EN

side Seattle, deep in the Cascade foothills where t

een here in

shade, my only living family told me that

been

car immediately. Their eyes w

er one, Jackson, looks

I say softly. "I

. Should I

nt to sur

artner. Pack protocol says they shou

family. I'm the

es swin

years ago, the training grounds where Damien taught me to fight, the pack house where we host gatherings,

moment, hands grippin

ight before my mating ceremony. He'd grabbed my shoulders

a. He doesn't love y

at. You're just be

ed together for five years. I kno

did you in

ht he was my fri

angry and hurt that he cou

rrow, Damien. With or

e doing it

etween Nightshade and the Ashfords. Made it clear that if I

down that a

tell him he was

car just as the

ills the

ould tear down mountains with his bare hands. His dark h

le

prayer and a curse and

Dam

each other. Three years of silence

n hardens, and I s

e hurt

the point. T

I com

. I walk into the house that

me photographs on the mantel. Except one is missing, the picture of Damien and m

emov

asks, his voice c

ing str

He pours two glasses of whiskey neat, the

amien says finally. "Not a single word. And

block

chose

eno

down, but it's a good burn. Clean and ho

ord died five d

n't change. "I heard. He

eral was

're here? You ne

d out something about Domini

is knees, and I see the shift in his

I

w York. About Dominic's confession that he's been i

tricked Dominic into signing, hidden i

him eve

mien has drained his whi

at, factual. "I'm going to challenge him

you'r

session with his brother's mate. That's." He stops, jaw clenching. "That's grou

everything. I

st let you go? Once he

ce. The court date is

for a long moment.

had

Elena, dissolving a bond, even one that was never comp

een grieving f