Tears traced warmth down Olivia’s cheeks as she unplugged her laptop to secure it in its case. She made a call to the car service that had brought her to the lodge then opened her suitcase. As she folded her clothing into the bag, she tried not to notice the occasional water spot. I swear! You’ve cried more here than you have since Mom and Dad died. Swiping a tear from the edge of her mouth, Olivia closed the suitcase.

Leaving the silk long johns on the bed along with the cap and scarf, she wheeled her suitcase into the hall then picked it up for the suddenly endless trek down the stairs to wait for the car. She knew she’d have to confront Micah. No one could leave or enter the property without him being aware of it.

He stood in the doorway to the kitchen, a silent statue with arms folded over his chest. His hair hung loose around his face and though his pose might have looked casual, she could smell his tension. The air hung heavy between them as she put her luggage by the front door.

“You’re leaving?”

She’d have had to be made of stone not to hear the hurt and disbelief in his voice. His fingers curled around a loose thread on his sweater. She watched as he pulled at the string, almost as though he was trying to pull her back to him. Olivia fought the urge to tell him to stop-it wasn’t her place. She had no right or reason to tell him to do anything. Micah released the string to rub lightly at his chest, reminding her of where her teeth had been scant hours before.

“I have to. I have to finish my story. I can’t stay here. I can’t be what you want me to be.” Words tumbled over each other as she pulled every sad excuse from her repertoire. Turning her head didn’t alleviate the incredible searing pain that blazed through her.

Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do. Which, she reminded herself, is precisely why you’re waiting for a cab to take you as far from him as possible.

“Why, Olivia? Why are you running? How long can you run from yourself?” He unfolded his arms and walked toward her but stopped when she took a step back. “Liv, this isn’t right. You belong here, with me, with Talia. You’re one of us.”

“No!” The violence inside her projected into that one syllable. “No, Micah, I am not one of you. Maybe, maybe if I’d been with the right family, maybe then all of this would make sense. All it makes right now is crazy. And I can’t afford crazy in my life. Do you even know how much money I spent in therapy? On medicine to keep me sane?”

Olivia backed farther away from him until she hit a wall. “I can’t, Micah, and I won’t.”

A sigh ripped from his lips as his shoulders sagged. “Then that’s that. I can’t make you stay, Olivia. I can’t make you want to be with me.” His voice faded then came back. “I can’t make you be one of us. What about Talia? Will you leave without saying goodbye?”

Tears misted in her eyes. “Tell her I love her and I’ll call her, okay? I can’t say goodbye to both of you. I’m not that strong.”

His chin sunk to his chest then he leveled his gaze at her. “I will always welcome you at my side, Olivia. The mark you left on me will never fade nor will your presence in my heart. I will always-”

A honk from outside interrupted him and Olivia didn’t wait for him to finish. She couldn’t hear him say those words. If she did, she might stay. Instead, she grabbed her luggage and fled as though the hounds of hell were at her heels.

Micah didn’t follow her to the car although she half expected him to. Or hoped. No, not hoped. That implied she wanted to stay and she couldn’t. She wouldn’t trust what was inside her ever again. Leaning back against the vinyl seats, Olivia gave in to the tears she’d held back in front of Micah. She was leaving the man she loved-the child who had stolen her heart when she wasn’t looking. She was leaving the only real home she’d ever found.

Micah stood in the lifeless kitchen until he could no longer hear the motor. Until he was sure he wouldn’t shift and chase her down to drag her back. The savage beast wailing inside him begged him to go after his mate. He had to resist. She had made her choice. Now he had to piece his shattered world back together.

Setting himself to start breakfast, Micah turned to the coffeepot and caught a movement from the doorway.

“Micah? Is everything okay?”

Gareth’s voice carried compassion. Micah knew he knew everything wasn’t okay. Lifting his head, he stared at his friend.

“She’s gone.” The stark words raked razors down his throat but they had to be said-had to be released so he could begin to deal with the loss of his mate.

“I know, Micah. I knew when I hit the door. You want to talk about it or do you want it to be business as usual? Your call.”

The unexpected sympathy knocked Micah off balance. He sought for control as he took a breath and sent the unsteadiness deep into his soul where he could deal with it later.

“What do you have for me, Gareth?”

Gareth read him a few messages that had come in on the answering service, then dove into some repairs some of the cabins needed. Micah tried his best to focus, but couldn’t.

“Sorry, Gareth.” Micah’s words halted Gareth’s seemingly unending litany of things to do. “I know I said business, but I can’t focus. I’m going for a run. Will you keep an eye out for Talia? She should be up soon.”

Not waiting for a response, Micah shed his clothes on the way out. He knew it was irresponsible but he also knew Gareth would pick them up. Right now he didn’t care about fair or right or anything other than running until the pain was gone. He thought he might have to run until he collapsed for that to happen.

He found no joy in the wind whipping past him because there was no sunlight-coated female at his side. That brief moment of joy seemed long gone in the face of this emptiness. Tilting his head, he gave voice to the grief he felt as snow whipped past his churning paws. Answering howls told him his Pack heard but wouldn’t interfere. They grieved with him even though he didn’t accept his place as Alpha and even though they didn’t know the true source of his grief. The thought humbled him.

Racing against the loss was a losing battle and Micah finally admitted that to himself. He slowed to a lope and turned back for the lodge. Talia. He had to let Talia know. Then he had to convince Olivia of what he knew to be the truth.

He could no more live without Olivia than be without his true nature. She’d just have to get used to him and Talia being around. He had to go to New York to convince her to come back to them. He and Talia needed Olivia.

With the lodge in sight, Micah trotted into the barn to shift and dress. He always kept spare clothing in there. Talia was a shifter but she was still a little girl. No need to educate her on the niceties of the human male form just yet. He slid into jeans and a sweatshirt then braided his hair back off his face.

Gareth met him in the barn. “Micah, we need to talk about those messages.”

Catching a different scent on Gareth, Micah challenged him. “You’ve been running with another Pack? What is this? Don’t talk to me about business, Gareth. Who do I smell on you?”

Head turned and eyes down, the other man stuttered, “It’s not what you think. They aren’t Pack. They’re wild. I ran with them just to feel…” His voice trailed off.

“Dammit, Gareth, how many times have we talked about this? This Pack doesn’t care about your scars. I won’t allow it. You know that.”

Gareth’s voice weighed heavy with pain. “You won’t allow it, Micah? That’s great. Don’t you see? They don’t accept me for who I am. They accept me for who you are. That’s not a Pack. That’s pity. And it’s not what I miss, what I want or what I need.”

Slashing his hand down, Gareth turned his back to Micah. Shoulders sagging, he whispered, “Like you, I grew up in a Pack, Micah. I’ve only ever lived with other shifters. Now none of them will accept me. Even the kids are scared of me. You saw how Talia was at first. It wasn’t until you told her not to be scared that she even came near me. Dammit, Micah, can’t you see? I have no place in this world that you haven’t made for me as Alpha of this Pack.”