After almost three hours of Galen touching or tasting nearly every part of her body, Bell had raised the white flag and begged for mercy. They cleaned themselves up, and Bell crawled back into bed in fresh pajamas and curled against him. She laid her head on his chest as he petted her hair with a warm smile on his lips.

“So, what are we trying to escape?” she asked.

Galen’s hand stopped mid-stroke, but he said nothing.

“Come on,” Bell said, lifting her head and turning to rest her chin on his chest to look up at him. “I’m all for carnal delights and distractions, but my body needs a rest… so it’s time to try conversation and problem-solving.”

Galen smiled at her.

“I love you,” he said.

“I know,” she smiled. “I’m adorable and impossible not to love.”

“Very true,” he said. “I’m a lucky guy.”

“I’m also really good at switching or avoiding topics, which means I recognize it pretty quickly,” she said. “Talk to me, Puppy.”

Galen sighed, leaning his head back against the headboard. He stayed quiet momentarily, and Bell waited patiently for him to share his worries.

“Landon was here today,” he began.

“He was?” Bell asked. “I didn’t know he was coming.”

“It wasn’t planned,” Galen continued. “He came because he was concerned about the current situation in Summer.”

“What situation is that?” Bell asked.

Galen swallowed and looked away.

“The Alpha of Summer,” he said.

Bell saw the confused look that passed over Galen’s face. A mixture of insecurity, anxiety, and guilt.

“I see,” she whispered, sitting up to look at him properly. “And is there a particular reason he is concerned?”

Galen nodded.

“Some of the wolves, they sent him a request,” Galen sighed. “They asked him to propose to Fiona as the current Luna of Summer. To become her chosen mate and then take up the role of Alpha of Summer.”

Bell’s eyes widened.

“They reached out to him directly?” she asked in shock. “They didn’t suggest it to Fiona or to you?”

Galen shook his head.

“They knew how we would react.”

Bell chewed her bottom lip and nodded. It was true. It was well known to everyone in Summer that Fiona and Galen had no intention of placing a new Alpha. Not while they still hoped that Caleb would return.

“So, did he come to try and convince Fiona?” Bell asked. “I know he is interested in her. It’s pretty obvious to anyone who has seen him around her.”

Galen shook his head.

“He is interested in her but not in Summer,” he said. “He made it clear that Summer needs an Alpha, but it wasn’t her he tried to convince.”

Bell observed Galen carefully. She understood what he wasn’t saying. Landon had tried to convince Galen to become Alpha of Summer. It wasn’t a surprise, it was expected. Natural.

While she had no ambition to be Luna, she had wondered for a long time why Galen hadn’t become Alpha. As Beta, stepping in when the Alpha was gone was his duty.

But Bell had never asked or pushed for a very simple reason. The same reason that the wolves of Summer had never pushed him either. She and they knew how much he cherished Caleb and how much he still hoped to see him again.

Galen was the right choice, even he knew it. But admitting it, accepting it, for him, meant giving up on Caleb.

Bell took a deep breath and turned away from him. She had tried her best to respect his and Fiona’s wishes. They were trying hard to maintain Summer, but the truth was simple. They couldn’t do it without an Alpha, not for much longer.

She had done her best to help keep some of the pressure off him in the past few months. But all she had done was help him avoid the inevitable a little longer. Now, it was time to face reality.

“Ren told me the other day that some of his friends have stopped coming to class,” she said.

Galen raised his head and turned to her with furrowed brows.

“What?”

Bell swallowed and licked her lips.

“Some parents are concerned about leaving their children too long,” she said. “They are afraid of being too far from each other if something happens.”

Galen’s concern grew.

“If what happens?”

“Did you know Miss Stacey is considering leaving Summer?” Bell asked quietly. “So are several of the nurses I work with and a few doctors.”

Galen’s eyes widened.

“Why?” he asked.

Bell lifted her eyes to his. She saw the concern, the fear.

“When the war happened,” she said, “the wolves already in the human world were not called home. You and Caleb decided it was too risky to bring them home, you remember?”

Galen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was feeling confused and frustrated by the way she was talking. She wasn’t answering his questions and jumping from one thing to another. But he knew she had to have a reason.

“Yes,” he said, “I remember.”

Bell nodded.

“Most of them came home before the vigil,” she said. “And most of them had been gone for a couple of years, if not longer.”

Galen nodded.

“They had already been away from their Alpha,” she said.

“Yes,” Galen said quickly, seeing where she was going with this conversation. “But that doesn’t have the same kind of effect as not having an Alpha. The bond is still there. I went through it, Bell. It’s not the same.”

“In the past,” Bell said. “Yes.”

Galen swallowed.

“But when the ley lines were destroyed, when the Goddess was destroyed… that changed, fast,” she continued. “Even though the bond to Summer was still strong while they were gone, their bond to Caleb… wasn’t. He had only been in charge a few months before some left. Returning for his vigil, for them, it was losing Alpha Cain all over again.”

“I heard that some had struggled on their return…” Galen said softly. “But… what are you getting at?”

“Galen,” Bell sighed, reaching out and taking his hand. “They were the first to begin to feel the effects of being without an Alpha for too long. But each day, more and more are struggling to hold on.”

Galen clenched his jaw.

“I know,” he said quietly.

Bell nodded.

“I know you know,” she said softly. “Just like you know that Landon is right.”

Galen lowered his head. Bell reached her hand to his chin and lifted him to look at her.

“Galen,” she said. “You and Fiona have worked hard to take care of everyone, but it’s not working anymore, not like this.”

Galen swallowed.

“The wolves of Summer are scared and lost,” she continued. “Some understand why you both refuse to allow a new Alpha to take charge, and those are the ones who are considering leaving. But others… they are Summer wolves and will fight to keep their home… even against each other.”

Galen took a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes. One of the things he was most worried about was the potential for violence breaking out among the wolves.

“You know what Caleb would want you to do,” Bell said gently, rubbing her thumb along his jaw. “What he already asked you to do.”

Galen nodded and opened his eyes to look at her mournfully.

“I need to become Alpha of Summer,” he whispered.