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“It’s okay, sweetie; I’m right here. You’re not alone.” Sofia says as she rubs Emily’s back. Emily takes deep, rattling breaths as she attempts to calm herself and one glance at Fia tells me that this panic happens a lot.

“Okay,” I say softly, “how about we just assess your fitness today? See where you’re at?”

Her relief is palpable as she nods enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, I can do that,” she squeaks while continuing to gulp down deep breaths and staring firmly at the ground. I make eye contact with Sofia, and we silently exchange our thoughts through mindlink around how badly Emily needs this.

She needs to feel safe.

I lead the girls in some quick stretches and decide I’m glad the girls were late because there is no way I would be okay with her stretching in those leggings in front of anyone else.

We join the warriors for two laps of the lake on the pack lands.

I’m surprised to see that Emily’s leg doesn’t appear to be causing her any problems. She hasn’t broken a sweat on the twenty-mile run.

No limp. No pain. She keeps pace with my warriors like she belongs there. Doc said she’d heal fast once the infection was gone, but damn.

When it’s time to spar, I encourage Emily to take a seat and watch for today.

Sofia joins me to demonstrate for the warriors, and afterward, we split up to monitor the warriors.

I can’t stop glancing at Emily every few moments.

She’s tense but focused. She stays, though, watching, taking everything in.

It’s a start, but I can tell it will be a slow process.

“Omega training groups are after lunch; would you be up for joining in?”

“You train omegas here?” she asks, as her eyes widen and her eyebrows shoot up.

“Of course. Not for battle, but to defend themselves—and their pups—if it ever comes to that.”

Emily’s eyes grow glassy, and she chokes out her response to say that she would love to learn to defend herself and her future pups. Something like determination flickers in her gaze and she promises she will be there before she turns and heads back to the pack house.

My heart clenches at the thought of her being alone and defenseless like she was before she got here.

“Thank you for doing this for her,” Sofia says softly as she walks up behind me.

“She needs to learn, and it gives me an excuse to keep an eye on her.”

“You cannot seriously still believe she’s a potential threat?

” Sofia glares at me while crossing her arms. Flipping from gratitude to outrage in a matter of seconds.

Do I still consider Emily a threat? Realistically, it seems unlikely.

The girl is terrified of everything, and her injuries were awful. But what if I’m wrong?

I don’t answer. I don’t know how to. So instead, I return to observing the warriors and showing them where to adjust their form. From the corner of my eye, I see Sofia throw me an obscene gesture before storming off.

Ryan stops by to check in after Emily and Sofia have left, and we move to training in wolf form before finishing up for the day.

“So, how are things going with the new girl?” Ryan asks as we walk to the pack house for a late breakfast.

“Good, I guess. Did Sofia tell you where she came from?”

“Yeah, she did,” he sighs. “Aidan Blackwell is the biggest asshole I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting.

Sofia doesn’t even know half of it. He gives Alphas a bad name.

And I have to imagine she deserves a chance to start again in a new pack.

But as much as I hate how Aidan runs his pack, I won’t be able to stand in his way if they are mates.

The council ruling on that is crystal clear. ”

Ryan has always been so level-headed. I worry about pack security, but he looks at everything through a wider lens.

Understanding the big picture has always been a strength of his.

He encourages Luca and me to question him in private, never publicly, of course.

And while he is open to hearing different perspectives, his decision is always final.

I’m proud to have him as our Alpha, even if he is such a stickler for the rules.

“Would you consider allowing her to join Lunar Eclipse if they aren’t mates?” I ask.

“Potentially. I haven’t had a chance to get to know her, but Sofia is definitely in her corner,” he says with a look that I understand immediately.

Sofia has never been one to let something important to her go easily once she has made her mind up.

“I’m going to be gone for a few days, maybe a couple of weeks.

I need to visit some packs on the east coast. I want your recommendation when I get back. ”

“Yeah, of course, Alpha. She seems genuine but also like she’s too good to be true. I’ll try to scope her out a bit more.”

“Too good to be true? What does that even mean?”

“Have you seen her?” I groan as Ryan laughs at my description and tells me to keep it in my pants as we arrive in the pack house.

Obviously, I’m fully aware that this girl is not an option for me.

She needs time to heal. And it's been years but I’m still way too fucking damaged for something serious and she isn’t the kind of girl you have something casual with.

She’s the kind of girl who ruins you for everyone else.

And I’m already halfway ruined.