LOGINConrad.The car ate the dark road in silence.Atlas drove with both hands locked on the wheel, eyes flicking to the mirror every few seconds like he expected the night itself to give chase. Leah rode shotgun with her leg propped on the dashboard and a pistol resting in her lap. In the back seat Travis slumped against the window, breathing shallow, his face the color of old paper.And beside me, Skylar.Not touching me. That was the worst part.She sat with her hands pressed between her knees, staring out at the fence posts flashing by. I could feel her anger rolling off her in slow, quiet waves. Not the hot kind. I could’ve handled the hot kind. This was the kind that stayed.“You’re going to say something eventually,” I said, low enough that only she could hear.“I’m deciding what.”“Take your time.”“I’d like to.” She finally turned her head. Her eyes were red-rimmed but dry. “Twelve years, Conrad. You sat in that office with me, you kissed me, you told me you’d never felt anything
Skylar.“Who’s the woman, Conrad?”I asked it again because the first time he hadn’t answered, and the second time I wanted to hear how his voice sounded when it was cornered.It sounded tired.“Skylar, please. Not out here.”“Out here is all we’ve got.” I stepped down from the doorway, my shoes sinking into the cold dirt. “You have, what, four hours? That’s what he said. So you can either explain now or explain while someone’s shooting at us.”“Actually,” the stranger said mildly, “I’d recommend now.”I looked at him properly for the first time.He was tall and lean, and he wore the sort of stillness that made me want to apologize for breathing too loudly. There was an old white scar along his jaw. But it was his eyes that made my skin crawl, because they weren’t hostile or sneering. They were kind, and I knew from experience that kindness in a powerful man was never free.“And you are?” I asked.“Dean.” A small nod, like he was greeting me across a dinner table. “And you’re Skylar.
“Atlas, kill the lights.”The container went dark in a blink. Only the glow of the little monitor stayed, painting everyone’s faces a sickly blue.“Travis, get down. Leah, if he moves, shoot first.”“I’d like to be conscious for my first shot, sir,” Travis muttered from the couch.“Then stay conscious.”I put my hand on the door and felt Skylar’s fingers dig into the back of my shirt. She was trembling. Not from the cold this time. I could smell it on her—sharp, bitter, a fear she was trying hard to hide.I turned and cupped her face. “Hey. Look at me.”Her eyes lifted, wide and dark.“I’m not going anywhere. Whatever’s out there, you stay inside. Understood?”“Conrad—”“Understood?”She swallowed. “Understood.”It was a lie, and we both knew it. I kissed her forehead anyway and stepped out into the night.The cold hit my chest like a slap. I hadn’t bothered putting my shirt back on. The scratches along my ribs stung as I walked, but I barely felt them. All I felt was my heart, poundi
Skylar.The container was too quiet.Not the peaceful kind of quiet either. It was the kind that pressed on my ears until I could hear the fridge humming, the wall clock ticking, my own heartbeat thumping behind my eyes.Conrad had been gone for six hours.I knew because I'd counted every one of them.I'd washed the dishes twice. I'd swept a floor that didn't need sweeping. I'd even arranged the cans in the cupboard by size, which was the kind of thing I only did when my mind was one bad thought away from running off a cliff.And the bad thought was always the same.Did he tell you he holds your mother captive?I dropped the cloth on the counter and gripped the edge of the sink. Conrad hadn't denied it. He hadn't confirmed it either. He'd just stood there with his mouth open, like I'd asked him to solve a math problem, and then the universe kept interrupting us like it was on his side.First Clyde, then Alpha Caleb, then Atlas' phone call.Funny how convenient that was. I shook my hea
Conrad.Even as an Alpha, my knees hurt. That was only because I had been walking in slow motion while crouching inside the canopy of tall grasses for two hours straight. I was sweating like a goat about to be sacrificed. My spine felt like it was about to snap, and I was almost convinced a large boulder was laid upon my back.I didn’t transform into my wolf form. I couldn’t—for one simple reason: my scent would grow stronger and tracking me would become much easier. So yes, I was stuck as I was.But not to worry, the end of the wide grassy land was close. I could already spot a deep stream down ahead.Why was I doing this? Because I knew what was at stake. I knew the Malestrom warriors and I was aware of their capabilities. Their tracking prowess was one of the most efficient I had ever seen, all thanks to years of hunting down and conquering packs. It was practically the first lesson in their textbook.I dived headfirst into the river, feeling my back ease up instantly.“Ahh…” I sig
Conrad.I heaved a sigh, turning my head downward at the dark brown hardwood floor we were standing on. When I looked back up, Skylar’s eyes were still glued on me. She’s a stubborn one and I’ve always known that. That didn’t mean I’d always know how to outmaneuver her queries.“What exactly did you hear from Clyde?” I asked, resting my elbows upon my knees to watch her expression change.Tilting her head, she said, “What he said doesn’t really matter. It’s about the truth, and I want to know it.”I chuckled and stood.“Don’t walk away. Just answer the question. Is it true you have someone detained in your safehouse? And who is the person?” she asked, her tone rising.“Why do you even care, even if it’s true?” I said, genuinely concerned by her unreasonable determination to know about this.She only went mute but kept her eyes on me. I furrowed my brows. What did Clyde tell her?“I assure you,” I said, holding her hands, “whatever he said isn’t true. His words will only keep your hear
Skylar..“What are you talking about?” I asked, my tone high-pitched.He gestured for me to come to him and I heaved a sigh before doing so. I rolled my eyes as he grinned at me.“What is it?”“Would you relax and listen! There's a wolfsbane spray can in here, meaning we have a chance of escape.”
Skylar.“Look at you, still as weak as you used to be, a worthless reminder of your insignificance in my pack all those years.” Alpha Caleb said, his lips upturned in pure disgust. An expression I was so familiar with.“To think you'd have grown to steer away from trouble after all these years. Pff
Skylar..My heart continued to pound like a war drum in my chest, Clyde's words resounding in my ears like a horrible tale I couldn't shake off."And did he tell you he holds your mother captive?" It couldn't be true. Conrad would never do that, he just wouldn't. How was I supposed to believe that
Skylar...He might look like his brother, but he was definitely nothing like him. Clyde was almost as tall as Conrad and had the same strong body frame as he did. But Clyde was…rigid, like a soldier. Hell, he was even clad in a soldier-like attire. Black leather jacket buttoned to the top, black







