HINA'

ss wasn't

ying tension that was n

s the syrup and kept it on when Kieran asked me to pass the butte

carried for me never spilled over to our son. So even if h

st together, and doing it now, after we were divor

ran devour the pancakes and eggs I'd made with gusto sl

r school, rebuffing my offers for help. "I'm nine!" he called o

of my offer didn't mean I was stuck ste

g for Daniel's empty plate. Kieran mov

a questio

r injured arm," he said, taking my plat

ran move to the sink, wondering w

a meal I cooked. Who'd never spared a

urt notifications about when he'd be taking Danie

his indifference. To bei

od in my kitchen, scrubbing dishes like

nd to wooden table, and I sank back into my chair, watching Kieran's bac

ight. A version of

e. At four inches over six feet, he towered over almost everything and everyone, and his body

wife cooking, husband cleaning, maybe me slipping a

again, I averted my gaze, feeling my cheeks b

anymore-not that he'd ever r

nnounced, shouldering

nd stood up from

ke him t

s I turned to Kieran. "I'm perfectly capable of driving my son

you should be resting, n

ars, Kieran had barely acknowledged my existe

pped an arm around my waist, and I automatically res

led. "

an and forced ou

dded

But sleep wouldn't come. My mind kept averting to my eventful morning-un

harply, gaze landing on

lay on the side t

typed into the search b

information. My curiosity was piqued as I read through. Founded ten years ago, OTS had

ur, and testimonials from wolves who had b

nk in all the information-hope. A sen

on the card to my phone

I've considered it; I'd

*

Arena," Lucian said, waving his a

aking in the larg

e hadn't bothered with the administrative wing of the building.

he Core Pit, a sunken arena with natural stone walls for climbing and leapi

d meditation techniques to help them control their powers. There was an intricate outd

with moss, heated dens, and fire pits fo

ing Lucian Reed the most remarkable person I'd ever met for thinki

, open-air space reinforced with steel and obsidian. Lucian explained that the

t rose around the perimeter, allowing s

." I imagined a roaring crowd, cheering people

's mainly to track p

his all so...

e you've never been in an actua

ized me for not having a wolf. Of course, I was never part of pac

different?

ce it's located in neutral territory, many wolves from other packs train

hope rise higher. "So, there wou

oft, kind. "I would

, rolling

sement faded as I craned my neck back

ould you? You're an Alpha. Don't yo

ant? Yes. More important?"

ng the less important choice, so

he asked. "Ready fo

gue attack, but my injury had healed nicely. The stitches were out, and o

was never put in a vulnerable posi

exhaled. "

*

weak wolves and paid them home vi

trainer, was a

ng a hand out as my knees buc

bat boots thudding against the padde

oms, each divided by sliding one-way glass doors where one-on-one train

s voice was unrecognizable-hard, mer

bling as I doubled over and tr

ll sits, burpees, bear crawls, push-ups, planks, and the absolute fucking bane of my existence: controlled fall and recovery, w

e, and I half-panted, half-growled

ling down at me, the murde

" he said, his voice dripping with pride. "I

was a suspicious ringing in my ears, and it felt like my

uck," I

ad. "So you don'

I rolled, sprawling o

aked through and through, and every muscle in me s

inverted, as he braced his h

ion," he said. "Imagine how s

ng into his twin

naline flooded me. The idea of no

the

open, and I sat up like a spring, m

O

d to the spot that had made contact

I

glanced to the left, in the direction of

etween the two training rooms, was Kier

hell was