Selene’s POV“Selene, are you ready?” Odette is knocking on the dressing room door, her kind voice unusually somber.“Yes.” I call, smoothing my skirts. “You can come in.”The door pushes open, and my mother-in-law’s lovely face peeks inside. She sidles through the narrow opening, approaching me with a wistful expression. “Oh my darling.” Odette murmurs bleakly, her eyes shining as she studies my reflection. “I really thought you two would make it.”“I thought we might too” I admit, keeping my gaze high to ward off tears. “For a while.”Her hand closes around mine, squeezing gently. “What happened, Selene?” She asks gently.All at once it hits me that I’m not merely losing my husband, but the only parental figures I’ve known since my mother died. I swipe at an escaped tear, “It’s what Bastien wants.”Odette frowns, the edges of her warm brown eyes crinkling beneath the weight of her drawn brows. She opens her mouth to speak but before any words can escape, all the blood drains from he

Selene’s POV“What is this?” I choke, my heart racing as I stare down at the reward flier.“Nothing.” Bastien reaches for the paper, but I lean back over the armrest until I’m on the verge of falling. I may not be able to extend my arms past his reach, but I trust he’ll choose catching me over reclaiming the page.Luckily he does exactly that, clamping his hands on my hips to keep me anchored while I twist my body away from him. “It’s clearly something.”“Selene, stop that.” He admonishes, pulling me back into the chair, “You’re going to hurt yourself.”With a huff I obey, waving the flier in front of his nose. “How long have you known about this? Where did you find it, how long has this been going on?”Bastien sighs, “Sweetheart this is why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to worry for nothing. I’m handling it.”“If it were nothing you wouldn’t need to handle it.” I reason sharply, squirming to escape his lap and failing. “And what exactly does that mean? How in the Goddess’s nam

Selene’s POVI glance around the council chambers anxiously, wondering if anyone will step forward to challenge Bastien for control of the pack. The council can’t force him to step down as Alpha, but if he loses a fight to a stronger wolf he won’t have a choice.I doubt there is anyone in Elysium strong enough to take on my husband, but this isn’t only about winning. Perception is everything. Whether or not someone can actually succeed, pack members challenging Bastien means they’ve lost confidence in his leadership, that they believe he is weak enough to unseat.Seconds drag on like hours, mutters swarming like angry bees as Bastien turns on the spot, staring down the complainers until the chamber finally falls silent. I breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever they might say behind closed doors, when push comes to shove no one is brave enough to actually take on the Alpha.Once he’s certain no one is going to speak up, Bastien turns back to the council. “There you have it gentlemen. You m

Bastien’s POVThe Autumn Equinox has always been my favorite holiday. Above All Souls Night, the Summer Solstice and Yuletide, the Equinox is the best day of the year. Every September Elysium is overtaken by a sprawling festival celebrating the event, combining centuries-old rites and traditions with modern revelry and entertainment.The changing of the seasons has always been sacred to shifters. Our power is always strongest on the nights the Goddess turns the wheel of the world, summoning so much magic it overflows into all of creation.More than any year of my life so far, this Autumn’s celebration must go well. It’s my first year as Alpha and even though my father oversaw most of the planning, the actual event is happening on my watch. With everything that has happened in the last few weeks I desperately need some good PR with the pack, and a superb Equinox would go a long way to achieving that.On the other hand, if something goes wrong, it will be a literal disaster. The pack wo

Bastien’s POVI barely recognize my mother. Her once glowing skin is pallid and gray, her usually bright eyes are dull and glassy, and even her hair seems to be losing its color. She’s barely left her room since my father died, staying in bed all day and hugging his pillow as she cries.As distant as Selene has been lately, she seems equally concerned about my mother’s health, now hovering beside me outside the master bedroom and peeking worriedly through the gap in the door.“You have to talk to her.” She urges.“And say what?” I counter helplessly.Selene’s two-toned eyes cut to me. “She needs a reason to go on without Gabriel.” She proclaims. “To be reminded of how much she still has to live for.”My head shakes back and forth. “She’s lost everything.”“Not everything.” My wife says pointedly. “If there’s one force on this earth stronger than love for a mate, it’s love for a child.” She nudges me toward the door, “If her purpose as a mother can’t pull her through, nothing will.”Ut