HAPPY HALLOWEEN! And happy mass release! Thank you everyone for your votes and for sharing your thoughts and comments, especially AimeeLynn, DespinaNY, Kendall_Michalak, Sravanthi82, Janell_Apple, Tot_2U, Michelle_Stephens_4041, IrishJ_MJ, Carey_Shantz, Ivette_Santiago, Ziggysmom, crmsnbty, Momma_Ivy, Mahli_Hogan, pamfelix, m_small, Ivette_Santiago, Maria_Daris, SB08, Nyx1663, Sweenkie and anyone I may have missed – this mass release is for all of you. Mwah.

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Back in the treehouse, August was sitting cross-legged on the bed with the new laptop wondering how it was even possible that they had wifi there when Graeme entered after receiving a phone call.

“How is it going?” He asked her, leaning against the door frame.

“This is a way nicer laptop than I had,” her eyes lit up. “Just getting it set up,” she smiled at him. He noticed how her smile faded as if her mind was taken by something else.

“What’s bothering you?” he sprung off the door frame and came to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Oh,” she shook her head with brows furrowed, realizing that she had been caught in other thoughts. “I was going to put my mom’s number in the phone. Not that I would call her,” she said quickly, glancing up at Graeme, “but then I started thinking about my stepdad… I had wondered why he would be so generous as to send me here,” she laughed bitterly. “I knew he wanted to get rid of me, but… this is next level even for him.”

“What’s his name?” Graeme asked, scooting closer.

“Alan,” she said quietly.

“I can’t hate that you’re here,” Graeme confessed. “But once everything settles down, I would love to pay this Alan a visit.”

August raised an eyebrow at him. “My mom loves him,” she said.

“Perhaps not if she knew the truth,” he replied.

“He’s already beaten her, and she still loves him. She would deny that he had any knowledge of the experiment or find a way to twist it in his favor,” August had seen it happen so many times. “When so much of your identity is tied up in someone, even if you fear them, I guess it blinds you to reality. Not to mention that this whole story is completely bonkers. She would never believe it herself,” she chuckled.

Hearing this, Graeme was even more thankful that August was here with him. The human girl in his bed sitting like a child with her hair sticking out every which way from a messy pony tail. He imagined all the moments strung together over her lifetime—mornings waking up in her parent’s house, holidays, afternoons when she would return from school—in which a family member would have the opportunity to see her grow and mature, becoming her own person blooming in the world, unique from everyone else. All that time with her that he would have personally cherished had he known her. How could her parents not wish to continue cherishing and protecting her now?

“I’m sorry your mother has let you down,” he said finally. “Perhaps you’re stronger now because of it.”

Is that what you call it when the naive image of your parents is shattered? It seemed doubtful. “Are you stronger now because of your past?” she asked, meeting his eyes with her golden ones.

“Sure I am,” he sighed, running a hand over his beard thoughtfully. But it wasn’t the truth. He had chosen to run. And once he started running, he hadn’t stopped. Not until this girl in front of him had literally stopped him in his tracks.

August watched him, sensing the internal conflict similar to her own. He offered her a crooked smile. “What?” he laughed softly. She shook her head silently, returning his smile.

“Andreas was the one who called,” he said. “They want me to come in now to discuss a council position, which is a good thing. Hopefully I can get a clearer picture of what they’re up to. But I don’t want to leave you,” his dark eyes studied her. If only he could mark her, it would relieve a lot of the anxiety that had become his constant companion now. But there was no good way to bring it up after yesterday. He wanted her safe, but he also wanted her comfortable and certain about her place with him.

“Oh, it’s fine,” she said, waving him off. “I have plenty to entertain me now,” she grinned in reassurance.

He sighed. “I never mentioned that when we were kids, Greta and I were often here on our own. Maggie sealed the treehouse with a protective enchantment for our parents so they wouldn’t have to worry. No one with harmful intentions can approach it,” he explained.

August’s eyes grew wide with this revelation. “Is it just the house? Or the stairs too?”

“It’s actually fixed on the tree, so it extends as far as the roots do,” he replied.

“I knew this tree was special,” she whispered to herself.

He took the laptop, set it on the side table, and then pulled her legs toward him so she was right in front of him where he could feel her body heat intermingle with his. “August,” he breathed her name for her eyes to burn darker.

“Yes?” she whispered, her heart fluttering at the feel of his breath on her skin. Their heads were bowed together, and he sighed again, biting his bottom lip. He ran his hand down her neck and heard her suck in a breath in response.

“I’m not sure I can leave you here,” he whispered, pulling back to look into her eyes.

“You just said it was safe.”

“Even with the enchantment, I-I’m not sure I can,” his face was furrowed with worry, and she reached up to smooth the lines on his forehead, a smile coming to form on her lips.

“Maybe at some point we just have to trust that, if this is right, the universe will meet us halfway. It’s worked out so far, hasn’t it?” She found his hand to hold it in her own.

He hummed in agreement. “You know you’re everything to me, right?” He lifted her hand and kissed it, looking up at her through long dark lashes. She gulped softly. “Don’t search for anything online that would bring suspicion. Nothing about yourself, your family, Eliade, lycans, conspiracy theories… You get the idea. No logging into old accounts.”

“I’m actually pretty smart, believe it or not,” she laughed softly.

His expression stayed gentle as he reached up to touch her face, pulling her close where he could feel her lips against his again, indulging in the safety he felt with her in his arms. It was something he would never be able to get enough of. But it was hard not making her his right at this very moment. He reluctantly pulled away from her and stood up to leave. Andreas was waiting.

“Well, I’m glad I got you a phone this morning,” he said. “Promise to call for even the smallest thing?”

“Of course,” she nodded. A question suddenly struck her. “How does Greta research everything if not online?”

“She has her ways,” he said vaguely and smiled, bending to kiss her forehead. “I shouldn’t be too long,” he added before disappearing through the bedroom door. “You haven’t touched the broth or the donuts yet!”

“Oh, I will!” She called back, laughing to herself.

“I will force feed you if I have to, August Moon.. You need to eat!” He called again before she heard the outer door close, leaving her smiling alone in the house.