You’d think a young she-wolf dying was enough to cause misery to an entire pack, an overnight sick game that was seen and overlooked by the goddess herself.

I stood at the entrance of the tent, staring at Nora’s still body, wrapped now in cloth that did nothing to soften the reality of her death. My chest ached, heavy with something I couldn’t name. Guilt. Confusion.

Fear.

blaming myself over and over again. What happened during those few hours I left her? Was murdered? Or was it just the goddess playing another sick game?

"Violet, you need to sit down", Maelra’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I didn’t move.

"I’m fine," I said, though my legs felt like they might give out beneath me.

"You’re not," she replied, stepping closer. "You’re pale, shaking, and you haven’t kept food down since yesterday. Sit."

"I said I’m fine."

My voice came out sharper than I intended.

Maelra didn’t flinch. She just looked at me, really looked.....and something in her expression shifted.

"You were with her last night, weren’t you?" she asked quietly.

My throat tightened.

"Yes."

"How was she?"

"Alive," I whispered, the word cracking in my chest. "She was laughing. Swimming. Talking..."

Maelra’s eyes darkened. "Did she say anything strange?"

I hesitated.

Her gaze sharpened. "Violet."

"She said my baby would kill me," I admitted softly.

Maelra exhaled slowly, running a hand over her face. "Children don’t just say things like that without reason."

"She’s just a child," I snapped, though my voice lacked conviction. "She sleepwalks. She’s... different."

"So are you," Maelra said bluntly.

That hit harder than I expected. Before I could respond, A howl tore through the air.

Low. Furious. Close.

My entire body went rigid. No. No, no, no— My heart slammed violently against my ribs, the bond flaring despite the herbs, burning through the fog like fire through dry leaves.

Zain.

"He’s here," I breathed.

Maelra turned toward the trees, her expression going deadly serious. "Everyone back. Now."

Panic rippled through the camp. Mothers grabbed their children, fathers began shifting into their wolf forms, and the sudden death of Nora completely forgotten.

But I didn’t hear anything else. Didn’t see anything else. All I could feel was him.

Rage. Possession. Fear.

"Violet—" Maelra started.

I was already moving.

"I have to go."

She grabbed my arm. "You’re not going anywhere—"

"If I don’t stop him, he will destroy this place!" I snapped, yanking free. "You didn’t hear that howl? That’s not an Alpha coming to talk, that’s a mate who thinks something is wrong!"

"And you think riding out to meet him in your condition is a better idea?" she shot back.

"I think it’s the only idea!"

For a split second, we just stared at each other. Then I softened, just a little.

"Please," I said, quieter now. "I won’t let him hurt anyone. But I can’t do that from here."

Maelra’s grip loosened. Her eyes dropped briefly to my stomach before lifting back to mine.

"You’re risking more than just yourself now," she said.

"I know. But Zain would never hurt me nor our child Maelra."

"I know, but a demon will always remain a demon. There’s no changing that."

"He is still my Mate," I said, then ran.

The forest was damp and quiet; all the birds had gone still, even the branches rustled less. I felt him before I saw him. Not just through the bond, but through the earth, the air, the way the forest seemed to hold its breath.

Zain.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I stepped into the clearing, boots crunching softly against fallen leaves. The wind shifted—and then it hit me.

His scent. Wild. Furious. Unleashed.

"Zain..." I whispered, but the name barely left my lips before something massive burst through the trees.

I didn’t even have time to react. A blur of black and silver. Teeth. Claws. Power.

He lunged.

"ZAIN!" The scream tore out of me just as his body slammed into mine. The impact knocked me flat on my back, air rushing out of my lungs in a painful gasp. The ground dug into my spine, and as much as I felt fear, my insides were alive with heat,

Because he was on top of me.

Huge. Terrifying.

His wolf.

Golden eyes burned down at me, wild and unrecognizing. A deep, guttural snarl vibrated through his chest, hot breath fanning over my face as his jaws parted—sharp teeth inches from my throat.

For a split second, fear locked my body. Not of him. Never of him.

But of his wolf.

"You don’t know me," I breathed, voice shaking despite everything. "You can’t feel me..."

The herbs.

The stupid herbs.

They’d dulled the bond too well.

His claws sank into the ground beside my head, tearing through the soil like it was nothing. Another snarl ripped from him, louder this time, more aggressive. He leaned closer, nose brushing my skin, inhaling deeply like he was trying to force my scent to make sense.

I saw the confusion flicker. But it wasn’t enough. His lips curled back again.

He was going to bite.

"Zain," I said again, stronger this time, even as my heart threatened to give out. "It’s me."

My hand trembled as I lifted it slowly, every instinct screaming at me not to move too fast. But I did it anyway. I pressed my palm against his face. Warm fur. Tense muscle.

He flinched.

"Look at me," I whispered, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Please... look at me."

His eyes locked onto mine. And for a second, everything went still. Something shifted in those golden eyes. The rage didn’t disappear—but it cracked. Recognition fighting its way through instinct. Through fury. Through whatever the hell those herbs had done.

"Zain," I said softly, my thumb brushing slightly against his fur. "It’s Violet."

A strangled sound tore from his throat.

Then everything happened at once.

He jerked back violently, leaping away from me like I’d burned him. His body shifted mid-motion, bones snapping, fur receding, until he dropped to his knees a few feet away—human again, chest heaving like he couldn’t get enough air.

I pushed myself up slowly, still shaking, my body aching from the impact.

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" he rasped, dragging a hand through his hair as he looked at me like he wasn’t sure I was real.

"I had them mask my scent," I said quietly.

His head snapped up, fury flashing instantly. "You did what?"

"I didn’t want you coming here like that," I shot back, gesturing toward where he’d come from. "Do you have any idea what you looked like just now? You would’ve torn through the camp—"

"I thought you were taken!" he snapped, surging to his feet. "I couldn’t feel you, Violet. Not properly. The bond was wrong. Faint. Like you were slipping away from me."

His voice cracked at the end, and that... that hurt more than anything.

"I wasn’t slipping away," I said, softer now. "I was trying to protect everyone. Including you."

"By hiding from me?" he let out a harsh laugh, pacing once before stopping in front of me again. "That’s your solution?"

I didn’t answer.

"You were supposed to come back to me...I gave you time, I gave you the space you needed, yet you stand here telling me that you were protecting me."

Silence stretched between us, thick and heavy.

Then his gaze dropped.

Slowly.

To my stomach.

And everything changed.

My breath caught.

"I was going to tell you," I said quietly.

His hand lifted, hesitating for the briefest second before settling against my stomach. Warm. Steady. Possessive.

His eyes darkened as he looked at me.

"You were carrying my child," he said, voice low, controlled in a way that was far more dangerous than his earlier rage, "and you thought hiding it from me was a good idea?"

"I wasn’t hiding it from you," I said quickly. "I just needed time. I didn’t even know for sure at first, and then everything started happening and—"

"And you decided I didn’t deserve to know?" he cut in.

"That’s not what I’m saying."

"Then what are you saying, Violet?"

"That if you came here like you just did," I snapped, emotion finally spilling over, "you would’ve killed people who are helping me. People who have done nothing to you."

His jaw tightened.

Because he knew I was right.

"I came for you," he said, quieter now. "That’s all that matters."

"And I came to stop you," I replied just as softly.

We stood there, staring at each other, everything unspoken hanging between us.

"You...you want me gone?" he whispers, hurt lacing his voice.