Anne's eyes widened in shock. She set her cup down carefully, leaning forward to study Nicky's face, which had gone a little pale. "Nicky, you—what? You found your mate?"
Nicky nodded, her expression tight, as though the admission was physically painful. "Yeah, I found him. Two years ago, actually. His name was Caleb. He wasn't from our pack—he was from one of the neighbouring ones, The Thunderbolt. We met at one of those small gatherings."
Anne's heart clenched. She had known Nicky for so long, but somehow this was the first time she'd heard of Caleb. "And Alpha Jackson didn't let you be with him?"
Nicky sighed, rubbing her temples. "No. Caleb's pack wasn't exactly our rival, but they weren't close allies either. Jackson threatened to kill him if I left."
Anne felt a surge of anger on Nicky's behalf. "He put you in an impossible position."
