“Our home was comfortable. My mother had flowers flourishing in the windows. I had friends, did well in school, played safely in the causeways. When they came, when orders were given, Dad grabbed me, no questions asked, both of us in our pajamas, and pushed past the Enforcers. His transport had been confiscated, so he dragged me behind him the final distance to the nearest bridge to the next sector. He pulled me so fast I did not even have time to turn around or look back. We went up the elevators, almost all the way to the top of the Dome. The Gallery Gardens... my dad took me to the orange trees before anything bad could touch me. He took me away from the sight of my house being stolen. We stayed in the highest level, for two weeks, some of that time I even forgot to miss my mother. He kept me there until his savings were depleted and we had no choice but to leave.”

“That sounds like Collin.” Maryanne nodded, unsure what the point of her story was.

“I can’t carry my baby someplace where he will be safe. There won’t be any orange groves. No playdates in the park, or family vacations.” Claire’s voice grew darker and slow tears fell down her cheeks. “I cannot even begin to imagine what there will be.”

Brown eyes softened and Maryanne said nothing, could think of nothing to offer that would suit. She was not going to lie to Claire and say it would be okay. Her friend was a hunted woman with a mate who had the power to take down the greatest city in the modern world—a man millions of people wanted to see dead. The best she could do was ask, “Have you picked out a name?”

“No.”

“Are there any you like?”

“No.”

“Well, you better pick one. I can see your Alpha thinking Shepherd Jr. is acceptable, and it just... isn’t,” Maryanne teased.

Claire offered a tired chuckle, a small twist in her lips before her mouth grew hard. “I tried to kill myself, Maryanne. Shepherd found me preparing to drown in the Thólos water reserve. At this moment, I am only breathing for you. If I had died, you would have died, Corday would have died, the Omegas...” It was the first conversation Claire had attempted of that nature in Shepherd’s presence, the man choosing not to interrupt. “I did not walk off the ice for my son. Now here I am, alive, and my child is in the hands of a man who is responsible for the genocide of millions and the…” Claire’s voice just stopped before she could add, the mad woman he still kneels to. Realizing she would have signed Maryanne’s death warrant by sharing knowledge Claire knew Shepherd would never allow her friend to walk out of the room with, Claire swallowed and continued, “…the army who follow him.”