Xander's POV

I stood there in my black suit, accepting condolences from pack members who had no idea what they were mourning.

They thought they were saying goodbye to Elise, but all we'd buried was torn fabric and a bracelet around bones that weren't even hers.

Yes, the bracelet wasn't Elise. I could feel it, deep down that all of this was probably planned. I knew it deep in my gut that those remains weren't my mate. But I couldn't say a word about why I was so certain.

Elise's wolf was ...