Zak’s POV I wake up earlier than I want to. What the hell is going on? My eyes feel heavy from lack of sleep. I feel my mate, I smell her scent. There are no threats I can sense. “Beteo, what the fuck man?”. He grunts at me, “don’t worry about it, go back to sleep Zak”. Why the hell is he moving my body, in my skin? Forcing my eyes open, I realize he’s scenting Dana. “You fucking creep, what are you doing? She’s going to wake up and scream at you”. He chuckles at me, “she actually rather likes it. She’s been moaning in her sleep for the last half hour”. I nearly choke on his admission, “excuse me what? How long have you been hovering over her like a serial killer Beteo?”. He grunts again, “not creepy asswipe, mate is with pup. She needs rest and to smell like us. You have done your part. Go away”. “Well now I’m awake fuckwad so what exactly is it that you are doing?”. He stops for a second, “I won’t block you out Zak if you promise not to interfere and keep aski

Liam’s POV We spent hours rummaging through boxes of disgusting, and I mean, revolting evidence of trafficked and abused wolves. Not only did Ian’s family black mail a lot of their clients but some of the clients straight up made pornography with their victims and sold it apparently. By lunchtime, we are all in terrible spirits. “If I have to see one more video or photo of this shit I’m going to break something”. We all drop what we’re doing and take a breath. “Good spot for a break I’d say”, Lee chimes. “Has anyone found anything involving Regan?”. Everyone solemnly shakes their heads no. “No, just a lot of fucked up other shit”, as Leo closes his box. Suddenly, as I stare at the men around me, I realize… every one of these mens’ mates have been violated by these traffickers. Mine included. “Guys, I want to talk to you all about something and it’s okay if you don’t think you can but I need you to be honest. We, all of us, all of our mates have been horribly

Danny’s POV I feel more determined than ever to put this all behind us and start afresh. Savannah said she’d let me hold her tonight which will help me get through all of this. I start rifling through the boxes with newfound determination. I run into a metal tin box. Opening the lid, photos spill out. My lunch exits my body with force. “Oh god Danny…'' Zak shrieks. Leo jumps back as the vomit narrowly misses his shoes, “oh shit man, fuckin… oh fuck…”... he hurls in the corner after seeing the same photos. The room is in full on exorcist mode. I am too busy trying to keep what bile I have left inside me to notice who has or hasn’t seen them. Lee picks them up, “these must be his handy work”. Liam is pacing, holding his nose and trying very hard not to puke. “How do we know definitively they’re his?”. Lee holds up one in particular. “Well besides him posing with the body, he’s carved his initials into her skin”. Liam loses his lunch too. Zak makes a b

Leo’s POV I’ve been lying wide awake since about 4am. Michelle has been tossing and turning. I can feel the anxiety coming through our bond. I am desperately trying to not show my fear or any other emotion other than strength but after what alpha told me yesterday and the day before about Michelle’s “sacrifices”... I can’t stop thinking about that. Suddenly I hear her whimper and it pulls my attention to her suddenly. Her breath draws in sharply and she exhales, almost like she had stopped breathing. I watch her closely for another minute or two until I can’t witness it anymore. “Michelle, love… baby”. She stirs softly. “You’re not breathing normally, are you okay?”. She just shakes her head no and blinks. “What do you mean?”. She gulps, “night terrors… I get them sometimes”. My heart tears a hole. “What? What do you mean? Like… what kinds of night terrors?”. A few tears escape her beautiful eyelashes but her sleepy eyes don’t bat them away so I wipe them. “M

Ian’s POV It’s Ruth’s turn to receive “50 questions” and my nerves are on fire. My internal guilt is already mounting but watching her make her way up to the stand, my nerve endings are aching. Luckily her situation was not as cumbersome so hopefully she won’t have to be as interrogated. They question her for maybe 30 minutes and then release her. As she’s making her way back to me, I’m extending my arms to receive her when I hear my name called to stand. What? Me? I’m not supposed to testify. Am I? I look at Liam. He links me, “did you know about this?”. It’s the defense attorney who has called me so I’m not surprised he learned my link to this whole shit show. I stand slowly, unfolding my hand from Ruth’s. She has an apprehensive look. Kissing her cheek, I whisper that it will be alright. And boy, they don’t waste any time. “Ian, what is your relationship to the Hardbrook family?”. I look at him like he has 100 eyes. “Ruth Hardbrook is my mate, Alpha Liam’s sis