But the boy had not made this choice. He never asked to be born into this knotted knot of betrayal and loss.

I inhaled slowly as my eyes darted between Yoan, his mate, and the child still clinging to her.

“I don’t know if I can ever forgive you,” I said in a low voice, mixing trembling calmness with the school of storms in my belly. “But I am not going to abandon an innocent child.” You can stay here for now. But don’t confuse this with forgiveness, Yoan. What you’ve taken from me is irreversible. And then you should have told us what happened with that invitation?”

Yoan lowered...