderful. The past is dead now. You can make a clean start.”

She chuckled. Her deep-throated timbre stirred his desire. This was the woman he remembered. “You always were a horrible liar.”

“The Lord does not let any falsehoods pass my lips.”

“Hmm?” She arched an eyebrow at him.

Before he could respond, she gave him a sly smile, then took off through the trees. He was after her tail in a second. Serena possessed the speed, the stealth, and the strength of a wolf, even if she couldn’t switch her shape. Her anomaly was the real reason she had been shunned by the rest of the pack. They feared it would rub off on them. Terrance used her inability to shift forms against her with the pack. Her one saving grace was that she was a healer, and that was a rare commodity among any wolf pack. Her trail led to the edge of the lake several miles from the cave where they had swum as youngsters. Serena’s clothes were littered along the ground.

When he gazed into the smooth water, all he saw was her head bobbing below the surface. His inner wolf rumbled while he began stripping. A carnal urge took control of him, and he left his clothes beside hers. It had been eons since he’d gone into the water to cleanse himself and be baptized. He slipped into the water, a few feet from shore, and marveled at the beauty of the scenery. The moon above filled his soul with warm light and bathed Serena in its brilliance. The mountains surrounded them on all sides, and the stars twinkled above them. Such wonder and magnificence. How could evil find this place? How could it defile such a wondrous landscape?

He bowed his head and prayed. “Dear Lord, purge my soul of any impurities. Keep evil and harm away from those I cherish. Embrace the souls of my departed family and welcome them into heaven. Help me find the bastard who did all of this. In Your name, they all shall be avenged. Help me to see the light and not fall into the grips of the demon. Help me—”

Serena placed her hand on his shoulder. He stopped midprayer. In the moonlight, her ebony skin glistened now that she was clean. Her teeth flashed white, and her dark eyes glowed with desire in the dim moonlight. “What are you doing?”

“Declaring revenge on the foul creature who has taken our family from us and proclaiming my thanks for all the beauty which surrounds me.”

Her smile widened. She launched herself at him and dunked him under the water. Bruno came up spitting, but with her arms around his neck. The pull of her lips was irresistible.