LIAS

try to take mine, might try to offer some gesture of comfort. But th

ducing herself as Beth, one of the palace staff. She gave me c

the guest wing," Zeke instructed. "Ma

th gestured for

e but paused at

already started reviewing. Alway

"For helping. I know

"Nothing is more important "It's

ther in or walk away. The silence stretched between us, heavy

results will be ready

kno

dded. "About Golden being m

hould have learned my lesson about trusting this

ent furniture. Small changes that spoke of time passing, of life continuing without me. Pack members we passed did

re.Nothing like the grand Luna's chambers with their heavy drapes

eth asked. "Food? Fresh clothes? The Alpha

by the door where someone must have brought it. Everythin

t, closing the door

one. I'd walked back into the palace where I'd been betrayed, where I'd suffered, where I'd lost everything. I'd pu

d called Fatima. She ans

e you?" she as

rs to Seacreek right now.

ard the relief in her voi

ng me in the guest quarters. He wa

our si

ive now. She's no

. "Watch your back, Cecelia

ion hitting me suddenly. "But I can handle her.

're stronger now. Just do

er go. She needed to care for her own children,

den's shirts had somehow made it into my things. I held it to my face, brea

," I whispered to the

going to br

ghts. I opened it to find a middle aged

s Ma

he Alpha asked me to ex

test. Proof that Go

I said, ste

quipment efficiently.

y pregnancy and Golden's birth. Her m

she said as she labeled the blood

ave no

healer who examined you after your mating ceremo

o a man I barely knew, surrounded by people who whispered about th

anged since t

lies. "The results will take a few hours to pro

nk y

th, I hope you find your son quickly. No c

e heaven against my skin but I couldn't fully relax. Somewhere out there, Golden

d the door expecting Beth or maybe another palace staff

acreek," he said without preamble. "I

at did t

knew. Golden's scent trail leads from the preschool to the

t blockin

k. "So we ha

parked near the preschool that afternoon. She didn't think anything of it at the time because paren

ind of

sedan, smaller than a full SUV." He ran his hand through his hair in frustrat

ther in or walk away. The silence stretched between us, heavy

results will be ready

kno

being mine. I just need-""Documentation," I fin

leave. "Are you settling in a

m f

cel

d by raised voices. Layla's voice, shrill and a

aid. "I need to deal

arlier. About protecting you. If Layla tries anything, if anyone

erst

y toward where Layla's voice had come from. I close

didn't feel anything when he was close. The mate bond we'd rejected three years

n cold

he palace grounds. Somewhere beyond these w

d feelings, not the complicated mess of Zeke

Just bringing

an envelope under my door while I'd been at

, sitting in what looked like a concre

ing today's newspa

letters: STOP LOOKING OR THE N

enly Beth was at my door, knocking ur

photo clutched in my

minutes, Layla forgotten. He took one look at

is arrive?"

eone slid it u

s eyes met mine. "Someone in this palace took this photo and brought

n't just looking for outside kidnappers.

exactly wher