Chapter 4

Orion's betrayal cut the deepest.

After I broke down sobbing to Ronan, the Pack council almost kicked Dana out of Mooncrest.

The next morning, Orion volunteered for a borderlands hunting run.

Everyone knew what that meant.

A death run through rogue territory in storm season.

He was trading his life so Dana and her pup could stay.

Before he left—when I saw him for what I thought was the last time—he looked at me like I was something rotten.

"I was such an idiot," he said coldly. "My biggest mistake was ever putting you first."

I didn't get it.

He was the one who left.

The one who broke every promise.

So how could he look at me like I was the monster?

Like I was the one who couldn't be forgiven?

And now his hand was locked around my throat.

I clawed at his wrist, but it was useless.

Black spots swam across my vision.

Tears slid down my face as my lungs burned for air.

I lifted my head one last time and looked up at him.

Dead-eyed.

Empty.

Orion's pupils snapped tight.

"Orion!"

Nikolai's shout tore through the room.

Orion jolted like he'd been yanked out of a trance and let me go.

I hit the floor hard.

Air crashed back into my lungs, sharp and painful.

I curled in on myself, coughing hard, my chest burning like fire.

Nikolai rushed toward me.

For one stupid, desperate second, I thought he'd pull me into his arms.

Then the bedroom door opened.

Dana stepped out, clearly woken by the noise.

The second her sleepy eyes landed on Nikolai—

he didn't hold me.

He shoved me away.

I rolled back, pain exploding across my burned spine.

Cassian took half a step toward me on instinct.

Then stopped himself.

His jaw locked tight.

Orion's eyes cut between the three of us.

Then he let out a rough laugh.

"Well, damn. Hell really did freeze over." His wild stare landed on Nikolai. "Weren't you the one always swearing you'd protect Elara forever? And now you're here at Dana's place too?"

He tilted his head as it clicked. "So even you got sick of her.

"Guess the three of us really do have the same type. We always end up wanting the same she-wolf. Funny, right?"

Nikolai said nothing.

I stared at him, completely wrecked.

'Help me. Please.'

He knew exactly what my eyes were begging for.

And he still looked away.

My heart went numb.

Then Dana frowned. "Your back..."

Every gaze snapped to me.

I looked down.

My back burned.

I didn't need a mirror to know the scalded skin was already swelling into ugly blisters.

Silence dropped over the room.

Maybe they expected me to cry.

To scream.

To blame someone.

Instead, I pressed a shaking hand to the floor and forced myself up.

Every muscle screamed, but I kept my spine straight.

Then I looked at Dana.

She really was beautiful.

Sharp features.

Strong, sleek body.

A scent that hooked you the second it hit.

No wonder they circled her like lovesick wolves.

Sometimes I wondered if I was the only one in the world who didn't worship her.

Maybe my silence made her nervous.

Dana patted the pup's back and said softly, "When you hurt someone, you say sorry. Okay?"

The pup only buried his face deeper against her stomach and clung tighter.

Dana sighed, then looked at me like she felt bad.

"He's still little. He got scared." She wiped at his red, puffy eyes. "I'll apologize for him. I have burn salve. Let me get it on your back."

"No."

Everyone looked at me again.

My voice came out scraped raw. "I want him to say it himself."

Dana's face cooled.

"He's a pup," she said, watching me. "Forcing him right now might—"

"Apologize."

"Elara!" Orion's voice exploded through the room.

He stepped in front of Dana and the pup, fury darkening his face.

"You're seriously picking on a pup now? Dana already said sorry. What do you want? For him to cry and beg?"

Cassian stayed quiet.

But the hard crease between his brows said enough.

Even Nikolai shook his head.

The three wolves who used to be mine stood shoulder to shoulder.

Against me.

All to protect another she-wolf's adopted pup.

Dana bent and whispered in the pup's ear.

He squirmed, whining like I was the monster.

Finally, he turned to me, mouth pushed into a pout.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Spiteful.

Forced.

So quiet I barely heard it.

Even then, the tension in the room didn't break.

Dana stared at me, blank-faced. "He apologized. What else do you want? Do you want me to treat the burn? Nikolai brought me salve earlier."

She turned toward the medicine cabinet.

"No."

The word snapped out of me.

Sharp.

Too fast.

I didn't wait for anyone to answer.

I spun around, yanked the door open, and stumbled into the night.

I didn't look back.