"Claire."

Alina Veyne pulled me into a tight hug the second she saw me.

"I'm so glad you came."

"Wouldn't miss this for anything."

I smiled against her shoulder.

She pulled back slowly.

"Thank you for doing this."

"You never have to thank me." I dropped my backpack onto the ground beside us. "I brought jeans, sneakers, a shirt…" I paused. "Forgot underwear."

A laugh slipped out of her.

"We can survive that tragedy."

Then she started stripping out of her clothes.

Fast.

Efficient.

We'd planned every detail already.

If the pack caught Alina's scent on me, they'd follow the wrong trail long enough for her to disappear into Seattle. New clothes. Different car. No scent left behind.

At least for a while.

"There's cash in the glove compartment." I handed her the keys. "Don't use your cards."

Alina took them quietly.

"You know I'd never put you in danger, right?"

"I know."

I started changing too.

Didn't hesitate.

"When they catch your scent, they'll come after you." Her voice lowered slightly. "But they won't hurt you."

I glanced up.

"They'll take you to him once they realize you're not me."

"Him?"

Alina nodded once.

"Alpha Vaelor Thorne."

The name alone sounded dangerous.

"He's going to be furious, isn't he?"

"Yes."

No sugarcoating.

"If you want to back out—"

"I don't."

The answer came too fast.

Alina watched me for another second.

Then looked away.

"Part of me thinks he wants this to end as well."

She shoved the backpack over one shoulder.

"Being forced into a political mating isn't exactly romantic."

A snort left me.

"Letting you choose your own fated mate would be a decent start."

Alina smiled faintly.

"I think Vaelor wanted that once."

"Wanted what?"

"A real mate."

Wind moved through the trees around us.

"He waited for years." Her voice softened. "Nothing happened."

I crossed my arms.

"So he slept his way through Seattle instead?"

A laugh almost escaped her.

"You have no idea."

"God. I hate men like that."

"It's different for wolves."

"That's convenient."

"No." Alina looked at me finally. "It's lonely."

Silence settled between us.

Somewhere deeper in the forest, something howled.

Low.

Distant.

My skin prickled.

"The pack needs an heir," she said quietly. "That pressure never stops."

"But why you?" I tied my hair back tighter. "You're not his fated mate."

"Because he trusts me."

Her answer came instantly.

"I'm loyal to the pack. Everyone knows that."

"That's not a reason to marry someone."

"For wolves, it is."

Alina stepped closer.

"If another she-wolf joins the pack through mating, nobody knows where her loyalty truly belongs." Her jaw tightened. "Power changes things."

"You think someone would kill him?"

"I think wolves kill for less."

The words settled heavy in my chest.

"He gave me every logical reason," Alina said. "And honestly…" She looked away. "Some of them made sense."

I stared at her.

"You're actually defending this?"

"I'm protecting my people."

The way she said people.

Not wolves.

People.

"That's not fair to you."

"Life rarely is."

I hated how calm she sounded.

"Vaelor follows pack law." She shrugged lightly. "As Alpha, he thinks he has to."

"And disappearing fixes that?"

"Temporarily."

A small smile touched her mouth.

"Maybe he'll finally find another solution while I'm gone."

"You really think a man like that changes?"

Alina laughed softly under her breath.

"You haven't met him."

"No. But I'm already judging him."

"That sounds about right."

I rolled my eyes.

"You deserve better than being somebody's backup bride."

Something flickered across her face.

Gone too fast to name.

"I'm not condemning myself to a forced mating," she said quietly. "And I'm not condemning him either."

The wind shifted again.

This time I caught it too.

Wild.

Animal.

Watching.

"You should go," I said softly.

Alina stepped forward and hugged me one last time.

"Be careful, Claire."

"You too."

"I'll call you."

"I'll be waiting."

She pulled away slowly.

Then disappeared between the trees.

Graceful.

Silent.

Wolf-like even in human form.

I stood there watching until I couldn't see her anymore.

"I'll get you out of this," I whispered.

Then I turned and ran the opposite direction.

Twenty minutes later my lungs burned.

Branches scraped my arms as I pushed through the forest surrounding pack territory.

Finally I stopped beside a tree, breathing hard.

Please let her make it to the car.

Please.

The woods had gone completely silent.

Too silent.

A chill crawled slowly down my spine.

I wasn't alone anymore.

Something was watching me.

Closely.