Wounded Alpha, Healing Mate

shb

efore the silence of his wolf. Luc

s name alone commanded respect, and his presence was enough to quiet even the loudest room. His wolf had been a monstrous silver beast,

s screeching on wet asphalt. The sickening spin of metal as the car flipped, flames lic

a world of

ldfire through the estate. That a proud Alpha like Lucien had been reduced to a chair. That his wolf had vanished on imp

corrected it. Either way, the pack changed. The admiration in their eyes turned to pity. Then to

**

marble, floor-to-ceiling shelves of ledgers, and a wall of glass that overlooked the nor

armrest of his chair as he read through the qua

be disturbed," he sa

back from a trip," said a famili

glanc

ay, his coat still dusted with travel. Tall, strong, with as

ed back. "Y

ied, stepping in. He dropped a file on the desk. "Updates from the

rse the

ntouched breakfast tray by the wind

nored the

he pulled a chair up and sat ac

ide arrived

pression di

er. You know what i mean by

," Lucien s

xhaled. "

ped. "It was Mother's idea. Anoth

hat's not w

d away. "The

lizing trade. And if not for you, then fo

ipple to a girl from a minor Beta fami

" Cassian said quietly.

ian rested his arms on the desk

s jaw c

on

to bring

ttended a su

." Cassian's tone softened. "But your parents are insis

en muttered. "Let them

ed. "She might

raised

she's gifted in healing. Quiet

his report. "So is

giving thi

'm interested in control. And right now, t

is place for years, Lucien. At some poi

didn't

lked out, the door cl

**

as something unsettling about the silence of the Varkos estate. No laughter. No

lla, was alert but relaxed, murmuring in her thoughts now and then. At first, Mira found nothing remarkable. Storage rooms. Dusty portraits. A locked

spered. "The summit is

her said with a smirk. "Not like

"Or shift. What's an

ace. Tha

uel , from her own family. But hearing it now, spo

in that fleeting moment last night, when their words had clashed l

el like to have been born a predator, only to lose

moment, her heart ached with something dangerously close to sympathy. Ma

he stepped away from the corridor, she suddenly felt it. The prickling heat of e

Luna eavesdroppin

th hitched.