Six weeks earlier -"I'm sorry," said Beth. "It's been confirmed. There were no survivors.""You mean - you mean there were no survivors besides - besides -""No. I mean...Brian and Carlo are also...""No, no, you're wrong. You're wrong!" The two women were on the couch across from her, but the one shouting stood up, eyes wide. "I would know if he's been killed. He's alive, I know it! Why are you doing this!""Amelia, please. Listen to me.""No! No, you listen to me! You don't know anything. You weren't even married to Warren for a single day before he left. You don't care! You don't care! I'll go. I'll go and see for myself!" Amelia fell to her knees, and she scrabbled for the coffee table before collapsing to the floor. Beth leaped to her feet and rushed over to catch her, as did the other woman on the couch. "Janine...Janine, let's go together," Amelia begged, half-choking. "My Carlo and your Brian, we'll find them for sure. We'll bring them back home. We -"She broke off and fell
"I don't think that's the kind of person you are," said Beth. "Take some time to think about it. I'll be here if you need me."Amelia didn't understand. Why was she always the weak one? Why was there never anyone else to be weak with her, to fold just like she always did when things became difficult? Janine was too strong to ever run away, so Amelia had known better than to ask for her and confide in her what she planned to do, but Elizabeth was young and new to the Heether family. She had only just married Warren days before and hadn't even gotten to consummate their mating, and besides that, she was only eighteen years old and had rebelled so viciously against the arranged marriage. She would leave for sure, and Amelia wouldn't have to deal with her shame alone so long as someone else also bore the weight of it.But the look in Elizabeth's eyes when she had turned to face her had dashed away all those hopes. It was only Amelia who was weak, and even Elizabeth the young widow of onl
The horrific bruise around Janine's throat had almost disappeared hours later, her werewolf healing making the injury disappear as if it had never been there. Beth hadn't left her side since the last words she had uttered in that broken, rasping voice, and now the woman was sitting up in bed, hands clasped over the sheets. There were things she wanted to say. Of that, Beth had no doubt. She just had to wait for her to speak."Brian and I were arranged to be married too, like you and Warren," said Janine. Her voice was clear again, but there was still a crumbling weakness underneath each word that almost made her sound as if she were choking on a noose even now. "And I was like you in the beginning," she continued. "I'd heard so many things about the Heether pack. Brutish. Savage. Terrible men who clawed their way to the top by fighting and killing everyone who got in their way. My family was at odds with them since it's full of envious, vindictive people...people I thought were good a
Elizabeth,I know everything I need to know and am writing you now to tell you that the best place for you to be is back here. Your father and I have already made arrangements to increase protection around our territory in case the rogue wolves decide to attack us next, since there's no doubt in my mind that you're a target. You're the widow of Warren Heether, and that means you're a trophy still uncollected for them. I won't have it. Your father and I are waiting for you already by the time you receive this letter, and the only reason we haven't come to collect you ourselves is because secrecy is paramount. If we leave the pack house, word will spread and all eyes will be on us and you.So when you leave the Heether territory, you absolutely must not draw attention to yourself. Come with protection, but not so many escorts that the rogue wolves will spot you in an instant on the road. Come disguised, and come right away. I will tell you the rest when you're here, but no matter what,
Beth didn't recognize this voice, but there was only one man it could belong to. The final guest she had been waiting for had arrived at last."You must be Mr. Ad-""Just Adrian, please." The elderly man extended a graceful hand, and she shook it with a smile. "I didn't expect to discover that the Elizabeth Heether who wrote me that masterfully composed letter could be such a young lady. I saw you earlier but wandered until I found someone who assured me you are the lady indeed. I apologize for my tardiness."He was warm, polite, sophisticated. In hindsight, she must have heard something about him before, a scandal that had erupted in the very house of the ruling Silver Nation pack, but all she could remember was a vague mention of a wolf who had gone rogue from the Heether den decades ago. Maybe that was it, and the truth that he had even gone so far as to go to the side of the Gold Nation's ruling pack for years had been omitted from the gossip. Either way, she had taken a risk by
Beth had known he would be here. Inviting Matthew Catii had been a necessity because of pack politics, and that was the only reason she had even spared him a single thought, nothing more. With his father nearly useless and having long since shunted most of his Alpha duties to his eldest son, of course Matt was going to come along with him. And to not invite Bronze Nation's ruling pack at all would have been a terrible insult, enough to fracture relations for generations to come. And now was the worst time of all for the Heether pack to accidentally burn bridges.Still. Fucking Matt. It took everything she had to not turn and slam her fist into his face. How she not only managed that but also to fake a pleasant face as she greeted him back, she would never know. "Hello, Matthew. I hope you and Annalise are doing well. The wedding is coming up so I'm sure you're busy. My friend here and I need to step inside briefly, but we can speak later -"Matt's hand closed around her wrist, and her
"Luna, I know this is a bad time..."The woman motioned for him to enter her bedroom with a faint smile. She looked even more exhausted than the last time he had seen her, and although that made him feel even guiltier about disturbing her rest, he had no choice. After what he had just seen, it was paramount that the Luna know exactly what her household was up to, especially the young woman she had put in charge in her stead until her health recovered.This was for the good of the pack. He had to let her know.But when he entered the bedroom and closed the door, he turned to discover someone already there at Margaretta's bedside. Wait - he knew who he was! An elderly member of the Heether pack had pointed the man out and grumbled about how it was improper of him to come, regardless of whether he'd been invited. Adrian, the one who had abandoned the pack more than twenty years ago to go to Gold Nation instead. And he was supposed to be family!So what was he doing here in the Luna's com
Beth had to move quickly. There was no time to waste after the ceremony was over; the very same night, she left the pack house. She shouldn't have done that by all rights, especially since Margaretta had been firm that they needed to discuss things a little longer and wait for Alpha Mal to return before acting upon Adrian's advice - or doing anything all that that might be too hasty and end up dooming Daniel and the survivors of the Heether pack. But Beth had known. She couldn't wait. This had to happen now.By morning, she was long gone and traveling alone on the road, fully disguised in heavy winter wear. It would be smarter to travel in wolf form since she could travel for leagues and leagues without stopping, and with the knowledge of hunting and survival gained from her first life, she would definitely make it to her destination. But she held it until she was sure she would go unnoticed and only shifted once she was fully on the road and out of sight. The peculiar markings of her