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Bewildered, I fall to my ass and curl around my Omega. My mind races, struggling to make sense of what the fuck just happened.

Up until now, I stupidly believed I was prepared for any eventuality. I’ve spent my whole life training, studying, theorizing—determined never to be taken unaware by a foe.

But… a shadow?

A fucking shadow?

I should have been prepared for this, too. After the same shadow appeared in the War Room, I should have been researching and coming up with a plan in case it returned.

Why wasn’t I?

The thought has my internal alarms going off, screaming at me.

I’m missing something.

This is the first time I’ve even thought about that night in the War Room. Somehow, the entire experience was pushed to the back of my mind. Like it never happened.

Thinking back, I try to remember any conversations I’ve had about that night. I remember Caelan insisting Daxen figure out what it is and how it got in, but after that….

Nothing.

Not a single one of the Bastards has so much as hinted at what happened. Neither has Kane.

By the Mother…

This isn’t good. What are the chances all of us would just forget an incident like that?

There’s something else happening. Something affecting us, affecting our memory.

I pull back, cupping Idril’s face in my hands, but when I see those blue eyes swimming with tears, I forget about everything except for her.

“What was that thing?” She breathes, and I wrap my arms around her as tight as I can.

“I don’t know,” I answer, shaking my head. I open my mouth to ask her⁠—

What?

There’s something… something important I was about to ask her.

Wasn’t there?

Whatever it was, I can’t remember. I’m sure it’ll come back to me eventually.

“We should probably find Caelan.”

I nod, and I have the suddenly overwhelming sense that whatever I was about to ask Idril is also something I need to talk to Caelan about. Something that happened… something important.

The feeling disappears as quickly as it came.

I shake my head, trying to dispel the sense of unease that lingers in its wake, and my gaze lands on the compound. The sprawling single story building that looms across the training yard.

The strange sense of urgency slides away.

My Beast whines. Urging me to keep my eyes open. To pay attention, in case⁠—

“Soren?”

Idril’s frowning, looking up at me in concern. “Why are you staring at the compound?”