The irony wasn’t lost on me. Five years ago, I had been poised to be one of the most influential Luna wolves in North America. Now, I was pretending to be a skittish human who could barely tolerate being in the same room with wolfkind.


    “Aria will be okay too?” Elena asked, ncing at my daughter through the rearview mirror.


    “Aria doesn’t know about wolves,” I said quietly, though my daughter was already dozing in her car seat,


    the jetg finally catching up to her. “And I’d like to keep it that way.”


    Elena’s expression softened with sympathy. “Of course. No one will shift, I promise.”


    If only she knew the real reason I kept Aria in the dark about wolves. It wasn’t fear–it was protection. As long as Aria didn’t know about her heritage, she wouldn’t identally reveal it. And as long as no one knew she was Alexander ckwood’s daughter, she was safe from his enemies… and from the pain of


    knowing her father had moved on without us.


    As we drove toward the hotel in Cedar Ridge–a human town safely outside pack territories–I couldn’t


    help but reflect on the path that had led me here.


    After Nora rescued me, I had been desperate to return to Alexander. But the wolf’s bane in my system


    made it impossible to travel. And Aurora–my wolf–was gone.


    Aria had arrived early, fragile but strong. Thebor nearly killed me. For months, I was confined to bed,


    healing the human way.


    When Aria turned six months, I finally made it to town to try contacting Alexander. That was when I saw


    the headlines.


    He had a new mate. A political match with a European she–wolf. Pictures showed him beside her, expression unreadable.


    I never tried to call again.


    Instead, I stayed. Nora gave me a ce, a purpose. I buried my old identity, embraced healing, and raised my daughter among people who asked no questions.


    “Sarah? We’re here,” Elena’s voice pulled me from my memories.


    The Grand Cedar Hotel rose before us, its elegant fa?ade a stark reminder of how far I was from the simple stone cottage I’d shared with Aria in Portugal.


    <b>“</b>It’s so big!” Aria gasped, suddenly wide awake and pressing her face against the window.


    As we pulled into the hotel parking lot, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the side mirror. My hair was different now–shorter, with golden highlights that helped disguise my natural color. I’d lost weight


    during my recovery and never fully regained it, giving my face a more angr appearance. Five years of raising a child alone had added subtle lines around my eyes.


    Would Alexander even recognize me if he saw me? Would he sense anything, given our broken bond?


    “Ready for an adventure, Aria?” I asked, forcing cheerfulness into my voice as Elena parked the car.


    “Ready!” she chirped, already unbuckling her seat belt.


    Inside, we checked in, and Elena handed me the key card. “Rest up,” she said. “Tomorrow, the dress hunt begins.”


    I nodded, though my stomach clenched at the thought. “That sounds perfect.” <fn55e1> Checktest chapters at fin?novel</fn55e1>


    As we moved through the lobby, I reminded myself why I was here. Elena’s wedding was still months away. We were here to help her get ready, to share the journey–nothing more. A simple trip. The chances of running into anyone from my past felt slim.


    Cedar Ridge was neutral territory, frequented by humans and the asional wolf on business. Alexander had no reason to visit here, and his pack members rarely strayed from their territory unless necessary.


    We would be safe. Anonymous. Just another mother and daughter on vacation.


    At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as we rode the elevator to our room, Aria chattering excitedly about the swimming pool she’d spotted through the lobby windows.


    But deep down, in the hollow space where Aurora once resided, I felt a strange pull–a whisper of something I hadn’t felt in five years. Like the ghost of a mate bond, calling me home.


    I shook my head, dismissing the sensation as travel fatigue. Alexander had moved on. He had a new mate, possibly even children by now. And I had made my choice long ago to keep Aria safe, to give her a normal life away from the power struggles and politics that had nearly killed me.


    After Elena left, I unpacked our things while Aria explored every inch of the hotel room with wide–eyed wonder. When she finally tired herself out, I tucked her into the plush king–sized bed for a nap.


    Standing by the window, looking out over the town of Cedar Ridge, I allowed myself to wonder–just for a moment–where Alexander was right now. What he was doing. If he ever thought about the woman he’d once imed as his mate.