Chapter 86 - To Have Her No Matter What

Chapter 86 - To Have Her No Matter What

"Alive," he murmured, the word barely audible, as if testing its reality. A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes, too brief to catch. He did not dare let himself feel too much — he had been burned too many times before. But the word held weight, like a promise that he had been waiting for since the day she vanished.

Tanner could sense the conflict within him, the way Maxton's rigid exterior fought to contain the resurgence of feelings he had long tried to bury. "Yes," Tanner said. "It is not just hearsay this time, Maxton."

Maxton's jaw tightened, but he did not respond immediately. He did not want to hope — hope was dangerous, a treacherous thing that could shatter him if it proved false again. He had forced himself to become ruthless, and cold, the kind of leader his pack needed after