LOGINHis voice was soft when he asked, “Are you mad at Daddy?”My breath caught.I didn’t answer right away. I just held him tighter, brushing my lips against the top of his head, breathing in the familiar scent of shampoo and dreams.“No, baby,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “Just sad
ELENAHe said it. Just like that."Because I was a coward."And for a moment, I didn’t breathe. Didn’t blink. I just stared at him, this towering Alpha, folded in on himself like the weight of everything he’d done was finally more than he could bear.It wasn’t what I expected. It wasn’t defensive. I
DEREKI was more nervous than I had ever been in my entire life.And that included some truly horrible moments. Moments when life and death had been in the balance.Worse than when Aiden had been in the hospital, his little body limp and pale against white sheets, machines screaming at me that I mig
ELENA"I’m strong enough to travel," I said.The words came out firmer than I expected. My voice still felt like it didn’t quite belong to me—too quiet, too dry—but I forced strength into it anyway.My mother narrowed her eyes at me across the hospital room, arms folded, posture stiff with tension.
ELENAThe first thing I felt was cold.Not the kind of cold that settled into your bones. Not the chill of snow or wind. It was sterile, dry, antiseptic. The kind of cold that came from machines humming, filtered air, fluorescent lights. A hospital.I blinked slowly, and the world came into focus in
DEREKToday was going well.Which, lately, felt like a miracle.The meeting room was warm with early sunlight, and the Stormfang delegation finally looked less like they wanted to skin me and more like they might—possibly—listen. The Icelandic pack had been guarded since our arrival, especially with
DEREKI’d been through a lot of things in my life—rogue ambushes, pack betrayals, the death of my father—but nothing compared to standing there in a fluorescent-lit hallway, watching the woman I loved come undone in front of a stranger in a lab coat.Elena’s voice was low at first. Quiet. Her postur
ELENAThe nurses were shouting."Vitals are dropping—get him inside, now!""Pediatric trauma team is prepped. Let's move!"A stretcher appeared like magic, and they lifted Aiden from Derek’s arms. I tried to follow them into the emergency bay, but a nurse stepped into my path. “You can’t go in yet,”
ELENAThere were voices outside the door.Not the usual lazy pacing of a bored guard. These were deeper. Sharper. Intent.My heart dropped into my stomach.They were coming.I pressed myself to the wall beneath the vent, arms locked around my knees. The blanket I’d balled up to make it look like Aid
ELENAI stared at the vent.The tiny square opening near the ceiling still hung slightly ajar, just like it had when Aiden disappeared inside. I hadn’t moved since.Every muscle in my body ached from sitting so still, but I didn’t dare shift. If I moved, if I looked up too long, if I gave any sign t







