[ Rowan ]
The night before the bonding ceremony, I pushed open the door and found my fated mate with Isabella.
He was pressing his lips to the fresh mark on her neck — tender, unhurried, like something he’d been waiting a long time to do.
My father and stepmother asked me to step aside. To give the marriage to my stepsister.
I only asked him one question.
"Did you do this with a clear head?"
A long silence.
"Yes. Don’t blame her."
I nodded. Then I left the country.
[ Lachlan ]
I was staring at a map when Silverpine’s carefully worded request arrived — a marriage alliance inquiry.
On the map, a red circle marked a quiet lake town at the edge of nowhere.
She’d been there for two years.
I’d told myself I was patient. I was wrong. I cannot wait another second.
The letter was better timing than I deserved — considerably more civilized than my other plan.
I tossed the letter to my Beta. "Reply. Tell them we’ll talk."
She was coming home.
And when she did, I intended to make sure she ran out of reasons to leave again.
