VANESSAI spent all night tossing and turning, obsessing over how cold and dismissive Callum was on the way home last night. Something happened when I left the room with his mother; something that made him shut down completely. He didn’t tell me what it was, so my mind was clouded with speculation over what occurred. I’m sure I would’ve continued to obsess over it all day, too, if it wasn’t for the news I woke up to.If I thought I had a rough night, it was nothing compared to the hellish ordeal my best friend endured yesterday at the hands of the rogue who has been haunting the six-pack territory for the past few weeks. He shot her with silver bullets, kidnapped her, and held her hostage- all part of some twisted revenge plot to take out Chase. I didn’t get all the details, but it was something to do with Chase’s estranged mom and the shadow pack war. Given how close Vienna is with my family, Alpha Brock called my dad this morning to tell him what happened, and as soon as he woke me

VANESSA** Four Months Later **“Let’s go, Ness!” Vienna calls out, her voice echoing down the hallway of the guest wing of the packhouse.“Just a minute!” I yell back. I’ve been searching for my little gold clutch for the past ten minutes in vain; it’s like it somehow grew legs and walked away. I’m almost certain that I packed it when I moved into the Norbury packhouse a few months ago at Vienna’s invitation, but for some reason, it’s not where it should be among my other purses in the closet.I blow out a frustrated breath, spinning around and strutting over to the dresser to pull open the top drawer. I rummage through the random assortment of things I’ve shoved in there in search of the clutch, hoping I might’ve tossed it in here after the bar one night or something. As I push through the mess of hair accessories and odds and ends, a piece of paper falls out, fluttering to the floor and landing at my feet. I bend to pick it up with an annoyed groan, straightening with the paper clu

VANESSA I have a feeling Miles was expecting more than a movie night when I took him up on his offer to come back to his apartment. He’s been visibly agitated since the moment I suggested it, his knee bouncing and his posture tense from his seat beside me on the couch. It’s Italian leather, by the way- everything in his place is super nice, and he goes out of his way to brag about the finery of his furnishings whenever he has the chance, like he wants me to know how much money he has. I think it’s his way of showing that he could provide for me, but I tend to find his boasting in poor taste. And if he thinks I’m after money, he doesn’t know me at all. I nearly breathe a sigh of relief when the credits roll, anxious for an excuse to head back home. I’ve set clear boundaries with Miles, but he’s been pushing them tonight, no doubt fueled by the beers that he’s been downing like it’s his job. There’s a cluster of empty bottles on the marble coffee table in front of us, only one of which

MILES“Knock, knock,” I call, gently rapping my fist against the wood of Nessa’s bedroom door as I push it open.She’s curled up on her bed in the fetal position, her knees tucked tightly into her chest and a pillow clutched in her arms, hiding her face. She picks up her head when she hears me come in, frowning when our eyes meet and burying her face back in the pillow. “Go away, Miles,” she grumbles, her words muffled.I blow out a breath, taking a tentative step into the room despite her protest. She’s been holed up in here for hours following that ugly scene in the kitchen this morning. Chase kicked Cal out right away, but I stuck around, figuring Nessa would come out eventually and need a shoulder to cry on. I iced my face and explained to Chase what went down between Cal and me, but then Vee woke up and called him back upstairs. So I sat in the living room by myself for what felt like forever, bored as shit, waiting and waiting until I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to come

CALLUM My pulse races as I walk into the Norbury packhouse, my gaze greedily sweeping over the interior. There’s nobody in sight. The sound of approaching footsteps yanks my attention to the hallway off the kitchen, but the dark eyes that meet mine aren’t the ones I’m seeking. Chase emerges, his hulking form swallowing up the view of the hall behind him. I lift my chin in greeting, my eyes gravitating toward the opposite hallway that houses the guest rooms. “She’s not here,” Chase provides, knowing exactly who I’m looking for, and my shoulders sag as a pang of disappointment stabs in my gut. Days have passed since our run-in at the cabin, and again, so much was left unsaid. That seems to be the theme every time Nessa and I see one another lately. I’m always left reeling because all I want to do is hold her and kiss the pain away and make everything better again, but I know I can’t do that. I won’t risk her safety for my own selfish impulses. I also can’t just stand by and watch her