's

here never a

The air seemed to weigh more and became dense with memories and unspoken words the closer I approached. My pulse accelerated as my hands

s as oppo

I had been damaged, brittle, uncertain of who I was without him back then. But that woman? She vani

My kids had mad

yes wide as she stared out the window, she sat in the rear seat. Caleb, her twin, remained sile

was not ready. Whether I would ever be ready to see Jackson once more was unknown. Once m

trong enough t

mind that evening. But today it went beyond me. It revolved around Lily an

territory. This is it. Now turning back was not possible. The pack had to know what was ahead-what was

e pulled me back into a history I had labored so hard to flee. Lily and Caleb reached for mine with their little hands as they cli

tillness. He raised his black eyes, Jackson's

lieved it myself, I whispere

n invisible pulse of force, familiar and overwhelming-I had hardly set foot on the opposite side. The pack ties. Tho

them together. Their strong figures were ready for attack; their eyes shone in the low ligh

fourth wolf surfaced. And

kso

as I had described-tall, strong, every inch of him radiating the authority of an alpha. His dark hair hung

he weight of all the things we had l

red, "Ava," his v

his stare and choked har

ression turning to something incomprehensible. But one

ntified Riley, Jackson's beta and devoted second-in-command right away. As they rested on me, his dar

ected animosity, Riley's comments' ven

ugh my palms shook. "Something is scheduled for the pack. So

rowed his gaze. I felt for a second that he may turn me away, that he would allow the years of hatred and ani

ar

to the wolves encircling us. "

but it was fleeting. Still, this was merely the

could I say that all was dependent on the kids on my side-our kids? That they were

would Jackson respond when

ntly, I looked down at them. Safe, hidden from the perils of this planet, they had been. Now, th

t like he would have held back. Jackson I knew never avoided conflict; he always expressed his op

room, his rage hardly restrained. "This better

rage . "I wouldn't have come b

se, strong and commanding. He looked at me, his si

discovered us-ambushed us, out of nowhere. But it was not a haphazard attack. J

e twins, and his expre

elf for what I was about to say to

strain in his shoulders and the way his hands closed at his sides. He did not probe the obv

I replied gently, my voice almost

is eyes-shock, even astonishment. Then, just as fast,

e was low, threatening, and I could se

e." "I could not stay after what transpired betw

d you," Jackson sai

thought. I did not, however, back off. "I followed m

I wasn't sure I could provide him. And then he turned aside, ju

red, his voice icy and far away. "We

qual measure. This was not over-not by a margin.

e were on t

The truth has a way of disentangling everything,

ould never be the

he severity in his voice froze me to the bone, I