It was deep autumn when I returned to Crescent Pack.
Gold leaves covered the paths. The air smelled of pine and wet earth.
It looked almost exactly as I remembered.
But I knew something was different.
"Elena!"
Marcus came to meet me himself.
"Thank the Goddess you're here. Alpha Ethan has been waiting."
I followed him to Ethan's private quarters.
I pushed the door open.
He was sitting by the window.
In one year, he'd gotten thinner. The angles of his face were sharper. And something tired lived behind his eyes now.
"Elena."
He stood when he saw me.
"You came."
"I got Marcus's letter."
I sat across from him.
A long silence.
"You know about Victoria," he said finally.
"I do."
"I'm sorry." His voice was very low. "I chose her. And she betrayed me, and nearly got you killed
