The Den Library’s musty air clung to me as I slammed the herbology book shut, the words about wolfsbane burning in my mind: masks wolf traits, hides mate bonds.

Val’s secret was unraveling, and my wolf wouldn’t let it go. His scent in the Vault yesterday—sweet, wrong, not alpha—had my instincts screaming. I leaned back in the creaky chair, the flickering candle casting shadows across the texts.

My Rank 95 status gave me access to this section, but even that didn’t ease the knot ...