My mother comes to his side, pressing her muzzle against his.

I wish I knew what she was saying to him.

Emile bursts from the trees, shifting form as he reaches Efron. He keeps his voice low, but I watch the Keeper’s face contort with outrage. Efron points at us and Emile grins. He’s a wolf again, barreling toward my parents.

My father jumps in front of my mother and Emile stops just short of him. His teeth are bared and drool slips from his jaws.

What do we do? Bryn is trembling beside me. What’s happening?

I don’t know. My hackles are raised, but we can’t attack a Bane alpha. Can we?

As my father and Emile stare at each other, fur bristling and muscles quivering with rage, Lumine and Efron move together, closing the space that had separated the Keepers from the wolves.

Lumine passes Emile without a glance. Her eyes are cold as they pass over my mother to rest on my father.

“This will be much more pleasant if you stand down, Stephen,” she says. I can’t detect anything amiss in her calm voice.

Keeping his eyes on Lumine, my father shifts form.

“Mistress, please.” He bows his head. “What’s happening? Where’s my daughter?”

Lumine stiffens, but Efron smiles.

“That is something we’d all like to know,” he says. He flicks his wrist and Emile lunges forward, knocking my still-human father to the ground.

The squeal of the cell door opening woke me. I cemented my jaw shut, forcing myself to swallow the sob at the back of my throat.

I knew what I’d see next: the slithering movement of a wraith. The Keepers sent them in at least twice a day.

But today-whatever day that was-something different came through the door. Something worse.

I recognized him immediately. The dark fur and smoky eyes. The confidence in his stride.