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As I get on my feet, he crosses his arms and glares at me like he’s daring me to try something stupid.

“Back up,” he warns, eyes flashing bright green. “Or I will back you up.”

“Fuck off, mutt.”

I lunge to the right, then spin to the left at the last minute to fake him out, counting on his massive size to slow him down.

Like he was expecting my move, he throws an arm out to block me and I slam to a stop before I clothesline myself.

Then Kane appears, sidling up next to him with a grin, and I realize my chances of getting past these two wolven are basically zero.

The entire room has devolved into fucking chaos. Everyone’s shouting over each other, demanding someone move, or fuck off, or quit being a bloody wanker.

Then Daxen’s voice cracks through the room with the unmistakable tone and weight of Alpha Command, putting an end to the chaos.

“Stop!”

The Command is so heavy even I feel its pull, urging me to submit to Dax’s order. Thankfully, because we’re a Bonded Pack, I’m able to ignore it.

The wolven aren’t so lucky.

With a grin, I take advantage of their distracted state as they fight Dax’s Command. I spin back to the right, and with a rush of satisfaction, duck down and around the wolven.

The second I make it past them, I dive for the Omega, prepared to wrench her away from my brother.

But what I see in front of me has me skidding to a stop so fast I almost fall on my face.

Leaning so far over my brother she’s practically lying on top of him, the Omega is eerily still. The only part of her moving, are her shaking hands. Hands she’s pressed against both of Caelan’s cheeks, cupping his face with a tenderness I didn’t know could exist.

Tears stream down her face, falling to land on his forehead, cheeks and nose and⁠—-

What?

What the fuck?

I blink. Blink again. Rub my eyes and shake my head, like that’ll help make sense of what I’m seeing.

A single tear hangs precariously from Idril’s chin. She blinks, and another spills down her cheek and merges with the first. Too heavy to cling on any longer, it falls—landing with a silent splash against the pale skin of Caelan’s cheek.

My heart pounds against my ribs as, just like the three before it, Idril’s tears start to glow.

The glow intensifies, impossible to miss, growing brighter and brighter until it’s shimmering like liquid gold. It flares once, outrageously bright, before it evaporates—No, it sinks—into his skin.

Like his body is... like it’s...it’s…drinking it in.

Careful not to spook her, I inch closer, leaning in until I can literally see the shimmering residue left on his skin, mapping the location of where each drop landed.

Physical proof of the tears she’s shed for him.

A story written in her pain.

Two more fall, and just like before, they grow brighter until they shimmer and shine in the overhead lights before being absorbed into his skin.

“What in the Fates...?”

The awed whisper comes from somewhere behind me, but I can’t look away. Can’t tear my eyes from the Omega.

Can no longer deny her heart-wrenching sobs or how each one sounds like it’s being ripped from the depths of her soul.