Just when I thought that we were out of the woods, trouble finds me again. Koen’s encounter with his ex-wife raises concerning questions, and I can’t help but seek answers I didn’t want to get. Lies and doubts drive a wedge between us, and suddenly, the mate I trusted feels like a stranger. But I don’t have the luxury of sorting through my feelings—because the Elder Council has come knocking on my door. They want to force me out of hiding, under the risk of exposing my pack’s secret if I don’t. The paradise I glimpsed shatters, slipping through my fingers like quicksilver, burning as it goes. And this time, I can’t count on Koen. How could I, when he’s part of the reason I can’t think straight? With the weight of my kind’s legacy pressing down on me, I have no choice but to act. Love or duty—one must fall. And if I must stand alone to protect my pack, then so be it.