Chapter 21

I stand at the edge of the clearing, the cabin shrinking behind me as the weight of everything that has happened settles on my shoulders. The fresh scent of pine mingles with the cool morning air, but I can barely appreciate the beauty of the forest. My thoughts are too tangled, my emotions too raw.

Luke is inside, probably still unpacking the supplies Callum brought. I should be in there with him, offering my help, my support, but I needed a moment to breathe. A moment to think.

Or, more accurately, to feel the full brunt of my guilt.

I press my hand against my chest, trying to ease the tightness that’s building there, but it’s no use. It’s like trying to stop a tidal wave with a bucket. The realization of what I’ve done—what I asked Luke to do all those years ago—crashes over me, relentless and unforgiving.

I remember the day I asked him to keep our bond a secret. It had felt so necessary back then, so critical to keeping peace between the pack and my family. I was so scared of what