Chapter 4

For the next week, neither brother contacted us.

The explanation appeared on Vera's social media.

Dozens of photographs showed her at a mountain resort between Adrian and Kane. They skied, drank in front of a stone fireplace, and posed like a family who had finally reunited.

Her caption said:

[The trip we promised each other five years ago. Real family always comes back for the memories they missed.]

On the morning we were discharged, Maya and I went straight to the pack enforcement office to report the crash.

The officer taking our statement looked more disturbed with every detail. "It's been twelve days. Most physical evidence will be difficult to recover. Why wasn't this reported immediately?"

Maya leaned back in her chair. "Because your commander revoked our ambulance clearance and went on vacation with another woman."

I handed over a broken piece of the vehicle's plate, the medical reports, and screenshots of every call. "I don't think it was an accident."

The driver had fled immediately after the collision. Vera had booked the SUV. And on the exact day of the crash, every camera along the eastern maintenance road had been shut down for service.

The officer accepted the evidence carefully. "We'll open a formal investigation."

After filing the report, we moved into Maya's old apartment. We had barely settled onto the couch when the phone rang. Adrian had been blocked, so he called from Kane's number.

"Where are you?" His voice was tight with anger. "Why is the Alpha residence empty?"

"You finally noticed we were gone."

"Elena, haven't you taken this far enough? You disappeared from the medical center for a week, and now you're moving while pregnant. What are you trying to prove?"

"Nine tomorrow morning. Council hall. Bring Kane."

"If you want to destroy your own marriage, that's your decision. Why are you dragging Maya into it? She and Kane had an argument. That's all. Do you have to ruin someone else's life because yours isn't perfect?"

Maya heard every word. She snatched the phone from me.

"Adrian, you should stop speaking as a healer. Every time you open your mouth, I worry the whole pack is going to die from your stupidity."

She ended the call and blocked both brothers' numbers.

The next morning, we arrived outside the council hall on time.

Vera was already there.

She wore a white cashmere coat and had carefully reddened eyes, as if she'd dressed for the tragedy she planned to perform.

"Elena, Maya, I'm sorry," she began. "I honestly didn't know they hadn't contacted you. That trip was something we promised each other five years ago. I even reminded them to tell their mates before leaving."

Maya folded her arms. "Why are you here? Are you signing for them, or choosing which one gets to be your Alpha first?"

Vera went pale. "I only want to stop a misunderstanding from destroying your relationships."

"Do they need your permission to dissolve their mate contracts?" I asked.

"I know you hate me. Hit me, curse me, do whatever you need. Just don't leave them—"

Her foot slid, and she pitched herself directly at me.

I raised an arm on instinct. Vera fell backward onto the stone steps and scraped her palm just enough to produce a bright line of blood.

"Elena!"

Adrian came running.

He didn't ask what had happened. He shoved me aside and crouched in front of Vera. My healing incision pulled as I stumbled into Maya. She caught me, but the strain made her face go white.

The wind caught my coat, exposing my flat stomach. Adrian followed my gaze, and the blood drained from his face. "Where's the pup?"