Esmeralda's POV
Chase’s voice cracked through the air like thunder.
Amanda’s head snapped toward him, her breath hitching. The moment their eyes locked, something shifted in the air—a pull, a recognition.
Alexander froze, his claws inches from Amanda’s throat. "What…?" he rasped. "This can’t be. They’ve already met."
Kailee’s gaze flickered between them, her brow furrowing. "Their bond was hidden," she realized. "Azazel suppressed it."
Amanda’s voice was barely a whisper. "It can’t be."
Chase echoed her, stunned. "It can’t be."
I saw it then—the war in his expression. Amanda had hurt his pack, his people. But she was his mate.
Kaid’s voice boomed across the clearing. "Is she your mate?"
Chase’s throat worked. "Y-yes, Alpha. She is."
Kaid turned to Amanda. "Do you feel the connect
