HINA'

clung to me like a second skin-the metallic taste

, the signposts blurring into a meaningless smear through my tear-blurred vision. On pack lands, 911 was useless against a rogue. My fingers, slick with panic, fumbled for my phone. The stark, lonely truth hit

, choked and died, leaving me a perfe

t was an explosion of violence. Glass rained down in jagged, glittering shards. A massive, furred arm swiped inwar

n. he a

amming into the rogue with enough force to send both beasts tumbling away from the car. The fight was brutal, prima

a glimpse of him shifting back to human form-a tall, powerfully built silh

. A nurse adjusting my IV noticed my fluttering eyelids. "Oh! Look who'

isoriented.

u had quite the knight in shining armor! Or, well, shining fur, I suppose.

cking my vitals. "Been making a name for himself this

ty when he carried you in. Cradled you like you were made of glass. I've never seen

s. A mysterious Alpha? "Did he.

the first one said. "He never does. Pays any bills u

. An older, stern-faced head nurse stood in the doorway, her presenc

lier chatter's warmth. It was a cool, professional acknowledgmen

mily? The one that had just watched me flee their gathering in disgrace? Or the one tha

holding the door open. And I k

*

AN'S

ospital called. Seraphina. Attacked. On the road back from the Lockwo

r desperate, wounded eyes had found mine across the room, something pri

. She had been my wife. But intervening

y with Celeste standing beside me, gracious

l. So I'd stayed rooted, letting Celeste play the peacemaker. Her

y focus was solely on Celeste, on the fragile new beginnin

et and Ethan arrived at the hospital shortly after I di

ir, Margaret broke down in quiet, shuddering sobs. Freshly widowed, she couldn't bear the thought of losi

n the phone dragged me back to th

gut. How is she? I didn't know. I'd heard she was found covered in blood, her car wreck

and, waiting in the hall for n

yet. They haven't

d, and Seraphi

the rolled-up sleeve of the shirt. Because she didn't have a w

n and deal with injury like a mundane task

was in the room-a doctor or nurse. "Thank you.

tirred at

fish in a cerulean sea. For ten long years, I had deliberately avoided looking into t

render again to that dangerous allure and betray my love for Celeste. But now, seein

zen over, and there was nothing-not even ang

aphi

forward. Seraphina turned, a slight frown creasing

at you," Margaret

ty air. "I think you have the wrong daughter. If you're looking for your precious-" h

pha tone heavy with disapproval.

g monotone. "You blocked my number. You erased me. Did you ever stop to wonder why a stra

r years, I recognized the turmoil churning beneath the surface. Ethan had never been close to Sera-not in the way he doted on Celest

old and still. No hysterics, no tears. Onl

ured our rare kindnesses like sunlight, who'd cont

sively over me. "Then again." a cold, mirthless smile touched her l

the casual way she spoke of her own death. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar steel in her pos

aniel when you say thin

might have imagined it. For a heartbeat, the o

she said, turning toward the

ed to my fingers circling her arm, her brow tightening. I released her but block

to practicality. "And you're injured. It's hardly the

ew ploy to take

tion was so absurd

to make such a fuss," she said, her voice dropping to a

ou talking about?

alance that was more devastating than any shout. "The divorce is signed. I

m clenching. "Se

a ferocity that was utterly alien, a promise of pure, undiluted violen

oment's hesitatio

silver bullet

r. Her distance shou

rawn between us make me want to

you alright?" Her fingers trembled against my sleev

r-the woman I'd loved for ye

ling her closer. "No one is

s dampening my shirt. Yet my traitorous gaze kept drif

ng agitation took

h