's

ion, a haven with its lofty stone walls and dark wooden flooring. But being here tod

not his stare that most troubled me. It weighed what I had to tell him. The secrets I had

to be with him. I

s deep in concentration on her puzzle, her little forehead wrinkled, as Caleb piled blocks and hummed to himself.

et what he was thinking. He had not inquired about the twins yet, about the reason I had kept them a

made me de

ore from you, Ava." "I have to know everything if we

y would he not trust me? I had left silently, keeping his kids away from him for five years. But n

holding back, Jackson? okay. You should know, though, that I wanted to

m. He had never liked me, and it was obvious that had not changed. Though

wd to hear, Riley mumbled under his breath,

I kept quiet about it. "I followed

ce sharp: "And now look

rm was done. The weight of condemnation from all arou

'm not here to justify my choices to you." "But you should b

nd I could see the flutter

. Here it was. The one that might break everythi

They are not act

Jackson's teeth clenched and his ga

t before we ran. Jackson, they are not merely renegade wolves. Someone is guiding the

d from his seat, his face a mask of incredulity. "Th

t I couldn't make out. From the shadows, whatever it is, I know is dragging the threads.

emed insensible. He was computing, organizing, attempting to fit everything together. But I k

ou dead, Jackson. They won't stop eit

ed for a second that he could snap, that the resentment boiling just below the

ng alternately between Riley and me. They will

arded his pack very aggressively, but this was personal. His ey

without knowing how to stop. Now, though, as I stood here in the spot I used to call ho

hey seemed waiting for me to crack, to own that I had somehow brought t

ghten security." " Nobody leaves or enters the region withou

here. And I would like home guards placed there.

on's face stopped me. Here there was no pl

Unknown of the storm building around them, the twins were still playing. The

ect this." Startled by the openness in his voice, I turned to face

ed hard. "I had no intention o

st time since I had returned, I saw something else in his eyes

ied, "I thought leaving was the rig

sharp but not devoid of some anguish.

was right. I should have had. For

ckson's beta, came into the room looking glum. He remar

ackson asked wit

came upon a body close to the eastern bound

ough his hair, swearing ben

d, then turned to look at me. "The physical... It turned out to be a m

ng for us where they were. And this ti

, his presence overpowering. His voice quiet but deadly serious, he continued, "We'll protect the

odded. I had already lost a great d

that this was only starting. The danger was nearer than it had ever

time I was n

y to battle

ckhouse wanted them dead since the traitor in the pack was no more hiding in