2

An hour later, Ryan's car pulled up outside.

He gathered me into his arms and apologized, "I'm sorry. I was so busy today that I forgot you'd come home... After what happened to you, I couldn't live alone in this house at all, so I moved out."

He stroked my face with infinite tenderness. "I had the lounge redone for you. I'll take you back to the den tomorrow. I'll only feel at ease with you beside me."

There was a trace of the perfume Nina always wore on his shirt.

But I was lost in the warmth of his skin, and I chose to ignore all of it.

The next day, Ryan drove me to the den and told me about everything that had changed over the past year.

He had told me the same stories countless times during his occasional visits to the recovery center, but I still listened eagerly.

We were the couple every wolf envied. From the moment we met at eighteen, I knew he was my fated mate.

For my sake, Ryan had cut ties with his original pack and joined mine.

At the recovery center, my wolf had warned me again and again through pain that Ryan's heart had strayed, but I had refused to believe it.

The pain only grew stronger.

What began as mild dizziness became spasms of agony.

I knew I could not keep lying in the recovery center and wasting away.

At the very least, I wanted to see who the other she-wolf was.

I never imagined that the she-wolf he had fallen for would be the adopted daughter who had cost me the ability to bear children.

A year earlier, he had wanted to kill her.

Ryan held my hand and spoke with aching tenderness. "Your brother asked me to take good care of you. Now that you're getting back on your feet, I'll be able to answer to him when he returns."

But the moment we entered the lounge, we found Nina and several young she-wolves horsing around inside.

When they saw me, the room went instantly silent.

Ryan surveyed the wrecked lounge and snapped, "Why are you still here?"

Nina lowered her head, too afraid to speak. One of the young she-wolves beside her said, "This lounge has belonged to Nina for the past year."

At those words, Nina raised her head and gave him a wounded look.

Ryan looked away and said coldly, "Vera is back. You need to give the lounge back to her."

Nina stood, tears swimming in her eyes. "Why does she get to take everything from me just because she came back?"

Ryan cut her off coldly. "You owe her this."

Nina covered her face and ran out. The she-wolves in the room began talking over one another in her defense.

"Mr. Carter, how can you treat Nina as if you can summon and dismiss her whenever you please?"

"We have all seen how much Nina has done for you this past year. What you're doing now is cruel."

The way they looked at me carried open contempt, as though I were some villain who had stolen another woman's mate.

But Lucian was the Alpha of the entire pack. I only wanted my own lounge back. What exactly had I done wrong?

As they left, they deliberately rammed their shoulders into me. I stumbled several steps before catching my balance.

Ryan didn't notice. He was looking in the direction Nina had gone, his fists clenched.

I scanned the room for my best friend, Claire Foster. "Where is she?"

The wolves around me went pale. Ryan weighed his words for a long time before saying, "She left the pack."

I froze, my mind suddenly blank. "How could no one tell me something this important?"

Ryan lowered his head like a child caught doing something wrong.

"You were still at the recovery center then. I was afraid the news would interfere with your recovery, so I kept it from you. But I've already told her you were discharged. She'll come back to see you soon."

He offered no further explanation. "Vera, get some rest. Something urgent came up, and I need to go."

He rushed off before I could answer.

The renovated lounge was spacious and comfortable. Its warm ocher palette made the space feel inviting.

And Ryan's office was right next door.

Sure enough, it did not take me long to find a hidden door behind a cabinet, leading through the wall to Ryan's office.

Deep gouges in the floor showed that the cabinet had been moved frequently.

No wonder Nina hadn't wanted to give the lounge back.