Chapter 2

My son Noah died on his fifth birthday.

He had been waiting all morning for his father to take him to the lake carnival. Cole had promised him fireworks, funnel cake, and a ride on the Ferris wheel.

“Daddy’s coming, right?” Noah asked from his clinic bed.

I held his thin hand. “He promised.”

Noah looked toward the door. “Maybe he got busy.”

Cole always got busy when it came to our son.

The hours passed. The carnival opened. The sun went down. Cole never came.

Noah’s breathing grew weaker. The nurse checked his pulse, then called for the doctor. I leaned over him, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Mommy,” Noah whispered. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, baby.”

“Does Daddy not want me anymore?”

My throat closed. I pressed his hand to my cheek.

“He loves you.”

It was the last lie I ever told him.

Noah took one more shallow breath. Then his fingers went slack in mine.

The doctor pulled the sheet over his face. I signed the forms, arranged the cremation, and paid every bill myself. Cole never called. He never asked where we were.

By midnight, I carried a small black urn out of the crematorium.

Noah had wanted to see the lake. So I drove to the carnival alone.

Most of the rides had shut down. The lights along the boardwalk flickered over empty booths. I walked to the water and held the urn against my chest.

“I brought you here,” I whispered. “You can see the lake now.”

A low moan came from behind the wooden pier.

I stopped.

Another moan followed, breathy and familiar.

“Cole… harder.”

My grip tightened around the urn.

That was Selene’s voice—the Grayridge family’s priestess. Also Cole’s first mate.

I moved around the pier and saw them beneath the shadow of the old boathouse.

Cole had Selene pressed against the wall. Her dress was pushed up around her hips, and his shirt hung open. He had told me she was only a political guest from the Grayridge family.

Apparently, she was much more.

Selene wrapped her legs around him and laughed softly. “Weren’t you supposed to be with Noah tonight?”

Cole kept moving. “He has his mother. Elena loves using that boy to control me.”

“He’s sick, though.” Selene ran her fingers through his hair. “What if he really needed you?”

“That kid is always sick.” Cole pulled back and looked at her. “Elena turns every small problem into a crisis. You’d think Noah would die if I missed one night.”

The urn pressed into my ribs.

Selene lowered her voice. “Between me and her, who do you love more?”

Cole answered without hesitation.

“You. Obviously.”

She smiled. “And our baby?”

“That’s the child I actually wanted.”

I stepped out from behind the pier.

“You’re both disgusting.”

They froze.

Cole pulled away from her and grabbed his jacket, covering her body. His eyes landed on the urn first, then on me.

“Elena.” His voice turned cold. “Did you follow me?”

“To the lake?” I laughed once. “The lake you promised Noah you’d take him to?”

Selene peeked over his shoulder. “Luna, I’m sorry. We didn’t know you were here.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Cole moved in front of her. “Watch your mouth.”

“My son waited for you all day.”

“I said I’d make it up to him.”

“He won’t be waiting anymore.”

Cole frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Selene touched his arm. “Cole, maybe she’s upset. She’s been under a lot of stress.”

I stared at her. “You knew it was Noah’s birthday. You knew he was at the clinic.”

Her eyes stayed wide and innocent. “I only asked Cole to stay because I was scared. I’m carrying his baby.”

Cole’s expression softened. He pulled her close.

“She needs me,” he said. “You don’t get to attack her because you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” I looked at the woman he had been sleeping with beside our son’s dream lake. “You abandoned your child for her.”

“He has you.”

“He had me when he died.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Cole went still. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Selene’s hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes met mine for one quick second.

There was no shock in them. Only satisfaction.

My wolf surged beneath my skin. I lunged at her.

Cole caught me before I reached her. He shoved me back, hard enough to make me stumble.

“Don’t touch her!” he shouted.

Selene clung to his jacket. “Cole, I’m afraid. She’s going to hurt me and my baby.”

I saw red. I moved again.

Cole’s hand struck my face.

The blow knocked me into the sand. The urn slipped from my arms. I grabbed it before it hit the ground and curled around it.

Pain spread across my cheek. Blood filled my mouth.

Cole stood over me, shielding Selene with his body.

“If you touch her again,” he said, “I’ll end you myself.”

Selene looked down at me. Then she smiled.