Judy’s POV
The halls stretched long and dark; moonlight slanted through high windows. Selene moved with easy grace, her hand trailing along the walls, but I slowed when a door creaked faintly open on our left.
“Esme used to spend a lot of time in here,” she told me, stepping into the room.
The air was stale, and my heart squeezed in my chest as I realized where we were. It was a nursery.
It was heavy with dust, but the crib still stood, delicate lace draped over its frame. Toys lay scattered across the rug—a stuffed wolf, a carved rattle, a tiny silver cup. It looked as though someone had simply walked out and shut the door years ago.
“We never understood why,” Selene went on to say. “It took years for us to get her to leave this room. Once we shut the door, we never opened it again.”
“Whose room was this?” I asked, my voice coming out unfamiliar and hollow.
“Lila’s,” she replied, turning to look at me. “We had it built when she was a baby.”
I looked around the room again, my chest tight. The scent… it was odd. There was something to this scent that put my wolf in distress.
“Judy,” I heard his voice through our bond, and suddenly my heart had skipped a beat. “Where are you?”
I couldn’t answer him; it was like I was stuck in some kind of warp with the walls closing in around me. My breathing, which flowed so easily only a moment ago, felt constricted. I stepped back, a wave of dizziness crashing around me.
This room… this scent… this manor.
Why was I feeling this way?
“Judy, are you okay?” Selene asked, her voice laced with genuine concern.
I tried to answer her, but I doubted any words left my lips.
She stepped towards me, her brows pinched together, but just as she reached her hand out, Gavin was by my side, wrapping me in his arms.
“Don’t touch her,” he nearly growled. I could feel that his wolf was on edge, and he was seconds away from tearing every living person up in this manor. I rested my head against his chest, breathing in his calming and familiar scent. “I’ve got you,” he murmured, pressing his lips to my temple. “It’s okay.”
For once all night, I truly felt he was right. It was okay… I was okay. I had my mate… he would take care of me. I buried my face in his chest, my arms wrapping around him like a vice.
“Blood calls to blood.”

I stumbled, clutching Gavin’s arm. He stared at me instantly, his body tensing at the look on my face.
“You’re pale,” he said softly. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” I whispered, though the word tasted like a lie.
I rested my hand over my belly as his arm tightened around me. My wolf was silent now, but not calm. She was waiting… she was listening.
He pushed the front doors open and stood in the cool night breeze, taking in the calming outdoors.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered.
I nodded in agreement, wanting nothing more than to leave with my mate.

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