Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Bronx’s POV

| find the fire chief in front of the packhouse, “ Chief Prost, any idea what happened here?” “Well, we

have to investigate further, but it looks like arson. The areas that were damaged the most are way too

isolated for it to have been faulty wiring or a candle. As soon as we have more info, | will let you know,

Alpha.” +

“Thank you, Sir,” | pat him on the shoulder and move on.

Reggie and | go around checking on everyone still milling around. Most people are scared but not hurt.

A few people have minor burns. We send them to the medical tent so Kas and the doctors can heal

them. | look over to see Milo and Lenora sitting on the back ledge of a fire truck, they are giving Lenora

oxygen to be on the safe side. Whatever Kas did to heal Milo seems to have done the trick because he

isn't even coughing like everyone else. «

We watch as people make their way down the road to the old packhouse. The firefighters finally start

wrapping up hoses and putting equipment away. When I'm sure we are the only people left, | look up at

the packhouse; the entire right-hand side is a literal shell of what it was. The left side is blackend and

charred.

Kas finally comes over and puts her arm around me. | pick her up off her feet and give her a crushing

hug.

“You helped so many people tonight, Baby. You saved Milo. And James. And me. | don’t know how any

of us could ever repay you. Thank you, Baby. Thank you so much,” | kiss her cheek gently.

"Bronx, remember before | went to France, and | asked you not to drink whiskey?"

"Yeah Baby, you freaked me out that night. When | grabbed your hand, | couldn't feel our connection," |

recall how ice cold her hand was and the distant look in her eyes.

"When | snapped out of it, the details all faded so fast but now | know, this was it. That vision was what

happened tonight," Kas shivers as tears start to run down her face. The sun is starting to rise behind

the packhouse. It looks eerily beautiful.

"Bronx, what's the point of having the gift of premonition if | can't stop bad things from happening,” she

says with a choked breath. "Aww, Baby. Hey, you can't blame yourself. No one died, no one was

seriously injured," | put her down and use my fingertips to lift her chin towards me, "Once James is

feeling better, talk to Delilah. If you feel like you need to go back to the coven for a bit to work on it,

then that's what you have to do. Whatever you think is best. Alright?"

"How about, if | have another vision, then | will. There's nothing | can do until then." "Fair enough, Baby.

Promise me you won't keep it a secret if it happens again though." "| promise," she swears to me. | put

my arm around her as we walk down the road to the much smaller packhouse.

kkk

The fire chief's investigation shows accelerants placed strategically in the hallways near electrical

outlets are what fueled the fire. By the time he provides his report, we already know who the offenders

are. Our security footage from the packhouse hallways are saved to MasonCo servers. They show four

of our omegas pouring measured amounts of liquids along the walls while the pack was at the solstice

party.

| send guards to collect them to be brought in for questioning but none of them ever make it. All four

scheduled vacation two weeks prior. They are gone. All of their clothes, personal belongings, all of it

gone. It was a carefully planned, calculated effort. The question is why. :

"Milo, Reggie, | don't need to tell you how important it is for us to find these four traitors,” | snarl,

pounding my fist on the table. My blood is boiling. Since Saint had returned and finally started talking to

me again, his temper has been out of control. | feel him just under the surface trying to push forward

and it takes all my control to keep him there. It is exhausting, day after day. "Reggie, you're leading the

packhouse rebuild. Milo, full security checks for every contractor, employee, resident, every damn

butterfly that steps onto the worksite or the old packhouse all day, every day. Beef up guards at all

checkpoints and extra patrols. Round-the-clock guards to protect the properties. Do | make myself

clear?"

"Yes, Alpha,” they reply in unison.

"I'll get started on construction planning right now,” Reggie bows and leaves.

"Milo, this has something to do with Connors "son."

"The kid who's the Alpha of Silver Moon now? What makes you think that?"

"The whiskey."

"The whiskey,” he says blankly, “Care to elaborate, Bronx? | can't read your mind."

"Do you remember when | told you | promised Kas | wouldn't drink whiskey while she was away?"

"Yeah, we drank vodka instead. How could | forget that hangover?"

"Kas had a premonition. She knew the whiskey was poisoned and she knew there was going to be a

fire."

"And she didn't tell you?!” His voice sounds a little irritated.

“Watch your tone, Milo," | growl in my Alpha voice.

"Sorry, Alpha," he sits back in his seat.

"It was the night she moved into my apartment. She was still a mess back then. She couldn't remember

the details. Just that | shouldn't drink whiskey and that | needed to have the electricity checked to be

sure there was no faulty wiring."

"Okay," he taps his fingers on the table impatiently, "So why do you think it has to do with Connors’s

son?"

| sigh and rub my hands on my face. Exposing secrets Kas’s has entrusted me with is a huge a breach

of trust, but | have to explain my theory to Milo for him to be on board with my plan. The thought of

what she told me about Ryan Connors still makes me angry, "He...forced himself on her. When she

was still at Silver Moon. He raped her, Milo." 2

"Holy shit, Bronx. | don't know what to say,” Milo turns his eyes to the floor, searching for an answer.

"There's nothing to say and that information stays between you and me," | give hima menacing scowl.

He nods and holds his hands up, "Of course, it's not my information to share but what does that has to

do with Kas's visions?"

"| think because of what he did to her, they have some sort of fucked up connection. The only

premonitions she has had are about him or me. And the one about me happened before we mated.”

“Okay, so what does that mean for our current situation?” He asks, leaning forward in his chair again.

“She doesn't understand the gift yet but | think | do. It isn't my place to tell her but | think it has to do

with him because of what he did to her. | think it is a bellwether that he is up to something.” 2

| rap my knuckles on the table as | think out loud, “The card from the Elder Council that came with the

whiskey was so generic. And why would they just randomly send it? It seems odd now, looking back on

it. They know | only have part of a liver and don't drink often. | was so preoccupied with other things,

that | didn't even bother worrying about it."

"So you think Connors’ son sent the whiskey and somehow convinced our own people to set the fire?

And Kas had a premonition about the fire because he was involved. Because of her...connection...with

him,” Milo links my scattered thoughts together. 2 "That's exactly what | think," | lean back in my seat

and steeple my fingers against my lips. “Bronx, six months ago, | would have said you were crazy. But

then again six months ago, | would never have believed a bombshell of a goddess could be roaming

the earth in the flesh, let alone be the mate of a hot-headed, roughneck soldier like you." "She is a

bombshell, isn’t she,” his description of my mate breaks my mood and | chuckle.

"So the million-dollar question is, how do you prove your theory? What's our move?" Milo leans forward

putting his elbows on his knees. His steel gray eyes bore into me.