ad dipped low in respect. His tone was formal, defer

d. I am not here to harm you

, unease prick

eapt to the bo

ppen to Jeremy?"

ned grave, voice carryin

you came with me an

rushed with the bodyguards. They entered the Volkov's e

ff, she had lived her life as a decent wolf

nd when Sloane entered it, she felt li

ces, and the orchestrator of the

d his little claws coming out, but

wrong with him,

man was standing, still aloof

me it will take," Dominic grow

Sloane jumped between them, trying to

id," Solan

squinted

I am here." Sloane

o tear everyone apart smi

ed his teeth. His Alpha aura

pped drastically; every eye was

, she went down to hug him, and he

waiting for the bomb to blow, but to

situation was weighing

ft reassurances until the boy's trembling finally gave way to the steady rhythm of sleep. Around

mi

ke armor, and no one dared to step too close. His reputation had already done enough d

to her feet. She tugged her coat tighter around her shoulders

minic moved. A wall of muscle and ic

face into something unreadable. "Move

ching. "Do you know who I am?" His voice was sm

igh like chains. "Yes, I know. Alpha Dominic Volkov, the untouchable heir." She tilted her

, but a quiet calculation. Slowly, Dominic shook his head, as

he said at last, his voice dropping lower

spicion flaring. "A propo

t toward the sleeping boy, softening only for a fraction of a se

of the broken window frame in the wind. Sloane's chest rose and fell as she

ing herself. "Fine," she said car

dition?" His tone carried the faintest hint of

ithin these ruined walls, or in this territory." She stepped closer, chin lifting. "If

le, but something close, a glint of interest, maybe even r

ed, tilting his h

Blackthorn

ther couch, still in last night's clothes. No blanket, no comfort, j

st the carpet. The mess from the night before was brutal, half-empty

, shadows cutting har

Sloane? Why hasn't

tle the air. But no reply came. Only the faint stirring of

, and his face

urts, it re

his arm, wai

er. His hangover roared, and

, voice like ice. "You ar

ced with hiccuping sniffles.

the length of his arm. He tried to lift it, but the pain twiste

linking, unreadable. Then, with a low breath, he

e in his cont

out hesitation. As the line rang,

again. Always gone. Always

it by now. She sho