I want to argue. Want to defend my wrath, my accusations. But I can’t. Because he’s right. I lashed out at a woman who has lost so much, and I did it because I needed someone to blame other than myself.
“I’ll deal with her later.” I turn back to Violet, dismissing him. “Right now, I don’t have the energy to care about politics and intrigues.”
Ryker is quiet for a moment. Then, “For what it’s worth, I think you’ll be a better alpha than your father. You already are.”
He leaves before I can respond.
I sit there, holding Violet’s hand and listening to the steady beep of the heart monitor. Proof that we’re still here. Still breathing.
But the cost…
My father is dead. By my hand.
I should feel something more than this numb anger. Grief. Remorse. Horror at what I’ve done. But all I feel is rage that he put me in that position. That he tortured my mate. That he murdered innocent hybrids. That he lied to me.
And underneath the rage is a darkness, one that whispers that I’m glad he’s dead. That he deserved worse than a quick death. That I should have made him suffer the way he made Violet suffer.
What does that make me?
I always knew Zion was lazy and unambitious, but I never thought he could stoop so low. To torture. To murder. And my father? For my father to go to the extent he did to cover up Zion’s crimes, to hide his own actions…
What else did he cover up? What other horrors are buried in this pack’s history? How many other Violets were there that I never knew about because I was too blind to see?
Footsteps in the hallway again. Different this time. Lighter. Quicker. I don’t look up. Don’t let go of Violet’s hand.
The door opens. “How is she?” Ethan asks quietly.
“Alive.” It’s all I can manage. All that matters right now.
He moves to stand beside me. We both stare down at Violet in silence. I can feel him wanting to say something comforting, something to make this better. But there’s nothing he can say that will make this better.
“I need you to look into Zion,” I say finally. My voice is flat. Empty. “Everything about him. Everyone he’s been meeting with. Where he goes. What he does. What resources he had access to.” I look up at Ethan. “Tear apart his entire life. I need to know who helped him. Who knew. Who looked the other way.”
Ethan nods slowly. “And your father?”
Rage and grief again. “Him, too. Find everything he buried. Every skeleton in every closet. Every crime he covered up.” My grip on Violet’s hand tightens. “I want this pack clean. No moresecrets. No more lies. No more innocent people suffering because we were too comfortable to notice.”
“It’ll take time.”
“I don’t care.” I gaze back down at my mate. “Look at what secrets and lies did to her. To us. I won’t let this pack continue that legacy. Things change starting now. They have to.”
I can feel Ethan studying me for a long moment. When I look back up at him, he nods. “Alright. I’ll start pulling threads. See what unravels.”
“Thank you.” I mean it. For his loyalty. For his friendship. For not giving up on finding Violet even when I was too blind to see what was happening.
“I’ll let you know what I find.” Ethan heads for the door, then pauses. “She’s strong, you know. Violet. Stronger than any of us gave her credit for. She’ll come back from this.”
I hope he’s right. God, I hope he’s right.
After he leaves, I settle into the chair more firmly, preparing for a long vigil. There’s work to be done. A pack to lead. A brother to find. A father’s legacy to dismantle. But none of it matters right now.
Right now, all that matters is the woman in this bed. My mate. My Violet.
I lean forward and kiss her forehead. I close my eyes, breathing in her scent. Letting it ground me. Letting it remind me why I did what I did today. Why I’d do it all again.
“Come back to me,” I whisper against her skin. “Please, Violet. Just come back to me. I need you. The pack needs you. Your mother needs you.” My voice drops even lower. “I can’t do this without you.”
Outside, the sun is still high in the afternoon sky, painting the room in harsh white light. The clinic continues its steady rhythm of beeps and muffled voices. Medical staff pass by in the hallway.
