Chapter 4

Knox came home a little before midnight, which almost never happened.

He hung his jacket by the door and stopped. He was staring at the empty spot on the shelf. Something crossed his face, fast, and then he was in the bedroom doorway.

"Where's the picture?"

"It fell. The glass broke."

He glanced back at the trash can by the door and saw the shards. His shoulders came down.

Then he set a small paper bag on the bed. Inside was a bottle of perfume.

"I owed you something from the other night." He hesitated. "And I just realized, it's our anniversary. Three years. Happy anniversary, Maren."

For half a second, I wanted to believe he'd remembered on his own.

Then I saw the receipt curled at the bottom of the bag. The mall in Missoula, an hour ago. Brielle's post had reminded him, and he'd stopped on the way home.

He didn't know there were three bottles just like it in my nightstand, all still sealed. I'd never once been allowed to wear perfume near him.

I didn't say anything. I just looked at him.

"There's one more thing." He sat on the edge of the bed. "The Silver Claw vote is in three weeks. Could you take your name off this year? Let Brielle have it. She's bled for this pack for three years."

Something must have shown on my face, because he added quickly, "You've won it three winters running. It's one year."

So that was what the perfume was for.

"Okay."

This year, next year, every year after that. I wouldn't be here for the vote.

He blinked. "Just like that?"

"She earned it. You trained her."

He kept glancing at me sideways, waiting for the catch. When none came, he moved on.

"I'm off tomorrow. Noon, at the Moonstone. I'll tell the Elders tonight."

I didn't answer.

He seemed to remember the duffels in the corner, and his voice softened. "Wait, your trip. When do you leave?"

"Three tomorrow afternoon."

I looked at him. I could still say it. Right now, before he walked out that door one more time.

His eyes went flat and far away.

I knew that look. Someone was in his head through the pack link. Ten seconds. Fifteen. When he came back, he was already on his feet.

"Brielle. Rogues hit the east line, and her patrol's pinned down." He grabbed his jacket. "I have to go."

I swallowed everything I'd been about to say and smiled.

"Go. She's waiting for her Alpha."

He didn't even try to hide how relieved he was. He was halfway out the door when he turned back.

"Noon tomorrow. The Moonstone. The war's over, Maren. There's nothing left to stop us."

Then he was gone, and the house went quiet around me.

Eight years, and he wasn't even going to be there when I said goodbye.

In the morning, I carried my bags down the ridge road and took a cab to Missoula. I didn't go anywhere near the Moonstone.

At noon, I was sitting at the gate with a coffee going cold in my hand. My phone stayed dark the whole hour.

They were calling my row when it finally lit up.

Rogues came back at dawn. B took a bad wound. I've been at the healer's all morning. The Moonstone's off for today. When you're back from your trip, I'll make it up to you. I swear.

I read it once and set the coffee down.

Eighteen times he'd told me to wait. And the one time he finally said yes, he still didn't show.

I typed my answer.

You don't have to make anything up to me, Knox. I renounced Ironridge two nights ago. I'm on a plane to Greywater. This is the last message you'll ever get from me.

I hit send.

Before my thumb found the power button, the phone was buzzing in my hand. Knox calling. Then Knox again. Then text after text, stacking up faster than I could read them.