Page 8 of Claimed By The Tracker

"Retrieval."

"Yes."

"Not missing person."

"No."

"Not welfare check."

"No."

"Retrieval."

His gaze stayed on mine.

"Yes."

Property.

That was the word he wasn't saying.

The word my father had buried beneath pages of legal language.

"When?"

His expression changed.

"What?"

"When did my father file it?"

"Yesterday morning."

I stared at him.

Yesterday.

Before I'd walked out.

Before I'd torn off the veil.

Before I'd made the choice my father apparently already knew I might make.

"He knew."

The wolf's brow tightened.

"He knew I'd run."

"Lena—"

"He had you waiting before I ever left."

Something inside me cracked.

My magic surged.

There was no warning.