The limo moved like it had nowhere to be. Prowling slowly through wide lanes and palm-lined streets. The kind of place where the number of tourists far outnumbered the locals.
The farther they drove, the clearer it became. No pack territory signs. No hidden patrols. Just endless condos, pastel storefronts, and white-haired humans walking tiny dogs.
I sat stiffly, arms locked. Shade didn't say a damn thing. Good. If he tried again, I was going to lose it. There was nothing left to explain. Nothing he could say would stop the fire building in my chest.
Every red light dragged longer than the last. Every turn toward the water felt more like betrayal. My mother didn't belong here. She belonged in the heart of our land, not buried beneath sand and sunscreen.
The limo curved off the main ro
