Chapter 2 TWO IN THE MORNING

Joyce's POV

He was taller than I remembered, his shoulders broader. His dark hair was shorter now, styled instead of the messy waves I used to run my fingers through. Stubble covered his sharp jaw. But his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my knees weak.

Dalton Grey. The man who broke me. The man I'd spent five years trying to forget.

My wolf surged forward, recognition flooding through her. After five years of silence, she lifted her head and howled for her mate.

No, I told her firmly. He rejected us. He doesn't want us.

But she didn't listen. She never did when it came to him.

He took a step toward me. "We need to talk."

I forced steel into my voice. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Then just listen." Another step. He moved like he was approaching a wounded animal. "I made a mistake, Joyce. The biggest mistake of my life. And I'm going to spend however long it takes to make it right."

I stared at him, my heart pounding. He probably could hear it. Wolves heard everything.

"Make it right?" I laughed, and the sound came out bitter. "You can't make this right, Dalton. You don't get to walk away for five years and then waltz back expecting forgiveness."

"I know." His voice was raw. "I know I don't deserve it. But I need you to understand..."

"Dalton, darling."

A woman appeared behind him. Beautiful. Tall and blonde and perfect. She placed a possessive hand on his arm, her perfectly manicured fingers curling into the fabric of his coat.

My wolf snarled with jealousy, and I hated her for it.

"Who is this?" The woman's voice was sweet, but her eyes were cold as she looked me over.

Dalton didn't move. Didn't look away from me. But something flickered in his eyes.

"This is Joyce," he said slowly. "My..."

"Oh, so this is the girl from your pack." The woman's smile didn't reach her eyes. "How lovely to finally meet you. I'm Victoria. Dalton's fiancée."

The word hit me like a physical blow.

Fiancée.

I couldn't breathe.

He brought his fiancée back with him. He came here to make things right, and he brought another woman.

Something inside me cracked. Not broke, it had already been broken. But whatever I'd used to hold myself together for five years finally gave way.

I laughed. The sound was harsh. "Congratulations. I hope you're very happy together."

"Joyce, wait..." Dalton started.

But I was already moving. I turned and walked away. I heard him call my name, but I didn't stop.

I made it back to the bookstore. Harper took one look at my face and pulled me into the back room.

"What happened?"

"He's engaged." The words tasted like poison. "He came back to make things right, and he's engaged to someone else."

Harper's jaw dropped. "That bastard."

I sank into the old armchair in the corner. "He said he made a mistake. He said he wanted to fix things. And then she appeared, calling him darling."

Harper's eyes narrowed. "Wait. Did he tell you about the engagement before she showed up?"

I frowned, thinking back. "No. After. She walked up and introduced herself."

"Don't you think that's strange? Why would he say he wanted to fix things with you if he was already with someone else?"

"I don't know and I don't care." I pressed my hands to my face. "I just want him to leave. I want to go back to my life before he came back and ruined everything."

"You really think he meant what he said?" Harper asked. "About fixing things?"

"It doesn't matter what he meant. He made his choice five years ago."

The back door opened. Megan slipped inside and closed it quietly.

"I saw everything from across the square." She knelt beside my chair. "Joyce, I'm so sorry."

"Did he follow me?"

"He tried. That Victoria woman practically dragged him away. She did not look happy."

Harper crossed her arms. "Good. Let her deal with him."

"There's something else you should know," Megan said carefully. "The engagement is strange. Nobody in the pack knew about it until today. Not even his parents. I ran into his mother at the market an hour ago, and she looked as shocked as everyone else."

"You think it's fake?" Harper asked.

"I don't know what to think." Megan looked at me. "But I know Dalton. I watched him grow up next door to us. He never brought anyone home. Never talked about dating. In the five years he was gone, he called his parents every week. He never once mentioned a girlfriend."

I lifted my head. "It doesn't matter if it's real or fake. He rejected me. He said I wasn't good enough to be his luna." The words still hurt. "Whatever game he's playing now, I won't be part of it."

I stood up, grabbing my coat. "I'm going home."

Harper grabbed my hand. "You sure you don't want company?"

"I need to be alone. I'll be fine."

She hugged me quickly. "Call me if you need anything. I mean it."

I walked home through the darkening streets. The Christmas lights seemed too bright now. Everyone else got their happy endings. I got rejection and a mate who brought his fiancée home.

I unlocked my cottage door and stepped inside. The smell of pine and old books wrapped around me.

I walked to the window that faced the alpha's house. Lights blazed in every room. I could see shadows moving behind the curtains. One of them was definitely Dalton.

I yanked the curtains closed hard enough that the rod shook.

A knock on my door made me jump. When I opened it, Taylor stood on my porch, snowflakes catching in his light brown hair.

He smiled gently. "Megan called me. She told me what happened."

I stepped back to let him in. "News travels fast."

"It's a small pack." He sat on the couch but kept a respectful distance. "Are you okay?"

"No. But I will be." I had to be. I had survived the rejection five years ago. I'd survive this too.

He studied me for a long moment. "I never liked Dalton. Even when we were kids, I thought he was arrogant. Too sure of himself."

"You're biased," I said, almost smiling.

"Maybe. But I also know you deserved better than what he did to you." Taylor leaned forward. "Joyce, I meant what I said about the Christmas Eve bonfire. I'd really like you to come with me. No pressure. Just a chance to spend time together. See where things go."

I looked at him. Taylor was good. Solid and safe and everything Dalton wasn't.

Maybe Harper was right. Maybe I needed to give someone else a real chance.

"Okay," I heard myself say. "I'll go with you."

His whole face lit up. "Really?"

"Really."

He stood, and for a moment I thought he might hug me, but he just smiled. "I'll pick you up at seven. We can grab dinner first if you want."

"That sounds nice."

After he left, I changed into pajamas and tried to settle in for the night. But sleep wouldn't come. I lay there staring at the ceiling, listening to the wind howl outside.

My mind kept circling back to Dalton's face when Victoria called herself his fiancée. The way his jaw had clenched.

Stop it, I told myself. Stop making excuses for him.

At two in the morning, I heard footsteps on my porch.

I sat up, my heart slamming against my ribs.

The footsteps stopped at my door. Then silence.

I crept to the window and pulled the curtain aside an inch.

Dalton stood there in the falling snow, staring at my door like he wanted to break it down. His hands were clenched at his sides.

Then he turned and looked directly at my window.

Our eyes met through the glass.

My wolf went insane. She threw herself against my control, desperate to reach him.

For a long moment, neither of us moved.

Then he stepped forward and placed something on my doorstep. Without knocking, without saying a word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.

I waited until I couldn't see him anymore. Then I opened my door.

A single envelope lay on the welcome mat, my name written in Dalton's unmistakable handwriting.

My hands shook as I picked it up and opened it.

Inside was a note with just one line:

Meet me at the old oak tree at noon tomorrow. There's something you need to know before it's too late.