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Bigger than mutiny among the most historically pacifistic and diplomatic wolf pack in the Appalachians?

I stare at her. “What is it?”

“Henry’s Betas—the ones he can still trust, that is—are rounding up the traitors right now…but they’ve already told Samson Blackburn everything.”

“Everything? Z, what are you saying?”

“They told him about Noah. They know that the Greenbriar Alpha heir has a son.”

For several long, painful seconds, there’s nothing but a strange ringing noise in my ears. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to believe what she’s saying.

I don’t want to realize the truth that is sinking in little by little.

Zahra steps toward me. “Where’s Noah? At school?”

It takes me a minute to find my voice. “He had a half-day, but he—fuck—Zahra, he didn’t get off the bus. It just went by—I didn’t—oh, God…”

My best friend looks so horrified by the words coming out of my mouth that it turns my stomach.

Only, before she can say anything, there’s the sound of a rumbling engine and the crunch of tires on gravel. Both of us turn and rush back to the open door to see Rowan’s truck pulling back into the driveway.

But I can’t feel relief. Not right now. Not when I know, without a doubt, with a mother’s instincts, that something is deeply, terribly wrong.

Rowan hops out of the truck, and there’s a lightness in his step and a soft smile on his lips that breaks my heart.

He takes exactly two steps toward the house before he notices me and Zahra standing there. In half a second, his entire demeanor changes as he assesses the mood, smells Zahra’s fear, and notices the change in my own scent.

Rowan makes a beeline for me, halting just shy of sweeping me into his arms once he realizes that Zahra is standing close, mostly naked.

He stares at me, waiting for an explanation.

“It’s Noah,” I choke out.

That’s all I have to say for Rowan to launch into action.

Chapter 24

Rowan

“It’s time to go back, Alina.”

She swallows hard, staring at our entwined fingers. There’s no time to waste, and yet here we are, stalled on the front porch because my Mate can’t seem to put one foot in front of the other.

There’s fear and fury running in equal measure through her bloodstream, turning her scent bitter and smoky. I breathe it in, allowing it to strengthen me.

“I can’t,” she breathes. “I can’t go back.”

Zahra has already left the scene, having shifted back into a wolf to run off and meet up with the half of the Whiterose pack that’s still loyal to Henry. They have their own infighting to deal with now, and it’s none of my business. It’s none of Alina’s business, either. I can see the realization in her eyes.

She needs to return to Greenbriar territory.

I squeeze her hand. “You have to.”

“Rowan—”

“Not for me,” I continue. “And not even for yourself. You need to do this for Noah.”

At the sound of our son’s name, Alina’s spine straightens. Sheexhales shakily, steeling herself before my eyes. In a matter of seconds, she becomes a queen on the warpath.