One day soon, they would discover she had agreed to the arranged mateship. And she wondered—when that truth came out—how would they look at her then?
“It’s only a picture,” Lenora said flatly, her tone cutting off any room for discussion. “We don’t need to take more.”
Evan, always the one trying to mend cracks, spoke gently. “The stars are out tonight. Maybe later we can go outside and snap a few? It’s been ages since we stepped beyond the pack borders. A little air might do us good.”
Raymond chimed in quickly, his voice carrying a hopeful edge. “And we could bring Hailey. She’s been asking about the northern forest since she arrived.”
At the mention of Hailey—sweet-faced, ever-sheltered Hailey—Lenora’s lips curved faintly, though the expression held resignation rather than warmth. She gave no reply, but her silence was mistaken for consent. Relief softened the men’s shoulders as they turned toward the den.
Then both froze. Stacked by the door were several boxes.
“What’s this?” Raymond asked. Evan echoed him, bewildered.
Lenora didn’t meet their eyes. “I resigned from the intelligence division. Alpha Nathan approved it this morning.”
The words struck them silent. Shock rippled across their features, disbelief thick in the air. They knew how fiercely she had clung to that position, how she had fought past every weakness of her body to keep serving. Evan’s brows drew together, his lips parting as though to question her—but no sound came. Raymond fumbled for words too, but the sharp trill of a phone cut through the silence.
Evan answered. Hailey’s trembling voice spilled into the room. “Evan? My lights went out. It’s so dark—I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.”
Raymond’s eyes filled instantly with worry. Before Evan could respond, he blurted, “I’ll come right now, Hailey. Don’t worry.” Evan’s face mirrored the concern, his usual composure cracking.
Neither spared Lenora another word. In seconds they shifted into their wolves, urgency driving them through the door. Their paws scattered dust and scraps of paper from her carefully packed boxes as they vanished into the night.
Lenora stood still in the quiet that followed, their absence settling heavily in the space they had left behind. Then she pulled out her phone and dialed a number etched deep in her memory.