Page 33 of Echo Of A Wolf

“Maybe she’ll be there,” I said, sounding hopeful to even my own ears.

Dean draped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me close. “It’s possible.”

“Then all we have to do is find Xander,” I muttered.

He was just as elusive as Maribel, it seemed.

At least for the time being.

“We’ll find him.” Dean placed a gentle kiss to my temple. “We have to.”

I rested my head on his shoulder, drawing strength from his presence like always. “I hope we find both of them soon, before all of this gets too out of hand.”

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. No one did. We all knew that if we didn’t find Xander before someone else figured out what he could do, or if Maribel didn’t agree to help us once we found her, then Xander was screwed.

There would be no choice besides ending his life.

No matter how much I hated the thought, I knew deep down it was true.

The fire crackled and popped, sending sparks dancing into the night sky. Sienna, Waylen, and Ellis fell into conversation as Dean continued to hold me close. I watched the flames dance, while remaining snuggled into his side.

My mind drifted.

We’d all survived Lucius once, and we could do it again. We weren’t just a ragtag bunch—we were strong.

We were the Misfit Shifters.

I shifted to glance up at Dean, his expression was calm as the firelight cast shadows across his face. There was a quiet resilience I saw in him, one that was mirrored in us all. We’d fought our way through the darkest of times, and we were still here.

Still standing.

Whatever came next with my brother and the spirit of Lucius, we were ready for it. I knew this because we’d already faced the unthinkable once.

Dean met my stare, his eyes warm and welcoming. A surge of love and gratitude flowed through me as he leaned in and kissed me. I realized then that I hadn’t just found a place to land when he became my mate—I’d found a reason to live.

We weren’t just surviving anymore—we were living.