So why was it suddenly so hard to breathe?

“Maybe I will take Cady up on that offer,” Bales said, studying my expression. “I’d like to see more of this town of yours—more of your forest.”

Something wet and warm nudged my hand, and I jumped. I looked down to Saskia—loyal and wild and strong-willed and scarred. I’d never questioned how she’d come to us, who had dumped her on Cady’s property, why her previous owner had finally let her go.

As I sank down next to her, my fingers curling into her fur, her heart beating in tune with mine—I wondered. Wondered who had saved her. Wondered who had delivered her to Cady.

To me.

Acknowledgments

The writing, revising, and copyediting of this book spanned two and a half years, two pregnancies, two babies, and the most hectic period of my life to date, and I could not have done it without a wealth of support from people to whom I am incredibly grateful. First and foremost, my editor, Kieran Viola, is incredible—all of the characters (but especially Kira, Gabriel, and Free) became so much more themselves with her guidance. I could not ask for a more supportive, thoughtful, hardworking editor, and I am so grateful for the way she worked with me to give me some time off when my babies were small. I am also incredibly thankful for my agent, Elizabeth Harding, and the rest of my team at Curtis Brown (especially Ginger Clark, Holly Frederick, and Sarah Perillo), who fight for my books and bring me so many smiles along the way. I am also blessed to have an amazing publishing team and would like to thank Emily Meehan, Mary Mudd, Marci Senders, Dina Sherman, and Cassie McGinty for all of their hard work on my behalf.

I am also so thankful for all of the support I have received (and continue to receive) from family and friends. I’ve been an author since I was nineteen, but the transition to being a writer and a mom is not one I could have made without such an incredible support system, full of people who are always there to help when I need them. I am particularly grateful to my husband, Anthony, who is the most incredible partner I could ask for; to my parents, who are never more than a call away; to our wonderful babysitters and daycare providers; to my colleagues and students at the University of Oklahoma; and to Rachel Vincent, who in addition to being my partner-in-crime for all things writing, was also one of the first people to come visit me after each of my babies was born.