Third person POV


    Rae had learned to trust the way her instincts spoke to her. They were stubborn, persistent. The pressure would build until it couldn''t be ignored.


    It had happened back when she first became friends with Ellie. That was years ago, when Ellie had first married Nn and moved to Silver Fang, Back then, Rae had been working as an assistant in Nn''s office. He''d assigned her to work with Ellie, to help her adjust.


    The two of them had be friends quickly, partially due to Rae''s instinctual feeling that Ellie needed support She''d watched the way Nn treated her. His cold demeanor andck of attention weren''t surprising to anyone but Ellie.


    It was clear that she was young and inexperienced enough that she hadn''t known what to expect from the rtionship. Rae had done her best to help her adjust.


    When she thought about it now, she wished she had done more.


    The changes in Ellie had happened so gradually that Rae hadn''t realized the damage until it was toote to help. She''d watched Ellie morph from a confident, funny, strong woman into someone desperate and miserable.


    It was the mate pull, she knew that. The bond with Nn was strong but neglected and it had eaten away at Ellie.


    That was one of the reasons Rae had left the packhouse. She couldn''t keep working for Nn and watching Ellie suffer without acting. So, she''d taken a job for apany that oversaw press ess to the packhouse.


    It had given her enough space to remain a support for Ellie without destroying herself in the effort.


    That instinctual need to protect Ellie was the thing that had kept her close all of these years. After Ellie''s ident, when her memories were lost, she was prepared to help her through it all. When she realized that Ellie''s old confident and bold personality had resurfaced, she was thrilled.


    She was determined to help Ellie take her life back. Determined enough to uproot her own life and move to Moonstone. Of course, Cassian was a factor in that decision too.


    But it was mostly her rtionship with Ellie and the persistence of ther wolf, her instincts, pushing her toward


    Moonstone.


    That same pressure had been building all afternoon.


    They were seated at a long table in one of Moonstone''s open-air courtyards,te sunlight filtering through pale stone columns. Cassian was across from her, leaning back in his chair, rxed in a way he rarely managed when court politics were involved. ire sat beside him, legs crossed, fingers wrapped tightly around her cup.


    Too tightly.


    "So now he''s a hero," ire said sharply. "Convenient."


    Rae''s head snapped up.


    Cassian blinked. "Who?"


    "Nn," ire replied, scoffing. "The whole kingdom''s suddenly forgotten who he actually is."


    Rae watched her closely. ire''s smile didn''t reach her eyes. It hadn''t for days.


    Cassian frowned. "He protected me. Publicly. Took a de meant for me."


    "And now everyone''s lining up to crown him," ire shot back. "Funny how that works."