Freya's POV Lana placed a hand over mine, her wolf-scent warm and grounding. "No matter what you decide," she said, "I'm on your side." I exhaled slowly, the tension in my chest loosening just a little. "By the way," I asked, shifting the subject, "the procurement bid for Whitmore Industries-when will the results be out?" "Three days," Lana replied. "If SkyVex is selected, we'll also receive invitations to the Whitmore Annual Summit." The Summit wasn't just a company gala. It was where every major supplier, power player, and allied enterprise under the Ironclad Coalition gathered in the same hall. For anyone in business, it was the best hunting ground-figuratively and literally-for new alliances. "I'm confident in our design," Lana continued. "Especially since we used your revised model. The cost dropped by five percent. As long as Whitmore isn't blind, they'll pick us." Five percent sounded small, but in mass production? It could sway entire markets. "I hope so," I murmured. I trusted my work. But the final decision rested with Silas-the Ironclad Alpha I had just ended things with. Before I could think too deeply about it, the outer office door opened and my secretary, stepped inside. "Manager Freya," she said, "someone is here to see you. He says his name is Parker Williams." I froze. Lana nearly choked on her coffee. "Your brother?" she whispered. "Parker is looking for you?" "Bring him to the conference room," I told Wren. Once she left, Lana leaned close. "Why would he show up now? Don't tell me he's here to beg for Jenny." "We'll know soon enough," I said quietly.Parker was already standing by the window when I entered the conference room. He looked the same as always-tall, cold-eyed, expression unreadable. But something in his scent was tighter… conflicted. "You're here for Jenny," I said without sitting. "Yes." His voice was steady-but strained. "I hope you can forgive her this once. And I hope you can persuade Silas not to let her be expelled from the Williams Family." My wolf bristled instantly. "So she matters that much to you?" I demanded. "Enough that even after she insulted our parents-Arthur and Myra-you still want to protect her? That's how little their memory means to you?" A flicker passed through his eyes. "She… can't afford anything to happen right now." "Why can't anything happen to her?" I pressed. He fell silent, jaw locked. Of course. Secrets again. "If you want me to acknowledge you as my brother," I said coldly, "then you're coming somewhere with me." "Where?" he asked, frowning. "Ashbourne. To the Legion's Hall of Martyrs." My voice didn't waver. "That's where our parents are buried." I picked up my keys and my bag. "You lost your memories-fine. But do you at least remember how to drive?" "I can drive," he said after a moment. "Memory loss doesn't affect that." "Good. We'll drive in shifts. WolfComm navigation will guide us. If we leave now, we'll reach Ashbourne by tomorrow morning." He didn't speak again. But he followed me out, which was answer enough. I stopped by Lana's desk. "I need to go to Ashbourne with Parker." Lana's jaw fell open. "You're taking a night drive across three territories with him?""Arthur and Myra worried about him their whole lives. Even if he's forgotten us, he should at least stand in front of their headstones and let them rest." "But just the two of you? Aren't you afraid you'll be exhausted?" "It's fine," I said. "This is nothing. During Iron Fang missions I've gone forty-eight hours without sleep." She knew better than to argue. Outside, my car waited beneath the dim evening lights. I took the driver's seat. Parker slid into the passenger side, quiet as a shadow. For the first several minutes, he said nothing. His aura was unreadable, and for someone with a wolf's senses, that itself was strange. "Ashbourne is our hometown," I said finally. His eyes lowered slightly. "Is it?" "Yes." My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I eased onto the highway. "It was me, you, and our parents. We lived there when we were young. Later, because of their work, we moved to The Capital-but we still returned to Ashbourne every now and then." I told him everything-little things, warm things, bitter things. The memories poured out of me like water finally finding a path through stone. Parker listened without interrupting, his posture rigid but his eyes flicking with shadows I couldn't decipher. "Because of our parents," I said softly, "you decided early on that you wanted to join the Iron Fang or serve in the Army. You always wanted to protect people. To protect us." "And I…" My voice gentled. "You were my role model. So after graduation, I enrolled in Halston Combat Academy and became a soldier too." He stared at me for a long moment. "Then why are you… no longer in the military?" The question hung between us, heavy as iron. I inhaled slowly. "That," I said, "is another story."