Three years after the divorce, the Alpha King reunited with his ex-wife. He stared at her, tears falling. “Where are our twins, Isla?”
On our wedding anniversary, my Alpha mate chose his first love and their illegitimate child over me. Again. Tired of being invisible in my own marriage, I signed the divorce papers and left. He would never know about the twins growing inside me. I lit the last candle and watched the flame catch like a secret. Everything was in place; the only thing missing was my husband. A bottle of red wine breathed on the counter the way I used to breathe when Kade kissed down my throat and told me I was safe—told me he loved me. It’s ridiculous, craving that on an anniversary. But I did. I wanted him back. Not the Alpha who sat on a throne made of meetings and territory maps and other people’s fear. Not the man who spoke in clipped sentences and looked through me like I was another problem to solve. I wanted my husband. I went to the bedroom, put on a black lace over skin-painted silk, and fastened a soft leather collar at my throat. He used to hook his thumb under my chin and say, "Mine," in a way that made my knees weak. I added cuffs, a garter, the blindfold laid out like a promise, and a small velvet bag that had made me blush in the store and feel brave at home. Pathetic how love could turn a wolf-girl into a hopeful little fool. I checked the time again. 9:03 p.m. Kade had promised he’d be home by eight. I told myself not to overthink it. Alphas were busy. Kings were worse. Crimson Pack ran like a city with teeth, and people called him Alpha King like it was carved into his bones, like he didn’t bleed the way the rest of us did. But he did bleed. I’d seen it. I’d stitched him once, two years into our marriage, when the Wandering Wolves tested Crimson’s borders and he came home at dawn with blood dried like rust along his ribs. I’d been shaking, furious and terrified, and he’d let me yell while I cleaned the wound, but then when he cupped my face, smoothed my hair away from my eyes, and whispered, You’re allowed to be afraid. You’re allowed to be angry. I’m still here. Sti
