Chapter 5

And as she fell, the bundle came apart against the rocks below — and inside it was a plastic doll.

Cade stood with his gun still raised, watching Mara disappear into the dark below.

Before he could move, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned.

Nanny Webb was running toward him, out of breath, holding a bundle wrapped tight.

"Alpha! The Luna — she passed through the nursery and handed the baby to me. Told me to run. Said take him and go—"

Cade's eyes dropped to the bundle.

The real baby. Safe. Asleep.

"No—"

He stumbled toward the cliff edge. Vivienne grabbed his arm.

"Cade! Even so — she brought the kidnapper here. It's on her—"

"You're wrong."

The voice came from behind the crowd.

Cade turned. Eleanor walked forward, flanked by two Pack warriors. Between them was the kidnapper, arms bound.

"We caught him," Eleanor said. She glanced at Vivienne on the ground, then back at Cade. "He was a Pack servant you dismissed without reason. He came back for revenge." She paused. "He told us he meant to take Vivienne. He wasn't expecting Mara to be the one who came out holding the baby."

A long silence.

"This was not Mara's doing."

Then Cade saw something on the ground where Mara had stood. He went still.

It was a small charm — a protective talisman he'd once carved and given to Ren. Ren had never taken it off.

What was it doing here?

A Pack warrior jogged up.

"Alpha. We found — we found the remains of your son Ren. In the western corner of the Pack Grounds."

The rest of the words disappeared.

Cade's ears went silent.

Ren.

Ren was dead?

When did that happen?

Then it hit him — Mara, at the Pack Healing Center, crying, grabbing at him. He's dying, Cade. Please. Just look at him.

The ground came up.