herself of

m h

rdly feeling the sting. Beyond the kitchen, Melin

re's no one her

are to collect he

gave you the w

pantry!" I

the bottom

ut

he house, Melinda

re's no Mrs. Vale

nt door

ainst the wood, liste

e c

few seconds, she'd been able to picture herself stepping outside,

anything beyond Hilda'

st her chest. The man had the right address and her

ing herself that w

opened t

me

s face for some sign tha

e man who c

ix your

r blouse, and she mo

pression hardened. T

someone

s Beta before he turn

Reid's chair while the older man drank and watched the younger wome

d as though they h

t Isla and offered

u. She's had an u

looked at

's h

" Melinda said.

s bag over her shoulder a

it this one w

eyes return

ag and slid the str

to this. I'm not

id before the man could answer.

Tell him what you

oug

Isla's shoulders tightened before s

a checked

expecting us

n a mistake," Isla said. "

nd stopped o

he

t ni

to Cassian, who gav

ith Coel. Apparently, she thinks the name wi

certificate

a piece o

regist

olded h

g. Now she's supposedly married the most powerful Alph

a studi

m had hesitated, and she stepped toward

te is here somewhere, and th

oved betw

iation because you're entertaining this nonsense.

jecte

aughing softly. "Everything ha

ced toward th

ge would have

happened

r time," Cassian s

expression. He straightened hi

sted enou

her bag knocking

e me. But you know I have

has made the

take

augh, quickly swallowin

pproached Isla with

e al

t tou

her upper

isted out of his grip, but the Beta blocked h

figh

up her phone

e can have it when she'

t as the Beta pulled

ash shook

nd the man holding her turned so

oving aside as Logan ste

ze fou

o of m

's finge

or drain from his face. He took a step away from her, t

red at the

do you think

the room wit

the scarf around her wrist. She tried to straighten

ward her, and

and s

ved. Then he lowered it, offerin

e he

her good

nough that she could finally stop chec

is men retrieved her

ther snapped. "You can't break int

the man who had f

tsi

he Beta was already backing away, one hand

a hurr

ile had di

stepped

but she's my daughter. Nobody takes

him, leaving no room fo

to put her in an

a small, in

to describe a perfectly

change, his thumb set

ee to it?" h

N

finished dis

d the door, tak

an fo

ished in my own house. If my daughter

n st

ace, Reid's Beta

gaze moved between the two men, and

oked bac

. Did you think I'd come h