Redhawk Caldera Oh, darling

He scented her long before she appeared but Peregrine did not open his eyes until he heard Somnia's footfalls announcing her imminent approach. She had vanished for eight months. Suddenly, his misery was washed away by a wave of hope. Maybe Pan would turn up after all, weeks or even months from now. Maybe some crazy errand had taken him away. Peregrine never would have thought Somnia would be capable of deserting them, yet she had. And now she'd come back. It was possible Pan's story would follow the same pattern.

Blinking the hot, wet tears from his jade eyes, the Alpha male pushed himself upright even as Somnia settled beside him, the rabbit between them. He looked at her speculatively. He didn't forgive easily when it came to wolves disappearing wordlessly. Yet there must have been a good reason, if Elwood had granted her reentry into the ranks. Still, Peregrine wouldn't accept it at face value. He had questions for Somnia—lots of them.

He began by querying quietly, "What happened to you?" He ignored her own question, his half-blind gaze weighing heavily on the top of her head as he looked down at her. There was definitely part of him that was happy to see her back and in one piece, though there was unmistakable scrutiny in those jade depths.