  &quot;I should have found her a long time ago, before any of this. I should have looked harder, but I was young and stupid, and I believed my father when he said it was for the best.&quot; 
  Oh, for the love of God! I give up, eye-roll upwards at the Fates and mentally ask them if this is deliberate. I mean, when you decide to avoid a topic and they just keep pushing it between us like some sort of annoying sign, it grates a tiny bit.
  That heartbreak and rawness in his croaking tone, though, finally tell me how much his father s betrayal is screwing him up, and I focus all my energy on that and not the universe trying to make me smother him with his hoody. I instinctively wrap my arm around his; hoping contact will keep me from heinous beatings, and lean my head on his shoulder trying to blank them out. I really want to ease his pain as it flows through me and circles around my own 

  I flash a wary look at the doc in the corner, who turns a shade paler, his brow furrowing, etching his features into that of worry, and he casts an evasive look back at me. He darts a glance at Colton, then back again to me, suddenly sheepish.
  &quot;It can t be Deacon, right? It s too early!&quot; I point out while asking him to confirm, to calm the sudden whirlwind of nerves, hating the apprehension I can feel from him, but he swallows loudly. 
  &quot;I may have exaggerated our head start rather somewhat, a teensy little bit. I didn t want to alarm you and give you a reason to doubt coming with me, dear girl. If you knew they were hot on our heels, so to speak, you would have queried the plan. I had faith the Fates would intervene if we just got out. I had to keep the sedation low, so I didn t kill my human staff in the process, and sadly that meant the wolves recovered quickly.&qu

  &quot;Radar is our Papi. Every pack has a mature mentor. He s older than all of us, mid-thirties. He went to war as part of the Luna s guard. That scar on his face, he got by protecting her with his life, and it almost ended him. Goddamn silver and wolfsbane, I shudder to think. He s always been a slave to Sierra and never mated because his heart lies with her, devoted and loyal. It s kinda sad, to be that crushed on someone, even in their absence, you still pine them.&quot; Meadow is hushed, but the torn tone of real empathy drags through her voice, a hint of genuine pain for her pack mate.
  &quot;They had an affair?&quot; I gasp, my head spinning on that point alone, and I can t help but staring back at Radar in the people before us, seeing him in a whole new light. He s not exactly ugly or unattractive. That scar is obviously a major, but he has a nice face despite it, and a strong

&quot;I should have found her a long time ago, before any of this. I should have looked harder, but I was young and stupid, and I believed my father when he said it was for the best.&quot; 
  Oh, for the love of God! I give up, eye-roll upwards at the Fates and mentally ask them if this is deliberate. I mean, when you decide to avoid a topic and they just keep pushing it between us like some sort of annoying sign, it grates a tiny bit.
  That heartbreak and rawness in his croaking tone, though, finally tell me how much his father s betrayal is screwing him up, and I focus all my energy on that and not the universe trying to make me smother him with his hoody. I instinctively wrap my arm around his; hoping contact will keep me from heinous beatings, and lean my head on his shoulder trying to blank them out. I really want to ease his pain as it flows through me and circles around my own heart and stomach. He s still trying to shield me but, this close, he s failing to do it fully, and 

chapter 54