A

d. The girl who used to braid my hair during sleepovers and defend me from pack bu

She'll ask why I'm ba

h, I push open the

lls and a view of the forest through floor-to-ceiling window

Lopez, but there's a sophistication to her now that wasn't there at eighteen. Her black blaz

ls from her lips li

smile. "

e warmth there, but also hurt. Curiosity

ears," s

en y

tween us. Then she moves around her desk, and suddenly we're hugging. It

ays when we pull apart. "St

hands clasped tightly in my lap. "My mom is s

ck into her chair, her expression soft

nk y

Do you know what it felt like when you just vanished? One day we're planning your eighteenth

at my hands, searching for words that won't d

his place, the pack politics, the way p

ame, by humiliation, by the knowledge that I'd been

long moment. "You cou

w. I'm

till angry you vanished. But you're here now. And I won't le

e so suddenly my eyes w

me-marketing degree, three years of experience. You're overqualified

g myself. "Brutall

opez fami

stomach clench, but I keep my exp

s, extending her hand. "Welcome to

We used to be Kaia and Talia, best friends who shared everyt

athering my purse. "Tha

yet. You haven't

ze. "M

e girl I used to know. "Did I forget to menti

rns to ice.

nce

"That's fine. I'm sure we

thing I'm trying to hide. But before she can ask questions

onday," I say o

fice workers stands near the elevator, their conversation dying as I pass. I catch

ome exotic animal that wandered into the wrong habitat. Her gaze travels from my

s he brushes past me toward the conference room. His lip cur

of seeing me flinch. I survived in the human world, built a life for myse

ed. Omegas would alwa

difference between watching her die and giving her a fighting chance. Even

rse when I left. I can stee

as I near the lobby. My wolf perks up instantly, every nerve in my bo

cl

o the exit wh

red, broader through the shoulders. Time has carved him into something magnificent and dangerous, all sharp angles and controlled power. His da

e's still so beautiful

nary in my memory. Instead, seeing him now feels like staring direct

r to confirm what I hoped-that he was my mate. But the confirmation never came. Even now, the pull toward him feels exactly like the mate

r eyes meet across

orld

walks away. Vincent doesn't even acknowledge his departure. His dark eyes

here's no hesitation, no pause to consider whether he should approach. He cuts through the space

f. I force myself to stand my ground, lifting my chin as he gets closer. Closer. Until he stops just near enough

, soft and reverent and completely at odds with t

proud that my vo

s there, pressing against his teeth, demanding answ

're

h years of silence. I straighten my shoulders, call

fessional between us-you know, not l

ike we're discussing quarterly reports inste

brows draw together, confusion and something th

used now. "What are you talking

I'll be working her

s face. "You'll be worki

e steady, professional. "I hope we can k

he just stares at me, processing. Then something shifts i

it's been years. Seven years of nothing, and you

it is. Don't let our

trol finally snapping. "You think you can just waltz back into my life, ac

k you can be professional enough to separat

the barely leashed anger in every line of his body. "We ha

happen between us after what he did. After what I know about him, about the kin

nk so," I say, my voice ho

rner me with more questions I'll never answer. If he wants t