Chapter 14

• He was quiet for a moment. “I get it.” He shifted in his seat and opened the map. “I’m not about to force the issue, trust me. Everyone I’ve ever cared about is dead or scarred because of the Tomas family, so a mate. Not a good idea.”
• She scowled at the glass in front of her. “What do you mean? Everyone you cared about is dead or scarred?” Oaklyn wasn’t overly affectionate about her kin, but she was still thankful they were all living and healthy.
• He was quiet for a long time, and then she heard him sigh. “I saw something when I was a kid, so I told Shepard. He’s my clan's Alpha—or was when I had a clan, I guess.” He drew in a sharp breath. “He took me somewhere I’d be safe until he dealt with it.” She heard him shift in the seat and looked over to see he was getting his notebook out of his run pack. “But, uh, a few years later, they took my mom, sister, and my best friend and tried to get them to say where I was.” He paused. “I don’t know if my mom ever knew for sure. If Shepard flew her around in circles like he did me, she may not have.” He blew out a breath.