al timber and stone. He'd chosen the location deliberately-close enough to respond to pack e

es lined with books about forestry, wildlife management, and pack history. A leather couch face

oor with heavy thuds. The pack meeting replayed in his mind-Marcus's expectant eyes, Sera

pressed against his ches

isting off the cap with more force than necessary. The cold liquid did not

and somewhere in the distance, a real wolf howled-one of the few remaining wild packs in the region.

provide temporary escape from the pack's expectations. But as he la

out warning, pulling him back to a night

the peaceful evenin

formations, bolted upright in his bed. The sound came f

ough the forest toward Silverbrook. His enhanced hearing picked up more sounds: sho

ved. Windows were shattered, the front door hung askew on

desperate and broken.

ed in the living room, her blonde hair matted with blood, her blue eyes star

o stem the bleeding from her throat. Three parallel gashes to

ded when he saw Kai. "P

ding from her eyes. He knelt beside the couple, his hear

ry," he

sion warring in his features. "What kind

ed, watched as they confirmed what he already knew. Sarah Martinez

tack, but Kai knew the truth. He'd recognized the scent at the scene-one of his own p

He'd wandered into town, partially shifted, and encountered Sarah walking h

relatives in another state. The Martinez family received an anonymous donation t

lcoholism. Watched him blame himself for not being there to protect

ol. All because the line between human and

shirt despite the cool mountain air flowing through his open window. The nigh

way the images. But they clung to him like shadows, a constant

17 AM. He knew from experience that

o wait for dawn. The fire had died to embers, casting dancing shadows on the walls. In

ringing cubs into the world filled him with terror. Every werewolf was a potential killer, a monste

ildren? How could he ask someone to l

rength to resist the call of legacy, to put human safety above pack tradition. It too

ns that stretched back centuries. But they hadn't held a dying woman in their a

ael Martinez's eyes when he begge

in six weeks, but it wouldn't be the one they expected. He wouldn't choose a mate from their approved list. He wou

ge his right to lead. But some things were more important th

fighting for, even if i

, the forest was beginning to wake. Birds called to each other from the trees, and somewher

ying to keep the peace between them. Another day of carrying the weig

t path, a way to honor both his human conscience and his werewolf nature. A way

in the quiet peace of dawn, Kai allowed himself to believe t

hold re