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Caleb clenched his jaw and gripped the phone in his hand so tightly it the plastic case began to crack.

He took a deep breath through his nose and slowly pushed it between his lips.

“How is it that I am just hearing about this,” he said with an underlying tone of anger.

Galen sighed on the other end of the line.

“I am sorry. I know I overstepped.”

“You think so?” Caleb growled.

“Knowing how Ash–” Galen started to reply but thought better of it, “how our Luna feels about the topic of Alice and any potential connection to her. I wanted to confirm some of the information before I presented it to you.”

Caleb sighed. Galen wasn’t wrong about how Ashleigh would react.

“I apologize, my Alpha,” Galen said.

Caleb could practically hear him lowering his head on the other side of the call. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest.

“That’s enough,” Caleb sighed. “I understand. You were trying to keep me from being put in a difficult position. But that is not your call to make. I hope I won’t need to remind you of that in the future.”

“Of course not,” Galen replied.

“So,” Caleb said. “Were you able to confirm it? Was the information she provided us real?”

“The things I was able to check on, yes. There are details about Autumn that aren’t possible for us to know if they are true or not, but it seems likely,” Galen replied. “It’s all on a flash drive for your review. I spoke with Nessa and asked her to put it together and give you a report this afternoon.”_.

Caleb sighed again.

“Nessa…” he whispered.

“Yea…” Galen replied.

“She’s clearly skilled and generally likable,” Caleb said.

“And one of our newest and most supportive allies’ daughters….” Galen added.

“And Clara’s mate.”

“Yep.”

“Don’t suppose she’ll just behave from now on, do you?” Caleb asked, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to fight off the headache that was beginning to form.

“I want to say yes,” Galen said. “But chances are… no.”

Both men sighed.

“She’s got a thing for Alice,” Galen said. “Not like a crush, I mean, she seems to admire her? Maybe?”

“Alice…” Caleb said softly, thinking about the things he had learned from Sofia. “She’s a popular topic these days.”

“Well, Nessa taught herself most of her computer knowledge. And our techs are far more… straight and narrow. I think Nessa feels a connection to Alice, like a hacker sister bond or something,” Galen said.

“That makes sense, but I wasn’t referring to Nessa.”

“Who else?” Galen asked.

“I learned some interesting things about Alice in Burning Ember. Or at least… I was told some things, but they could be lies or games she is playing.”

“What kinds of things?” Galen asked quietly. As he felt an uneasiness, wondering if someone had found out about Axel’s connection to her.

Caleb sat down in his chair and took a deep breath.

“Where to begin…” he sighed.

Caleb told Galen about his conversation with Sofia, how Alice had called herself a doll, and the rumors that she was a new person everywhere she went.

Galen listened without saying a word.

“Everything that Sofia said could be true,” Caleb said. “Alice could have been a victim of this torture and manipulation since she was a child.”

Caleb paused.

“You don’t believe it?” Galen asked.

“I don’t know,” Caleb replied honestly. “It’s just as likely that she’s simply really good at manipulating people into trusting her.”

Galen chewed his bottom lip, thinking, considering. Then, finally, he took a deep breath and decided.

“It’s true,” he said.

“What?” Caleb asked, leaning forward in his chair in his surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, it’s true, what Sofia told you,” Galen said. “Alice has been treated with Bitter Night since she was a child. Spring uses her as their doll, programming and sending her out, then rewriting her, so she doesn’t remember.”

Caleb leaned his head back as he absorbed what he was hearing.

“How do you know?” he asked.

“Someone I trust who wouldn’t lie told me very recently,” Galen said. “I can’t tell you who. I promised to keep that information to myself.”

He closed his eyes. In truth, he had hoped it was a lie. Not just because it would make things easier for him, but because of the idea that a child had been treated in such a way… that she was still being treated like that, it disgusted and enraged him.

“It seems more and more likely, that Alice really has been trying to help us,” Galen said. “As much as she is able.”

“Yea…” Caleb sighed. “I still don’t think Ash is going to see it that way. Not without proof.”

“I’m not really sure how we would get that without Alice herself.”

Caleb grunted in agreement.

The men were silent for a long time.

“Thank you,” Caleb finally said. “For trying to help me to avoid an argument with my wife.”

Galen chuckled softly.

“No one wants their wife mad at them,” he said. Then, gathering his nerve, he added, “or their best friend.”

Caleb paused and sighed.

“No,” he said. “It’s not a pleasant feeling.”

“Caleb, listen, please, I just want to say–”

“Galen,” Caleb interrupted. “I know.”

Galen quieted.

“I’m trying to move past it. Ashleigh, mom, they’ve got your back,” he scoffed gently. “They’ve told me that I have no reason to be angry with you, that they would have done the same thing.”

Caleb paused, swallowing down the painful feeling.

“I know I probably would have, too,” he said. “But I can’t stop seeing you holding the dagger above her.

“In my heart, I have forgiven you. I know you’re a good man, my best friend. My brother. But the thought that you put the woman I love in danger….”

Caleb paused as his voice began to crack, and angry tears filled his eyes. He took a long deep breath through his nose.

“Just give me a little time,” he whispered.

“I understand,” Galen replied sadly. “I’ll take whatever I can get. Just know if you need me, I’m here. Always.”

Caleb sniffled and then forced a laugh.

“Yea, all the way in Winter,” he said, trying to make a joke. “Did you run away to hide behind your wife just because I was a little mad?”

Galen chuckled.

“I wish that was the reason,” he sighed. “Caleb, I didn’t come home to Bell just because of the baby or because I missed her.”

“What’s going on?” Caleb asked, leaning forward on his desk as he suddenly grew concerned.

“Bell’s mate knows she’s alive,” Galen said. “He’s looking for her.”

“Fuck,” Caleb sighed.

“Yea.”

“What can I do?” Caleb asked.

“Nothing right now,” Galen said. “According to Alice, he left the country. It sounds like she did something to make him believe that Bell was in Europe.”

“Alice… again…” Caleb sighed.

“Believe me, I know,” Galen laughed. “I was convinced it was all a setup, and she was plotting something, but… she’s not.”

Caleb shook his head, wishing it were that easy to just accept and move on.

“So this is the reason for the full defense update of Winter,” Caleb said. “Mom just assumed you were being a very paranoid father-to-be.”

“I mean… two birds, one stone, right?” Galen replied.

The two brothers laughed together.