I shut my eyes and tried to think of another way. Then the covers shifted.

Dante was back.

“Dante?”

“Why are you still awake?”

“With all that noise? How could I sleep?”

The lights were off. Just pale moonlight bleeding through the curtains.

I could barely make out his profile. His eyes were still open.

“Layla. Do you blame me?”

No context. But I knew exactly what he meant.

I swallowed.

“Yes.”

Dante exhaled and found my hand under the covers.

“I’m sorry.”

Sorry didn’t bring Bella back.

“Emily is taking really good care of her. You don’t have to worry.”

I pulled my hand free and turned away. I didn’t answer.

I was still scrambling for ideas when Maria made her move.

She and Dante had another fight that morning. Dante left for pack duties. Marcus went to church. It was just me and Maria in the house.

I heard the crash from the other bedroom. I ran.

Maria had tried to hang herself.

But she’d tied the rope to the ceiling light fixture. It couldn’t hold her weight. The whole thing ripped out of the ceiling and came down on her head.

By the time the ambulance got her to the hospital, Dante was already there.

Her face was covered in blood. The moment they lifted her off the gurney, Dante’s legs gave out. He dropped to his knees.

Marcus arrived a few minutes later. The first thing he did was slap Dante across the face.

“If anything happens to your mother, I’ll cast you out of this pack.”

“You could give away your own pup? Did I forget to give you a brain when I fathered you? That woman means more to you than your own daughter?”

Mia and Dylan were there too. They’d been trying to pull Marcus back. Then they heard those words and froze.

“What woman? What are you talking about?”

Marcus suddenly noticed them. His mouth snapped shut.

But Dylan wasn’t letting it go. He kept pressing.

“Dylan, stop. Dante gave Bella to Emily. His first love.”

I spoke from the corner, quiet and steady. Dylan’s face changed the second he heard me. He kicked Dante to the ground.

“Layla told me you gave Bella away. I wanted to beat the hell out of you then. She begged me to stay out of it. You think you’d still be breathing right now if she hadn’t stopped me?”

“You think Moonlight Pack has no teeth? If you don’t bring Bella back, your Silvermoon Pack can find itself a new Alpha.”

The tables turned fast. Dylan throwing punches. Marcus trying to pull him off. And Dante? He just curled up on the floor, hands over his head. Didn’t fight back at all.

“Layla gave up half her life for you. You’d be dead if it weren’t for her. And you repay her by giving her daughter to another woman? Did you ever think about what that would do to her? She’s supposed to just live with this until she dies?”

Dylan finished venting, grabbed my arm, and pulled me toward the door.

“Layla doesn’t need you. She can find another mate and be just fine. Dante, you still don’t see it. You’re broken now. You’ll never have pups. Without Layla, you won’t find anyone.”

“If I’d known the truth earlier, I would’ve broken this bond myself. It’s not too late. Layla, I’m taking you home. Moonlight Pack won’t let you suffer here.”

Dylan had only dragged me a few steps before Dante threw himself at my feet and clung to my legs.

“She can’t go. Layla can’t leave.”