Jace – POV
This had, by far, been the longest week of my life. I was failing—as an Alpha, a mate, and a brother. The Council of Elders had summoned me for a meeting in two days. The pack was unraveling under my leadership, and I didn’t know how to fix it. Since the ritual with the High Priestess Elaria, nothing had felt stable. I had carried Olive to our suite afterward—her body limp, her power humming just beneath the surface.
She hadn’t slept in our suite for days. Seeing her on our bed, wrapped in the soft white sheets, her inky black hair fanned out around her delicate face, nearly brought me to my knees. She was breathtaking. Peaceful. And I was a man starved for both.
My mind raced with guilt. Why hadn’t I marked her yet? Tonight, I would try—if she let me. But first, we needed to
