Serena wakes before dawn in Koen's arms as he carries her into a Northwest safe house after the previous night's attack. Amanda, Jorma, and Saul gather around her, relieved that she survived. Koen insists that Serena does not need coddling, but his actions contradict his words: he checks her for injuries, cleans her feet, and makes sure she is settled, revealing how closely he is watching her condition.

The group then connects by video with Lowe, Misery, Alex, and other Southwest pack members. After a brief reunion and a cheerful interruption from Ana, Lowe explains the larger political fallout from Serena's public interview. By revealing that hybrids are genetically compatible with Weres, Serena helped improve Human opinion of Weres and strengthened a growing Human-Were alliance, including hopes for demilitarized borders and a broader peace arrangement.

That success has also created new enemies. Misery explains that some Vampyre council members fear the alliance will weaken Vampyre power, so someone on the council has placed a bounty on Serena to sabotage the process. Alex admits that he recorded Serena's satellite phone under her initials and included a photo, which may have helped Vampyres trace her location. Owen suspects Councilwoman Selamio or Councilman Ross, but there is still no proof. The bounty requires Serena alive, suggesting the conspirators want to exploit her hybrid status rather than simply kill her.

Serena outwardly shrugs off the danger to herself, but she immediately focuses on Ana. Misery and Lowe confirm that Ana is also vulnerable because kidnappers might see a child hybrid as an easier target. Lowe proposes returning Serena to the Southwest and hiding both hybrids. Serena rejects that plan, arguing that bounty hunters will never stop searching while the reward remains active. Instead, Serena proposes making herself an obvious, accessible target so attackers keep coming after her while Ana stays hidden, allowing the packs to trace the assaults back to whoever ordered the bounty.