Aubrey's POV
Jax's farewell smile made my skin crawl. Something about his easy demeanor, the casual way he bid everyone goodbye, felt wrong. I had defied him last night, rejected his advances, challenged his authority. In all the time I'd known him, Jax had never let such defiance go unpunished.
He's too calm, my wolf warned. He's planning something.
The mind-link from Beta Eli came barely an hour after Jax and Natalie's departure. The urgency in his tone sent ice through my veins as Knox and I hurried to the infirmary.
The scene that greeted us was devastating. Eli, Graham, Reed, Caroline, and Rose were already gathered, their faces grave. The sharp scent of fear and worry filled the sterile air. But it was the figure on the bed that made my heart stop.
Marcus lay unnaturally still,
