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Tore begins moving immediately, Clay joining in to help. I stand, carrying my mate into the bathroom. When I shut the door behind us, her eyes slowly open.

“Dair?” she asks. “What happened?”

I hold her closer to my chest as I explain, “Clay brought me to you, just like you asked. You did so good asking for me, baby. I found you unconscious, sick from an untended mate bite.”

Her hand slowly rises to caress the much-improved bite. It’s still not completely healed like it should be, but the redness and infection have subsided. “It does feel much better,” she says. Her gleaming green eyes rise to mine, so full of trust. “How did it heal so much? Did Doc give you something?”

“No, little one.” I lean down to kiss her forehead. “I tended it myself.”

Her pretty mouth parts, surprise shining in her eyes. “You healed me?”

“As much as I could for now. I’ll likely have to tend it more for it to totally heal, but I don’t think you’re in danger anymore. I’ve started the shower so that you can clean up, but I have to ask you some questions about what happened.”

“Okay,” she whispers.

I swallow, worried. “Did Ferris bond you consensually?”

“Yes,” she says, fervently. “Everything that happened between us was consensual. I’ll admit he was pretty lost to his instincts, but I enthusiastically wanted everything.” A single tear tracks down her cheek. “He promised me we were done pretending, that he really wanted me and was going to keep me.”

I always knew that there was something between them, but I need her to be specific so I can plan accordingly. “Done pretending what, baby?”

“That we aren’t scent-matches,” she says, so quiet I may not have heard her without my wolf’s hearing.

Shock spills through my veins in an icy rush. How could he have done this to her? I’ve gotten the impression that Ferris is very lost, but I didn’t think he was capable of being so deeply cruel. “Oh, baby,” I croon. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” she hiccups.

“No, but I’m sure it didn’t help that Ferris came home to the cabin saturated in the scent of your pleasure. Pleasure that I gave you.”

She gives a wet chuckle, and I relax a little. Petting her hair, I tell her, “I have a plan, but I need to know: do you want to be with Ferris?”

Raine bites her bottom lip, brows furrowed. “I’ve loved him for years, and I think some part of me will always want him, probably even more now that we have a bond. Although it doesn’t feel like I thought it would. It feels . . . frayed, but after this morning, after he left me vulnerable to run straight to River, again, I know it’s time to be done. No matter how much it hurts.”

My heart physically aches, but I’m so proud of her strength. Not only did she survive the Wilds as a child, but she has suffered all these years since finding out her brother’s packmate is her scent-match, and now she’s survived the single most devastating thing an omega can experience.

“If that’s what you want, I will make it so. Have you thought about my offer to come with us?”

“Yes, my answer was yes the moment you asked me,” she smiles sadly.

“I’m so happy,” I tell her, kissing her forehead again. I’m going to be everything this little omega needs, Ferris be damned.

[ 22 ]

FERRIS

Grand Prairie Compound

Days Since Last Attack: 1

Istand behind River. He’s telling the assembly about what’s happening with the alliance, but I hear nothing. I feel nothing. I push everything down, down, down. If I let myself feel, I’ll be back in Raine’s nest, surrounded by the scent of her slick, with my face buried in her perfect pussy. I’ll drown in the crushing wave of heartbreak bashing against my mental walls, and if I let it crumble my defenses, I’ll simply wash away.

I can never fail again, not after last night. One single night of freedom cost far too much. As soon as I leave this meeting, I’m going straight to Dair and begging on hands and knees for him to take Raine with him. I’ll do whatever it takes.

I force myself to listen. There’s a fight between Sutton and River. Sutton is claiming that we can’t trust the delegation, that there’s nothing concrete enough to tie our communities together to warrant allowing them access to the radio tower. River is pissed. I can smell the burnt tinge in his boozy scent getting stronger, becoming oppressive. I shiver, trying to breathe through it. Trying to convince myself he’s not mad at me because he doesn’t know what I’ve done.

Suddenly, I feel a little pulse in that thread tethered to my soul, and then I’m surrounded by warm spice and sweetness. I take my first full breath since leaving Raine this morning—she’s here, and now the world is in full color. A small ache starts in my chest when I realize that she no longer smells like me, the same way I no longer smell like her. We’ve both showered away the evidence. When I turn to see her approaching, tears threaten to spill from my eyes when I notice her hand twined with Dair’s.

He walks with so much confidence, like he has never once questioned himself, has never known what it feels like to cleave parts of yourself off in order to fit into someone else’s mold. Has he ever denied himself a single thing his instincts want? Raine looks like she belongs next to him. Her eyes are the green of the Earth; his eyes are the water that feeds her. Where does that leave me?