"What are you trying to prove? Zara's voice sliced the air like a blade. "Ever since you came back, this house has known nothing but chaos. You want to die? Fine! Just don't drag the rest of us down with you!" Riley froze. Her breath hitched. She stared at Zara as if she didn't recognize her. The knife slipped from her fingers. "You want to know what regret looks like, Riley? Take a good look. Because you're the one destroying this family." Riley's lips parted, but no sound came. Then her knees buckled. I caught her before she hit the floor. Her head lolled against my shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed. Blood smeared across my chest. I could feel her going cold. "Riley-Riley! Stay with me!" Mia burst into the room, pale and shaking. "Young Alpha-she's lost too much blood. You have to take her now!" I didn't hesitate. I lifted her into my arms, holding her like I used to when she was a pup afraid of thunder. Mia snatched something off the floor-her finger-and followed close behind. "Open the damn gates!"I bellowed to the guards outside. Alaric's voice snarled behind me, full of venom. "Let her die out there like the rabid thing she is." I didn't stop. Didn't even look back. But I heard the slap. Zara. Furious. Screaming. Good. Let him feel it for once. The hospital lights were cold and sterile. I sat hunched in the emergency room waiting area, my shirt soaked with her blood, hands clenched into fists. Every second dragged. Mia sat beside me, her hands twisted in her apron. I could tell she wanted to speak, but I couldn't handle small talk. Not now. Finally. I looked up. My voice came out low. "Mia... what happened? Why did she-why did Riley do this?" Mia's eyes welled with tears. "She tried to hold it in, young Alpha. For days. But they kept pushing her. The Alpha... your father... he beat her, tried to force her woll to subinit. And Scarlett." She looked away. I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. I'd known they were cruel. But this? I hadn't seen. Hadn't wanted to. Wolf. Not just any wolf. Alpha-blooded. It shimmered in the air like a pulse of heat, brushing against my senses-feral, feminine, raw-and then it vanished. I blinked, Had I imagined it? leaned back slowly, heart pounding. Riley had never shifted. We all thought she couldn't. That she was defective. Broken. But now... Now, I wasn't so sure. Send Gifts 264