VANESSA'S POV
The peace of the past few weeks had been a deep, healing balm. But standing on the porch watching the sunset, a sudden, sharp wrongness pierced the calm.
It wasn't a sound. It was the bond. Our bond.
A single, taut thread of connection, stretching far toward Crimson Sands, twanged.
A feeling of violation-oily, cold, and arrogant-licked against my senses. A probe. A testing needle sent to poke the edges of our strength. It was gone in a heartbeat, but the stain of it lingered.
I gasped, my hand flying to my chest.
Adrien was at my side instantly. "Nessa? What's wrong?"
Before I could answer, Sage Nolan's urgent voice called from inside. "Alpha! Luna! Come quickly!"
We found him in the study, staring at the cleansed moonstone dagger. The hairline c***k in its hilt, whic
