Xaden stared at Anna.
And then… at each one of them.
His eyes swept over Nanny Nia, who wouldn't meet his gaze.
She simply stood with her fists tightened by her side and glaring at Anna as though she was going to strangle her in any split second.
Fiona, whose lips were parted like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't.
Erik, whose fists were clenched too tightly at his sides.
And Loren, whose usual sarcasm had gone eerily quiet.
Anna's words still echoed like an aftershock in his chest.
She sneaked out of the forest.
She didn't even think of her baby.
She ran away from the pack.
Jasmine… left?
That didn't make sense. That wasn't her.
Not the Jasmine that he had come to know.
None of these even made any sense.
Not the one who had looked at him with such fear and fire.
Not the woman who had cried in his arms like the world was too heavy on her shoulders, but still refused to let go.
"No," he said quietly, his voice brittle. "She wouldn't."
