AN'S

trees, stirring leaves and whispering rain into the air. It hasn't started yet, but I could fe

y. The board meeting took longer than expected. The packs account had issues that needed sorting, and don't even get me start

long hot bath and somet

s still running around to get some things done. They bo

the building and it was

on a short leave due to her Mother's illness. But even so, Maya would have stepped in. She knew Evelyn was gone. She

the cuffs of my shirt, ready to

pened my bedroom d

in her school clothes-her shirt was rumpled, socks halfway off

the

hand was curled against her cheek, her face turned towa

rms, intending to take her to her

umbled with sl

" I whispere

leep away. "Is Au

it me harder t

lowly. "She's

"I waited for her. She said she'd help me with my sci

d through me

aid softly. "Come on, I will take you

t's okay, dad. I'm not five anymo

unding so grown it hurts my heart. L

'll wait until you're done and fix us s

or a long moment, staring at the door she closed behind her. The

phone and dial

t to vo

ied

e t

s picked up my calls. Always. Even in the middle

, someone

me

y long time friend, stepped in.

to go over the quarterly logistic

" I said, sharper than I intende

ked. "You

n before I heard what he

he private jet. Said she has urgent business to

he room was deaf

n't," I

surprised. "She usually

ac

business? Or who

Queens Fashion Academy. She had an email sent

at name sounds v

. "She left Nora alone. She di

was still here," A

hile due to a family em

fell s

n my bed, waiting for a woman who ne

anhattan? Without telling me?" I

esitant nod. "Y

this morning. At first, I thought she wa

, I said I didn't. She d

've had another report on the Ridgeclaw pack (southern region). One of the motion sensors p

up. "You think they

o calculated. One of the trackers swears the scent

e goes in or out of the pack without clearance. And have tech check th

understanding.

feeling in my gut. Rogues were one thing. Maya disappe

e thing,

re he could step

flight to Manhatta

linked.

Aiden.

hout questioning

window, watchin

rything. That finding my fated mate would fix what was broken inside me-give m

r, hearing the disappointment in h

osen her career over the

in years, Elora's face

to sleep. The way she never

hing for our daughter, inclu

m, wondering how every

ll was I going