**TORA** I can't shake the uneasy feeling as we start walking out of the pack house. The Alpha is weird. The way he answered our questions. He gave me an uneasy feeling but then again he ensured me that he hadn't had any people missing. The Beta seemed sure too.And then that deal I made. I made a sacred deal and asked for a Beta favor, which should never be taken lightly. I had to make it. I had to ask.But what is eating at me is what Estelle said right before she left me standing in the room. It plays over and over in my mind. The way her coffee brown hair was sort of dull but fell in the most beautiful waves against her back and shoulders. How her doe brown eyes filled with a sea of unshed tears for me, because of me. Or because of the past, she was trying to get away from.. But at least she trusted me. 'Okay, I will wait for you. But I am begging you.. Don't take too long.' That one sentence replays over and over in my head. The look in her eyes, longing for me not to leave h

*TORA* Her condition looks worse than I thought it was. That pool of blood I found her in was heavier than I thought. They brought in machines to take pictures of every wound inside and out. They have her almost naked on the bed and it is taking everything in me not to shift again. But I have to tell Argos and myself that this is for her health. This is what needs to be done to help her so she can live. But something is digging into my chest as I finally notice everything.She is bleeding from many gashes and wounds and none of it is stopping, which means her wolf is too weak. Her cheeks look broken, and both of her lips are split in several spots. My lip begins to quiver in pain and anger.Her eyes are swollen shut. She looks like she has been hit by a fucking truck. I see the doctors stitching up her back. Multiple stab wounds. Not by claws, but by knives. It can't be the creature that killed Julri. But someone with a grudge against Estelle. But who? She was so sweet and soft-spok

*TORA* What the fuck is she talking about rejecting her? For what? Adrienne? Not in a million fucking years. I stand up quickly from the bed. I can feel the rage in me, but I don’t want to scare her. “I don’t understand, Estelle. Why would I reject you?” She looks shocked at my question. Did she want me to? She looked like she was hurt when I was leaving her in her pack. I am so confused. “You have a life here, and you barely know me. You have a rank, friends, and a girlfriend. And I can’t just come into your life and expect anything to change for you just because the Goddess decided to throw me on your doorstep. I appreciate you making sure I am okay. But you don’t have to choose me just because the Goddess told you to. I mean you DID leave me in my pack and then when I came to you are telling your girlfriend you can’t be with her because of your mate.” Her words are like knives to my chest. So she wants me to reject her? I guess it does look bad and stupid. I thought I would h

*ESTELLE*He carried me. The whole way to the packhouse. How does someone have enough strength to tote me? And I told him I could walk there but he insisted…“Do you have a favorite food?” He says, his deep voice tearing me away from the fact that I am still in his arms. Looking up to him, his perfect, yet exhausted eyes were fixated on me. “I don’t. I haven’t had my choice of foods.” I need to quit talking.. I can’t keep telling him the things I haven’t had. If I keep talking I will definitely slip up about what happened… Before he can ask any other questions, he tightens his grip on my body, making me wince in pain and a moan of discomfort escapes my lips. I guess I am still in a lot of pain. When he looks down at me, a small tear forms in his eyes. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?” I say, as I wipe the tear as it falls. “I did not mean to hurt you. Please forgive me..” He says in a whisper as he places his forehead against mine. He’s crying… Because I winced?“I am okay. What

**TORA** Instead of running in wolf form, I decide to run the fourwheelers down so Estelle can ride instead of being uncomfortable on Argos. Which he is hating right now. ‘But I want to be closer to her too. You're hogging her.’ Cue another eye roll. ‘Will you quit acting like a pup? You’re supposed to be the Beta of a pack and you’re whining.’ I tease before we round the corner to the crime scene that is taped off and the pack members have been ordered to stay away from the area. ‘Quit acting like a pup? Says the man who is clinged to her side and literally whined when she dropped your hand to hug Adrienne..’ Before I can fire back some smart ass comment, I can feel the air around me shift and my stomach drops to my feet. I pull up to the scene and where the body is laying is covered and Jericho and Cree are standing there speaking to each other with pale faces and a couple of tears. It is always heart wrenching when a pack member is killed, especially when you don’t know who i