"From yourself," she said. "From your own obsession. From the fact that you were willing to destroy yourself for someone who would never choose you."
Calder flinched at that but he did not look away. "That was my choice to make. You took that choice away from me."
"I did." She stood up and walked toward him. "And I am sorry. I am genuinely sorry. But I also know that if I had not intervened, you would have done something stupid. Something that would have gotten you killed or exiled from the pack or worse."
"Maybe," Calder said. "But it would have been my stupid decision to make."
He turned toward the door.
"Wait," Elara said. "Where are you going?"
"To help Kael and Selene," he said flatly.
Elara's eyes widened. "What? No. Calder, you cannot..."
"Why not?" He looked back at her. "B
