The few days we spent in that quiet mountain town healed something inside me. The air there was clean, the nights were calm, and for once my heart did not feel like it was under attack. Riley laughed freely. I slept without waking up from memories. It felt like we had stepped outside the reach of pack politics and old grudges.
But peace never lasts long in our world.
The moment we landed back in Jaford, Lewis slipped into his usual act. He lowered himself into the wheelchair, masking his strength, hiding the dominance that rolled off him naturally. Only those of us bound to him could feel the truth beneath the performance.
Riley was still glowing from the trip. She walked ahead of us, typing quickly on her phone to update Grant and her mother about our arrival. When she looked up, her expression froze.
Harlan.
