She ran from the Alpha King once. This time, she’s not running alone. Five years ago, Mikayla Edwards fled the fog-drenched hills outside San Francisco with blood on her skin and a silence in her chest where a mate bond should’ve been. Adrian Duarte—the ruthless Alpha King who awakened something fierce inside her—rejected her with a single, final verdict: human… and not his. Now Mikayla is back, older, sharper, and determined to stay invisible. She has a career built on control, a past she refuses to reopen… and a secret she’ll die to protect: her son, Kynlee. But the moment Adrian catches her scent again, the city shifts. The bond that went quiet begins to stir. Adrian’s wolf recognizes what his crown can’t afford—his mate is standing in his territory, and she didn’t return empty-handed. With enemies watching bloodlines, a power-hungry king circling, and pack law closing in like a noose, Mikayla and Adrian are forced into the one thing neither of them is ready for: the truth. Because the bond didn’t break—it was sealed. And when it reawakens, it demands a choice that will either bind them together… or sever them forever. In a world where love is leverage and loyalty is weaponized, Mikayla must decide if she can trust the man who once let her go—while Adrian faces the one battle his crown can’t win with force: proving he won’t choose power over them again. Tropes & vibes: rejected mate • second chance • secret baby • Alpha King • fated bond • high-stakes pack politics • protective hero • fierce heroine • hidden legacy • enemies closing in