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“The Farewell Ritual. When is it?” I ask, stiffly.

My father purses his lips. “It’s this weekend.”

I swallow hard. I don’t think I have a choice. I need to go back. To miss saying goodbye to Callie in the Farewell Ritual would be…unthinkable.

“There’s more,” my father says gently. “It’s about Austin.”

My breath catches in my throat and I study his face. “What about Austin?” I ask faintly.

“He’s…” my father sighs and grips the back of his neck, “he’s promised…to another…woman.”

I stare at him blankly as my brain processes that information. “He’s chosen another mate?”

My father nods. “After you left, he mourned for a long time, but he has responsibilities to the pack.”

I hold up my hand and stop him. “I get it. Everyone moves on. It will be fine.”

The words feel wooden in my mouth. Unnatural. Painful.

Austin with another woman? Austin mated to another. I never thought this day would come.

My heart pangs with more loss and my wolf cries from the pain. Being separated from Austin has been hard on both of us, but to know that he has moved on like this?

It hurts more than I could have imagined. I take a deep breath, and then another, willing myself to find the calm I need to get through this. My father looks at me with sympathy in his eyes.

Pull yourself together, Yelena. You have to be strong. For Cleo and for Callie.

I try to shove the troubling and painful thoughts away, imagining taking my feelings and placing them in a box before turning the lock. Some days I wish I could turn my emotions on or off like a light switch. Since I can’t, the next best thing is to put them aside. It’s better for me if I don’t think about things like this.

“Are you going to bring Cleo?” my father asks softly. That gives me pause. As much as I would love to show Cleo her roots and let her experience life with a pack, I can’t risk it.

“No,” I say decisively. “I’ll have Susan watch her. It’s a short trip for the ritual. She’ll be fine.”

My father opens his mouth as if to say something, but then closes it, thinking better of it.

“Whatever you think is best,” he says with a sigh. “But she’s going to find out about her…heritage…eventually.”

I know he’s right. But I can’t handle that problem today. Not when I’m still processing the fact that Callie is dead. Not when I have to go back to the pack and face seeing Austin with another woman.

Later. I’ll deal with thatlater.

***

The drive back to the pack territory is a long one. I haven’t slept well these days in anticipation of my return. Now, it feels like every bend of the road brings back new memories. The thick green forest is unchanged and my wolf howls in my chest in recognition of the land we used to call home. Out of respect for the tradition of our pack, I quietly sent word ahead to the Luna that I would be coming. As a pack member, I have the right to return at any time, but coming back like this feels awkward.

Anxiety courses through me as I make my way to the Alpha’s residence. I’ve been gone so long, I don’t know how I’ll be received.You left their son. You better be prepared for pushback,I remind myself.

I park the car in the visitor parking area and slowly make my way up to the familiar white house with the black shutters. The dahlias out front are in full bloom. The scent of them takes me back to happier times when Austin and I were just kids playing chase in the garden.

He’s not yours anymore, I remind myself.

The guard at the door nods at me respectfully as I make my way up the steps and onto the Alpha and Luna’s front porch. It’s a good sign that they are expecting me. I hope.

Nervously, I rap my knuckles against the shiny red door. My heart is pounding in my chest. As the door creaks open, Luna Elizabeth’s face comes into view.

“Yelena!” she greets me, her warm brown eyes lighting up. “It’s so good to see you.”

She steps aside and welcomes me into her home. I step over the threshold, the familiar scent of coffee and old books enveloping me.