~ CASIMIR ~The scent of fear hung in the air like perfume, wrinkling my nose, because I knew it coated the walls after all those wolves descended into panic together.It was a measure of Rory’s steadiness that he’d returned so quickly—and that he met my eyes steadily, even if there was tension in him.He approached carefully, his steps deliberate, eyes on me, but his senses pricked. If he’d been in his wolf, his ears would be flicking to every corner of the room as he instinctively gauged the level of danger in this room.I sighed. “I will not compel you,” I growled. “That is, not unless you have distasteful things to say about my mate as well?” I arched one brow, half-trying to ease the tension, half-warning him of the bou

~ JESSE ~When I got to the closet I was fighting tears, my eyes welling and blurring as I searched through the drawers for sweats, a bralette, and a tank top, because I felt warm, but I really needed to be comfortable.When I finally got the whole dress off and hung up, then stepped back to look at it, I had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying, because in my mind I heard Cazz growling in my ear about how he was going to mess me properly tonight when the Selection was done.That’s the night I wanted. That was what I’d been aiming for. I’d tried to help Reeca, to show the wolves that I was a Queen who was decisive and different, but compassionate and instead… instead I’d put my husband in danger and created an uproar.It overwhelmed me then. I backed away from the carefully hung dress until my back hit the wall, then I slid down it, trying desperately to cry silently, but so sad, and so frustrated a

~ CASIMIR ~“Speak to me like an adult, or don’t speak to me at all, Cazz,” she snarled and it was such an unexpected reaction from her I drew up short, gaping at her. She was standing behind the couch in nothing but sweats and a tank top, but then she was in motion, marching around the furniture towards me, her eyes narrowed and hands clenched, and ranting at me.“I misjudged that, and I know it, and I told you I was sorry—and I am. Rake explained how that felt for you and them and… and I would do anything to go back and handle this differently. But don’t you dare come growling in here like you took some kind of interest and I hid it from you. You threw me at Rake, you threw me at Maya, and you didn’t think I was capable of… anything! This was supposed to be me showing you—and them—that I’m more than just a fucking womb. And I guess I did at least achieve that, so

~ JESSE ~I woke up the next morning on the couch with a crick in my neck and a heart hammering in my chest.It took a second to remember what had happened, and why I felt like a pit was opening in my stomach. But when I did…I sat up, pushing my hair back and looking around. The chamber was empty and even though there was no sunlight here, somehow I could tell that I had overslept.Or rather, that I had slept late.I’d sat on that couch for at least an hour after Cazz walked out, just in case he changed his mind and came back. But I refused to ask him to. And even though he didn’t shut off the bond—which kept me sane—he also didn’t use it.

~ JESSE ~When I left Maya, Sven was waiting to walk me back, which was sweet since I hadn’t even thought about asking him to.I was deep in thought, so we walked in silence for a minute, while I got frustrated because I was too far away to link with Cazz—not that I was sure what I’d say, since he hadn’t spoken this morning—and I couldn’t reach any of the others either.Then it hit me… I had been so consumed with Cazz I hadn’t even checked in on Reeca!Shit.“Sven… are you able to link with the packmind and see where Reeca is right now and if she’s free to speak with me when I get back?”“Sure.