Connor POV - For the second time, Connor didn’t stop to knock as he reached Inga’s door and walked straight inside. However, unlike the night before, she wasn’t sitting in the kitchen dressing a wound. The Beta, or maybe she wasn’t the Beta anymore, was pacing in the front room, chewing her thumb nail to a nub. She didn’t look up when he entered, nor did she stop moving. He hadn’t seen her like that before. He could almost feel her agitation bothering the air around them, scratching at his skin, urging him to soothe her. Connor denied the instinct. Not only was he not trying to get himself killed by touching her, but he also wanted her to face this. She had kept their connection from him. He had flared his pheromones in her presence before, so she knew they were true mates, but she hadn’t told him. Connor felt that like a blow to the gut. After the night Inga had told them all about the revolution and her lies to get them to Grey Stone, he had hoped they’d be honest moving forwa

Connor POV - Connor knew it was probably bad form to be standing in a battle strategy meeting with a stupid ass grin on his face, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't compose himself. Everyone had noticed and, by the way Inga blushed every time she looked at him, it was no secret why he was smiling so much. However, at least she managed to stay focused. He couldn’t even attempt to be serious when his mind kept wandering to their evening together. There hadn’t been much to it. They shared a drink, they talked, they went to sleep, but, somehow, it was simply perfect. Lying at her side, listening to her soft breaths, feeling them play across his chest as he held her. He could’ve stayed there forever. If it wasn’t for his brother’s nagging mindlink that morning he would’ve. Though Connor wasn’t adding anything of use to the meeting, Inga was. Among the Alphas, Betas and warriors in the office, she had wrestled her way to the front, determined to have her say. With Autumn new t

Inga POV - “That’s good, Jamie. Really good.” Connor praised; his smile far too bright for Inga’s liking. She scowled at him through the rear-view mirror, but his attention was fully on the rogue. He must’ve felt her glare, she was sure of it, but he didn’t so much as blink or glance in her direction. Inga’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, her knuckles white, her foot pressing down on the accelerator. However, neither of which cooled her souring mood. It was bad enough knowing the four of them were headed into enemy territory to start a war, and they’d be one slip up away from imprisonment, or worse, but to spend their last moments together sitting beside other wolves sucked. However, with Connor coaching the rogue on how to keep her expression neutral and intentions hidden, Inga was close to bailing on the mission all together. If the lives of so many wolves weren’t at stake, she might’ve done, just to see his face. “Erm, guys, perhaps this is a good place to stop.”

Inga POV - It had been hours since she had seen Connor. Hours since they had arrived at Red Dawn and he had been taken to his cell. Apart from Jamie returning to her side and confirming him and Lewis were locked up, she hadn’t heard anything about him since. The not knowing itched at her, stealing her attention, nagging at her thoughts when she needed to be focused. Despite being bound with silver, Inga’s role was far more dangerous than his. Where he was locked away waiting for his role to come, Inga had to keep her cover, plant false information and play to Red Dawn’s tune without raising suspicions. Unfortunately, that included joining Luna Eleanor, Daniel and the Alpha for dinner. Inga hadn’t packed for such an event, but Eleanor graciously offered her a dress to wear. The fabric was binding, black and stark against her skin, wrapping her from her neck to her knees. She felt like she was being squeezed from every angle. Not only was it a horrible dress, but it restricted her m

Connor POV - He was sure his heart stopped, freezing time for the span of a breath, as Inga tipped on the stairs. Her body shifted backward, falling with only the hard stairs to catch her. The silver blade in her shoulder caught the light as she became airborne. Its flash shot through Connor’s mind, jerking him back to his body, forcing a fresh dose of adrenaline through his system. He charged forward, reaching with desperate hands to catch her, to soften her fall, to protect her. He wasn’t sure if it was a miracle, or a divine gift from the Moon Goddess, but the moment he felt her back push against his fingertips, the panic eased, relief chased it away. He was allowed a breath, but the brief moment of calm was crushed as Inga crashed into him. Connor was off balance. His only goal had been to soften her fall, but he didn’t have time to catch her. Her weight pushed him back, forcing him to join her fall, but he wrapped his arms tight around her, curling into her, protecting he