been waiting for

ge again, her thumb ho

r. The faint hum of the air conditioner, the footsteps in the cor

ther w

t Vanessa had been tol

in. The black dresses. Her father's trembli

numb to cry, wondering how the world cou

as telling her that

rs tightened ar

Sel

up from the discha

heard of the

ne p

f, but Vane

e you a

sent me a

d out t

the color slowly d

ould speak to your famil

umorless laugh. "The family I

en you and them, this me

ook the p

th. Her father had insisted that the family needed privacy, a

g, and desperate to build a

e met L

an escape from ever

in a hospital bed, mourning her unborn child, while a

ce the numbe

to help, but I can'

sa no

ll do it

floor, wincing as weaknes

ately reached

anywhere alone i

ing back to

one take you s

d at the mess

been waiting for

osing her baby, she felt s

e

a small, stubbor

morning briefing when Vanessa's

stening to his security chief explain the financ

"I want to know who authorized those investm

pha. Several file

wh

ate's legal re

expression

contac

stepped forwar

. Mrs. Castellano has been d

ed at th

nd

return to

o look

e is

on't

n, you don't kno

stant sw

ital. She left wit

e dri

't disclose

der from her hands and t

nd

out sharper t

y chief nod

hone, scrolled to Vanes

l the call d

ied a

call went strai

w tigh

en they argued, she always answered eventuall

wn accusto

too ac

out knocking, carryin

's wr

has dis

one cup in

appe

ospital without

nt to stay wi

't have fr

out before he c

aze lingered

lly realized that she ne

zo fr

oes tha

enzo. She might need

ared

nk she b

ook a sip

dn't

ion irrit

, watching the pack members

when he had left the hospital. She

ly watched h

red him more than h

one vi

his security

lano to the Crowe estate. The name on th

read i

" he mu

e cup stopped ha

did yo

the screen

her expression

ed the cup do

s impo

narrowed

hy

forced

iness world for years. Whatever connection V

udied

ething about

N

r came to

d question her furt

pital's admini

said, "there's an issue concern

lders st

t is

ency report this morning. The request was made

aze shifted

ne complet

the outskirts of the city, away

her lap. Her body still ached, and every bump in th

he house where she had spent

t

we going?

at her through th

rown Esta

s heart

sent

rowe's

ped the edge

s Mrs.

er didn'

a narrow road bord

, their black metalwork decorated wit

seen that sy

her mother

etters her fathe

ph she had found years ago

ates

and carefully maintained gardens. It was larger than any home Van

ped before t

blue dress hurri

ilver threaded through her hair. The moment

y good

tepped ou

y. Do I k

eyes fille

little when I

s breath

are

ould answer, the f

ilver hair was neatly combed, and his dark eyes moved over Van

t the foot o

seconds, he

bowed

home, Mis

stared

ink you've mistaken

am. We h

toward the o

er is wait

throat t

e is

expression

e east

p toward the hou

e, why did everyone t

d toward the

ne wanted you

pt down Van

ho

woman's voice drifted from

nes

truck her l

iliar. Im

owly raise

er. Her dark hair was streaked with silver, and her face was

es were un

watched over her when

cried over at a fune

s lips t

am

end the stairs, tears s

ba

couldn

ve years believing

years trying to mak

the only child she would e

buried was standing i

k a shaky s

gaze dropping to Vanessa's

ression

appened

mouth, but the wo

aining steps and caught

liar scent of hospital antisept

ack, search

anded. "Where is the Alpha wh

ssa

't there

face we

there fo

a hand over he

aby is

as though the floor had di

around her shifted with the unmist

me his

at her mother t

o Caste

t utterl

behind them lo

name that made Vane

eon