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Not healed. Not whole.

But awake.

Rylan loosens his hold enough to look at me. “They lost their mother tonight, Darian.”

Fuck.

“They need their father.”

My wolf presses against me.

Go to pups.

I drag air into my lungs. “I don't know how to do this without her.”

“Neither did I.”

I look at him.

Rylan wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “I didn't know how to live after Elise. I didn't know how to live after Selena died. I know what it is to lose my mate. I know what it is to lose a pup. I know what it's like to carry memories from another life and wonder what the fuck you're supposed to do with them.”

My wolf gathers himself around the thought of our children.

Damian. Darlene. Arian.

Rylan holds my gaze. “You don't have to know how to live without Arlene tonight. You just have to go home to your pups.”

I close my eyes.

Protect pups.

My throat tightens. "Always."

Rylan helps me to my feet. This time I let him.

For a moment, I stand there trying to remember how to make my legs move toward a home where my mate won't be waiting for me.

Then silver flashes through my mind.

The dagger.

I look at Rylan. “That dagger came from my former pack.”

His expression hardens. “I remember.”

“Someone brought something from my old pack here and used it to kill my mate.”

“We'll find out who.”

I stare at him. “We?”

Rylan doesn't hesitate. “We.”

“You don't owe me that.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Why?”