It hit him like a blade between the ribs.
Rowan staggered mid-step, breath tearing from his lungs as something snapped taut inside his chest—hot, violent, undeniable. His vision blurred, the world tilting sharply as Asher surged forward with a snarl that rattled his bones.
Holly.
The name wasn’t a thought. It was a command.
Rowan braced a hand against the stone wall of the packhouse corridor, fingers digging deep enough to crack it as his pulse thundered. Heat flooded his veins, instinct screaming so loudly it drowned out reason.
“She’s afraid,” Asher growled inside him, voice thick with rage. “She’s in pain.”
Rowan sucked in a harsh breath, forcing himself upright. Warriors passing nearby froze at the sight of him—eyes flaring gold, jaw clenched so tight it ached.
“Alpha?” one of t
