The air in Alpha Michael’s office felt heavier than Elaine remembered. The polished mahogany desk gleamed in the soft amber light spilling through the wide window, and the faint scent of pine and smoke lingered—an echo of the Crescent Moon territory itself. She stood in the middle of the room, her eyes scanning every corner as old memories stirred, uninvited and merciless.
The last time she was here, the world had been different. Back then, she had been told that Michael and Kathy would have their marking ceremony, and after that—her own rejection would be made official. She remembered how she had walked out of this very room feeling hollow, every step pulling her farther from the bond she once thought sacred.
But the rejection never happened. Not as planned. What came instead was pain—s
