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“I’ll talk to her,” I say, leaving no room for discussion. “It’s best I do it.”

I had lied to her the previous night, and she might have been still holding a grudge. But I needed to see her again and talk to her after what had happened in the forest.

“We’ll continue keeping an eye out. Let us know what the next move is,” Finn says.

The two of them leave the living room, and I am left alone with my thoughts. The truth is, I’m not entirely sure what to say to Mia. I feel confident during regular pack duties, but talking to a scared omega requires deep emotions and sensitivity. I need to think this through.

I head to the back of the house, to the room we had furnished for her. Jace and Finn had settled her there whenthey brought her back. None of us had spoken to her since; we were too focused on ensuring her safety.

The door is open when I arrive.

Mia is sitting at the bay window across from her bed, staring out at the forest. Her expression is distant, and her eyes are glossed with unshed tears. She has pulled the comforter from the bed and has it draped across her lap.

My heart aches at the sight of her pain. I can only imagine how terrified she must have been earlier, discovering the truth about werewolves. The memory of his blood staining the forest floor had satisfied me and made my blood pound in my veins.

I wish I could make her feel safe again and shield her from this harsh reality. I kneel beside Mia, searching for her expression. It’s hard and closed off. She has put her walls back up. When she finally speaks, her voice is harsh.

“I can’t do this anymore. I’m done. It’s over. I want to go back to my old life.”

Even though I had expected her statement, the words still weigh heavily on me. What she doesn’t realize is that there is no longer a choice—if there ever truly was one.

Still, I waver. She wants out, and I don’t want to hold her against her will. She has already been through so much.

Yet, my instincts push those thoughts aside. The overwhelming need to protect her from threats overcomes me as I say, “You will be making a mistake, my love.”

Mia finally turns to face me directly. “Oh, am I? Because since I’ve been here, things have only gotten dangerous.”

Mia seems beyond the point of caring. Her expression is filled with fire and spite. There’s something beautiful about seeing her so passionate, but it also breaks my heart that she wants to leave me.

“Mia, we need to think rationally,” I begin.

“I can’t do this. The bond, the ritual... the fact thatwerewolves are real? It’s too much. And the worst part is that you have kept so much from me. I don’t even know where I stand anymore.”

“I understand how you must feel,” I say.

“No!” Mia cuts me off. “You can’t possibly know what I’m feeling.”

She’s right. I lied to her, and I have no idea how to make it right. Still, it’s crucial that she listens to me. Her safety depends on it.

“You are going to be a target no matter what, Mia,” I explain. “Being an omega makes you vulnerable. All alphas will hunt you simply for what you are. They’ll want to use you. They?—”

“I don’t give a shit about them!” she interrupts.

“I know. But that’s how things are. Right now, we’re the only ones who can keep you safe. There are packs out there you don’t want to encounter, Mia. I assure you.”

“Yeah, I think I’ve got that figured out,” she snaps back.

It suddenly hits me how scared she must have been in the forest. That rogue wolf could have taken her from us. I had thought she couldn’t fathom the danger, but maybe she knows all too well how badly it could have gone.

“I’m just trying to keep you safe. That’s all I want,” I say, my voice softening.

“I didn’t ask for any of this!” Her voice is harsh and ragged, filled with rage and grief. She stands up from her perch by the window. “I never wanted this!”

Blood pounds in my ears as I stand as well. “We are the only ones who can keep you safe, Mia. Please listen to me.”

I’m not sure if it’s what I say or the desperate tone I use, but it all seems to hit Mia at once. Her face crumples and tears pour from her hazel eyes. A wave of sobs wracks her body, and before I know what’s happening, Mia collapses into my chest.

Her hot tears soak my shirt as she clings to me.