Elena POV:
The next morning, Sofia moved into the Pack House with a bouquet of red roses.
"For the brave Alpha!" she chirped.
I stood on the staircase. "I am allergic to red roses, Sofia. You know that."
She gasped. "Oh, Elena! I forgot!"
"It's fine," Dante said, limping in. "Put them in the east wing. Elena, don't go in the east wing."
He was banning me from half my home for flowers.
"We are going to the Catskills," Dante announced. "The winter cabin. Sofia needs protection."
"And me?"
"You come to cook. The staff is on leave."
The cabin was a prison of timber and glass.
Dinner was a disaster. Sofia sat in my seat. Dante mixed drinks.
He placed a whiskey in front of me. And a gin and tonic for Sofia.
I stared at the whiskey. "I hate whiskey, Dante. I've hated it for ten years."
"Don't be rude," he warned.
"Enjoy your whiskey," I said.
I walked out into the snow. I pulled out my burner phone.
To Isabella: Tonight. The storm is hitting.
From Isabella: Team is at the base. Signal when clear.
I looked back through the window. Dante was wiping a crumb from Sofia's lip.
My heart didn't break. It just stopped beating for him.
Deep inside, the White Wolf stirred. Let us run, she commanded.
I dozed off in the solarium. I woke up being lifted.
Dante.
"I've got you," he murmured.
Crash!
We were in the living room. Sofia stood there, a shattered Ming vase at her feet.
"You promised!" she shrieked. "You said you were checking the perimeter! Why are you holding her?"
Dante flinched. Panic flooded his scent. He looked at Sofia like a junkie afraid of losing his fix.
"Sofia, she was asleep-"
"Put her down! You're cheating on me!"
Dante looked at her tear-streaked face, then at me.
He chose.
He didn't set me down. He dropped me.
I fell three feet, landing hard on my hip and elbow. Crack.
"Sofia, wait!" Dante stepped over me and ran after her into the blizzard.
I lay on the floor. The pain was sharp, but my body was already knitting itself together with unnatural speed.
"Okay," I whispered. "Okay."
Ten minutes later, Beta Luca burst in. "Luna! Where is Alpha?"
"Chasing his tail," I gritted out.
"Sofia crashed the snowmobile. We need to go to the hospital."
The hospital waiting room.
I sat holding an ice pack. Two Warriors whispered nearby.
"Did you see the Alpha? Crying over Sofia."
"And the Luna? Sitting there like furniture. No pride."
No pride.
The ER doctor came out. "She's fine. Three stitches."
Dante rushed past me. He didn't even see me.
I stood up. The ice pack fell.
My extraction team was waiting. But first, I had to burn the bridge.
I headed toward Sofia's room.
