la

ned the place, his two goons right behind him,

ta voice I'd heard a million times for pack stuf

ot a request.

own the stairs, Kane right beside me. Everyone in the hall watched u

y, you're still part of Crescent Moon

n straight in the eye. "In front of everyone. He broke our mate's bond and

aybe guilt, maybe shame. But it was gone fas

t a piece of paper from his jacket. "Alpha Blackthorne sent a for

the worst moment of my life could be e

quietly, but with total authority. "You can'

Winters. This is a

ne moved a bit, standing between Harrison and me. He was being protective

oods," one of t

everyone u

, my voice shaking with anger.

ortable, but Harrison

left Crescent Moon with pack secrets: defenses, alliances, ho

feelings or anything. Nathaniel was afraid I'd

hed, but it sounded sad even to me. "About the shady deals, the way

oft, almost begging. "Don't do

ront of your whole pack? How about being thrown out of your home with nothing?

ness. But I was tired of having to be strong, tired of everyone else

d I actually heard real emotion in his voice. "H

hat word

e us." I hugged myself, trying not to touch my stomach, where our baby was

ou'd be Luna. You'd have a life that a

" I looked him in the eye, and he could see I meant it-the pain, the anger, the fa

u think Kane Winters is just being nice? He's been trying to

he's hones

etend this wasn't about pack politics and

ane blocked him right away. They stared

said softly. "You're in

verrule the Alpha's

rt? The part where your Alpha publicly dumped her and humiliated

s fists. "The retrac

Kane was calm, but he was serious. "And she doesn't want to go ba

her here if she

so some real concern. "Stay here, with Shadowmere, and help me build something better than the messed-up system yo

I barely knew, in a pack I didn't know, or go

the tiny bump that would soon give aw

sy with politics to care. They weren't going to think that love was about putting up with betraya

umping off a cliff. "Tell Nathaniel that

te. "Ella, please. You don

life, I'm making my own choice." I stood up straight, fin

won't acc

. "Along with explaining why he publicly rejected his mate a

ng frustrated and maybe a little impressed. Fina

to call

ide my territory. You have five minutes to l

d his goons to follow him. They left

loved you. This isn't about pol

ng. They should have made me think tw

me when it mattered," I said quietly.

was gone, taking his goons

ng at me, wondering what kind of woman would turn down her ma

said, and I heard rea

I said, my hands shakin

nd led me to a smaller room. "

maps of the territory. He closed t

asses of water. He gave me one, and I saw he didn't offer wine. Did he kn

be i

o this besides knowing Crescent Moon's business?"

almost mean. But I

ust the pack stuff, but his personal weaknesse

ik

d down and showed me who he really was. The guy who'd held

that people can use against him. That's why he dumped me

And if we want

question himself. Force him to choo

that? Work aga

t my baby, who deserved better than a dad

before us," I said. "Now he's just another Alpha

adowmere will give you safety, a place to live, and resources. Y

That's all

thing. When Nathaniel realizes you're really not coming back, he's coming

him c

ou, using that mate bond to make you feel everything yo

nd was broken, but not gone. And even after eve

o to protect myself," I s

d I felt like he coul

to Shadowmere, Ella Montgomer

hat it meant. A partnership. A ch

's words. *"He loves you

el's cold words. *"You

, who deserved a paren

s hand, seal

ou," I w

one hour to decide if you're really staying. Because when Nathanie

y hand and wen

Really choose. Not between him and me, but b

was alone wit

is chair, touch

whispered. "I promise. I'll

remembered K

es, you have

when I saw the man who'd hurt me