That first part she had expected, but not the second. She would have to be very stupid not to have understood that he did not particularly like her. He needed her—or someone in her place. Someone to balance his fierce and too-powerful wolf—and also someone to bear some of the burden of his various offices: Marrok, Alpha, guardian of the wildlings. She was useful.

She’d thought that he would take this opportunity to set her aside “for her own sake.” He had wronged her, forced her because she had not been in any condition to give consent, either to being Changed or to mating with him. She deserved better. She should go out in the real world and find better. And then he could find someone he’d be happier with.

Maybe she could convince him that she wanted things to stay as they were because she was ambitious. Any role she held after being the Marrok’s mate would be lowering her position. Both of those things were true.

She did not want to tell him the real reason she wanted things to stay as they were. She had loved, really loved, three people in her adult life. One of them had died before he had a chance to live. One of them had grown up into a monster that Leah had killed. The third was standing in her bedroom, and she was fairly sure he’d spent nearly two centuries hating her because she was not Blue Jay Woman.

“Leah,” he said when she’d been silent too long. “I don’t want to lose you.”

She gave him a sardonic smile. “Why the hell not?”

He tilted his head and she saw the shadow of his wolf pass through his eyes. Then he opened the mating bond—which had always been tightly shut, always—and showed her.

E P I L O G U E

Outside, the first snowstorm of the season was whistling through the trees, turning the world white. Inside, Charles had a guitar out and was singing Gordon Lightfoot songs. Anna was knitting an afghan that she intended as a Christmas present for her dad. Flames danced in the fireplace.

Someone knocked fiercely on the door, startling both of them.

Charles put his guitar aside. He didn’t make it to the door before it opened—letting in a blast of arctic cold and a fair amount of snow before his brother, Samuel, shut it. Seeing him home and safe relieved a worry that always lurked in Charles’s heart when those he loved were away.

“Samuel,” Charles said. “Welcome.”