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“Do what, Aidan?” Baelin snapped in his ear. “Tell me Rae hasn’t done what I think she has?” His Ascendant’s voice grew distant as if he’d pulled his earpiece out, his tone laced with panic as he called out for Quinn.

A Vampire was the reason for everything I do. Everything I’ve done. The reason my mother treated me like vermin, she’d told Aidan that first day in the manor as husband and wife.

Because she’s afraid, he wanted to tell the Fae beside him. Because she’d suffered. Because she’s trying to fight back, to give us an even footing. Because she’s Rae. But Aidan didn’t say any of that as he dragged both hands through his hair, glaring at the fucking rutoks as they skittered over everything. Baelin cursed in his earpiece as his Ascendant spoke to Quinn and received no response.

The scar over his heart burned, the tightness spreading across his chest, but he knew this time it had nothing to do with the loss of his magic. “Fuck,” Aidan barked again, already calculating distances and possible locations she could be heading. A million different scenarios ran through his head at what she was going to do next. And there were a hundred different places she could be hiding, Orders that would trace this back to her, hunt her down. Baxter amongst them.

Aidan slammed his fist against the car again at the thought. It didn’t matter. He’d kill every last one of them who laid a finger on her. Tear apart the whole damn city if he had to.

She’d run. His wife.

His mate.

His.

And Aidan was going to find her.