e darkened at

gan and reached for Isla's arm. "Whatever

wrist before he

on

raint for hesitation. He jerked free and shoved

d never

umbling backward into the coffee table. The wood cracked beneath hi

seconds, n

leeding mouth. He looked less injured than astonished, as if v

ned away

overing the tear in her blouse. His hands were careful near h

it cu

N

to the handprint on he

cross the roo

r's face drai

inda said quickly. "I was

arkably poor underst

who moved between Melinda and Isla

aid when Logan exami

or will meet

n't n

sn't a q

her. After an hour locked in a pantry while her family

of the sofa. "You break into my house, strike

ng before you

ge could have been arranged in a few hours, and sh

nged. "She is an adult. Your

to the Spen

oice eased without losing its authority. "She belon

lace, Hilda we

shoulders. She looked at the guards occupying every exit, then at Reid's Beta, w

harpened Hild

e-" sh

died on h

married a man the Spencers could never have approached on their own, and Hilda would

ned murmur she used whenever she wanted cruelty to sound helpful. "This morning she was sittin

d me abo

nswer unse

ng. Isla has always known how to m

st, and torn blouse. "Your family has gone to cons

e mer because he finally

witness you seem to think he is." Logan paused. "Alt

vanished fro

ke of edging toward the ha

an Spencer assured me th

the answer most co

nt between Alpha Reid and this famil

ors who approaches my wife again will

red his head.

a. "What did you co

iles." She tightened the coat around herself.

guards. "Show them

from his lip. "Nothi

My mother's belongin

s upstairs before

desk, while most of the clothes in the closet had once belonged to Hilda. Isla packed only what she h

al letters, and the pressed sprig of lavender Isla had saved fr

t the foot of

y beginning to swell. "If you walk out with him, do

s were here," Isla said. "I w

ll your

rd the kitchen and

s daughter." She adjusted the box in her a

she was certain. He simply placed a hand at

e looked once mor

er my m

wil

h Isla's bags, and the

t the Spencer house knowing she would ne

e black vehicles disappeare

uffing," H

ne a

head. The man in the certificate had always been an image in newspapers and business reports,

he marriage certific

that Isla Spencer was un

towel against his ja

ready inside the house. My vehicle was surrounded in th

our fault,"

d was promised an unmarked Omega t

shifted

ack. "I'm wit

t her bare neck. "You

to make me

ould have c

er daughter. "You can't tak

red to send the

as diff

y to

ian had always protected her. She was the daughter he praised before guests, the

lowered

aid. "That was Reid's

ed at him. "

ght's meeting. She can exp

ad

e, Reid may stil

d a hand aroun

ast of her composure. "Da

Don't make this harder

Melinda begged. "

night. Hilda helped create this

ed her toward

ian said, "Reid has n

e excuse her family had offered whenever Isla was locked away, denied food, or s

standing safely beside her father

e was the one