And if she was just drunk and shacked up with some man or woman in Bora Bora, I’d laugh at my paranoia while being super happy she was alive. Until I knew for sure, though, I couldn’t stop worrying.

“And your mom,” Jaxson continued, even though I’d already forgotten about her. Not that it wasn’t concerning, but her absence was basically the constant in my life. “Torin has not been that good at keeping track of shifters who leave Torma, but the last record of Lucinda was that she’d been given permission to leave with Alpha Shaw from the Alikta pack in Idaho. I’m sure she’ll surface again when he gets sick of her.”

I snorted, finally able to move my arms freely, as the last of my injuries healed. “Yeah, sounds a lot like her.” Getting permission to leave Torma was a hell of a lot easier under Torin than it had been with Victor. Of course, as per my usual luck, it was too late for that to be of use to me. Especially since I was the damn alpha-mate.

“Come on,” Jaxson said, attempting to capture my arm so he could lift me from the ravine. I didn’t need his help, though, so I shook him off.

Once we were out of the ditch and back on the main path, the unanswered questions in my head churned harder than ever at me. What had caused my brain to near explode, sending me into the ravine? Had it been those words in my head?

I tried to think about that phrase again, and before I even got three words in, pain slammed into me. Pressing my hands briefly to my temples, I breathed through the stabbing sensation, only able to relax when it faded away. And it only faded when I stopped trying to recall the complete sentence.

It seemed those words were connected to the missing parts of my life. Parts someone did not want me to uncover, but all they were doing was increasing my need to figure it all out.

Someone out there knew the truth. Even if that someone wasn’t Torin, there were plenty of other shifters in Torma, and my brain was not going to let me rest until I questioned every single member of the pack.

“You’re doing it again,” Jaxson said, cutting into my thoughts. “Disappearing into your mind. I’ve never seen you quite like this in our twenty-plus years of friendship.”

I blinked at him, forcing myself to focus on him. Twenty years? Yeah, okay pal. More like ten and then we were solid enemies.

“Memories were stolen from me,” I bit out. “I can’t let it rest, Jax. I know you’ve told me to just enjoy my blessings and position of prestige in the pack, but it’s—”