len

r still rattled in my skull as I sta

ll kneeling b

tallic, coated the

ed Hattie about my s

Alpha," the aging

he agonizing pain of my curse,

orsened my own p

le breeze rustled

y curl from Jaxon's

calculated mask she wo

genuine, and bre

a violent rhythm

ing at my chest, demanding I claim

Marcus murmured from the doorw

is safe w

like a direct indictment of

us mix of shame and the raw, unta

. "Is the report on the northern border Rogue activity complete,

ed as if phys

, bowing his head before s

hadows in my offic

oned H

what had transpired after

ing her hands, her scent sour with

" I com

st. "She dismissed the rest of us. She didn't force him to eat. She... she warmed h

She fed him a warm meat broth brewed with specific herbs. He

ed," I

I leaned back in my leather chai

ority, healed my son, and won his abs

o be a cold, political cage, had been tran

ng coiled in my gut, warring

let my gu

ould watch he

Foster, piece by piece, until I uncovere