y's

e got home, I foun

eiling, replaying it over and over-when Ophelia h

sure was thick

had almos

gerously close. If he had lo

re together, curling up small against my side like she was reclaiming the space I had been absent from. I looked at h

self brea

she was safe. Not

nly came from somewhere deep and quiet inside me

up s

li

he replied. M

m while my wolf who had been silent for five years, who had poured everything she had into keeping us bot

nd. But Atlas caught her scent, Ivy. The blood bond is weak, and Ophelia's wolf is still dormant, but s

aughter's sleepi

ng do I

"But I know this-when that day comes,

back of my hand. "You've

I had to make a choice, five years ago. There wasn't enough streng

ned to function around it. I had gott

And as I recover, your bloodline recovers with me. Your mother's Alpha blood, Ivy. It was damaged

that for a

nto a title through a forced marriage. Even I had started to believe it, in the yea

en if he comes for Ophelia - you will be able to protect her yourself. You

ghter and released

mething I had stopped letting myself feel, be

helia and pulled the blan

there early on my first morning, found my office, and spent thirty

ady found three data inconsistencies that

s, and took notes. Dr. Evans, one of the seniors here, watched me from across the table with the expr

ike it was a lesser thing, I told him about the triage system I had built at Starfalls General and the two patents currently generating li

ment. "We reviewed th

oject for a long time. Fresh eyes help." I kept my voice pleasant. "I

hat would

ing me openly after that, and two of the junior researchers stayed after

ery store, basket over my arm, and

e section. It was a call from Dr. Marsh. I answered, su

"I'm calling because someone had been making inquiries about you. I just thou

or a moment in the vegeta

how he operated, what he valued, and what he considered worth his time. Tracking down a wife he had told to draft her own divorce papers

administration finalizing pape

ded and moved toward t

id open ahead of me an

oked

the sky outside, tall, still and completely unexpe

he looked up, as if

e. I looked at him.