59| New Alpha.

There's something stilling about time as Oliver and I watch Harry as his wolf sheds its fur and he starts to turn human again.

There's no breaking of bones in the procedure of him changing back to human again. It's the strangest thing I've ever seen. Like his wolf is being caged outside of his body.

Once it's done, on the ground lies a naked and helpless Harry, who seems to be unconscious as his back bleeds from the spot where I shot him.

A pang of guilt strikes my heart, and one part of me gets all sympathetic. The other side of me stands strong and convinces the sympathetic side of me that it has to be done.

Yes, it had to be done. There was no other way. J tried, but he didn't listen. I did a good thing.

As I encourage myself in my mind, Oliver drapes his arm around me and pulls me closer to his chest to snuggle in with him. I don't fight it.

I let myself go into his embrace. But not fully; I'm still holding the cold metal weapon in my hands that's weighing me down.

Oliver doesn't