Valentina’s body was heavy as she woke up, her limbs feeling like lead when she tried to move. The smells of the room were familiar, and they comforted her galloping heart. When she opened her eyes and saw the medical room, she understood why. Liam had turned it into a Valentina paradise. Her favorite candles were burning, there was a fresh pot of coffee brewing, and the lights were dim, allowing the dancing flames to illuminate the corners of the room. The piece de resistance was the bowl of soup by the bed. Steam rose from the creamy surface, and she knew without tasting it that it was her favorite—spicy butternut squash soup.

Her body ached, and her shoulder felt the worst, the dull pain throbbing through her chest. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and grabbed the glass of water next to the soup. As soon as she had finished drinking, there was a soft knock at the door.

Quickly, she looked down to make sure she was clothed before calling out, “Come in.” Her voice was scratchy and barely able to get above a whisper.

Liam appeared in the doorway, making sure it closed behind him with a soft click. “Alpha, I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Thanks. What happened?” she asked, the details remaining fuzzy in her mind.

“You were shot with multiple silver bullets coated in wolfsbane. Elijah brought you home, and I removed them as fast as possible, but I’m afraid it wasn’t fast enough to prevent scarring.”

She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. “I don’t care about a scar. Thank you for caring for me, for saving me.” His words about Elijah reminded her that he hadn’t been there, that she had been fighting alone. It wasn’t unusual, but she had been hoping that the strange bond they had formed with each other would have him standing by her side.

“You should eat and gather your strength. After all, you have a lot of new shifters waiting for you to tell them what comes next.”

The image of the people in the cages swam in her mind. They would need more care than she or her pack could give. What they needed was a well-established pack with a strong, stable structure they could ease into and learn from. Her pack, as much as she loved it, was too freewheeling for newbies. Especially a newbie alpha. The thought soured in her stomach.

“Liam, is Elijah still here?”

The doctor nodded while he looked her shoulder over, making sure everything had healed properly.

“How long was I out?”

“A few hours. Enough time for our guests to get cleaned up and have a decent meal.”

“Good,” she said, thankful that it gave her a little time to think while she ate her soup. “Liam, could you bring as many spare pieces of clothing to the dining room as you can find?”

“Sure thing, boss.”

After Liam left, she allowed herself to feel all the emotions she was holding back. All the frustration and fear, the worry and anger, everything filled her briefly before she moved on. She needed to be clear-headed and focused, but she knew she couldn’t bury her feelings without suffering the consequences later.

An hour or so later, she made her way to the house proper. Of course, Elijah was the first person she saw. Thankfully, he was too busy eating and didn’t notice her, so she could move away without him noticing.

Kinsley and Liana were the next of her packmates she ran into. Both of them hugged her hard when they saw her.

“Glad you’re okay, boss,” Kinsley said quietly as she reluctantly released Valentina from her hold.

“Me too.” She smiled at her friend. “Can you two start gathering our guests up? I’d like to speak with them.”

They both nodded and hurried off while she made her way to the great room. Valentina stood with her arms folded, looking out the window over the land she had worked so hard to attain. How many people could she reasonably support on the estate? How many shifters?

Sure, people could live throughout the territory if they wanted, but only once she was sure they had control. Harper and Domino could move out. The couple had only been staying at the estate while their mating bond settled down. Asher and Liam could technically move out, but having a medical professional on-site was necessary if the last week was any indication. As for everyone else? They needed the reassurance of the pack surrounding them. Her single packmates needed the sensation of family that the pack provided, whether their animals lived in packs or not. Shifters were not exactly the same as their wild counterparts. They needed more.

Voices began to filter in behind her, and she turned, dropping her hands to her sides so she didn’t seem standoffish. The group grew as she waited, and nerves fluttered in her belly. Elijah was standing in the back corner, and she couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

When the rest of the pack appeared and she received nods from everyone, letting her know that everyone was present, she loudly cleared her throat. The already quiet chatter died down to nothing. She looked around, making eye contact with everyone except Elijah before she began. The only person missing was Dante, but that was probably for the best.

“I’m glad you all made it safe and sound. I know things were a little wild back there, so allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Valentina, alpha of the Midnight pack. First, I would like you to know that what happened to you is not something the shifter community condones. If any of you have any information about the man running that place, the doctor, please see me. Now, as for what happens from here on out, first, I need to figure out what your animals are. If you know, that’s great. We can talk about it. If you don’t, then I can help you shift so we can figure it out together. This is important because I need to get you in touch with the right pack.”

“But my life is here . . .” a man in the crowd called out.

“I know, and I want you to stay here if possible so you can go back to your life. However, first you need to learn control. You wouldn’t want to attack a loved one or a coworker, would you? There are more packs in the Chicago area than you might think. Also, if you were a shifter before all this happened, then please come speak with me when we are done. Second, I would like to document what happened to each of you. We have our own courts and judicial system, so it’s important I get as much information as possible. My packmates will help with this task. Each of you will speak with one of them—you may choose who—and relay what happened. They will document it on their phones, and then you will speak to me about your animal. In the meantime, continue resting, eating, whatever you so choose.”

Each of her packmates retreated to a corner of the room, followed by one or two of the newcomers. Valentina waited off to the side while the others milled around, unsure what to do. After a moment, Elijah appeared in front of her, and her stomach twisted into knots.

“Can we talk?” he asked quietly.

“Not now. I need to be available as soon as they are ready.”

Anger filled the air around them. The bitter tang of it was cloying, and she had to force herself not to take a step back just to gain some distance from it.

“Well, is there anything I can help with?”

“Not right now. My pack is handling everything.” She knew she was being cold, but she’d been shot, and it was partially his fault for not being there.

His gaze narrowed on her for a moment before he turned and walked away, taking her heart with him.