Page 133 of Moonlight & Mayhem

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“Every wolf who died protecting pack tradition gets honored,” he said.

“And everyone killed by it?” she asked.

“They’re forgotten,” Chrome whispered. His hands curled into fists. “Elias was erased.” Something hot burned through him. Even twelve fucking years later, it was still there. “They took his name off the family records. Burned his belongings. Told everyone he'd betrayed the pack.”

Christmas's voice softened. “But you remembered him.”

Chrome looked at her. “Every fucking day.” Her eyes held his, and something passed between them. It wasn’t pity, thank fuck, it was understanding. Chrome looked away first. “I left that night.”

“How?” Howler asked.

“Shifted and ran,” he said.

“Just like that?” Howler asked.

Chrome smiled coldly. “No.” He killed two wolves and injured three more. He spent six days bleeding through the mountains before he reached a highway, but those details could stay buried a little longer.

Christmas wasn't fooled. Her eyes said so, but she didn't push, and he appreciated that.

Moon folded her arms over her chest. “If Elias died twelve years ago, who did I see?”

Chrome looked at her. “No idea.”

“You believed Chris saw him,” Moon said.

“Yes, I do,” he breathed.

“Why?” Moon asked.

“Because Holly Ridge does something every December.” Chrome didn't want to tell them this part because it sounded insane. Then again, he was sitting with wolf shifters, a woman who saw the future, and a man who'd recently survived supernatural poison. Insane had become relative. “They call it the Returning.”

Mayhem groaned. “That sounds fucking ominous.”

“It is,” Chrome said.

“What is it?” Christmas asked.

Chrome looked at her. “A ceremony.”

“For the dead?” she asked.

“Yes,” he admitted.

Moon leaned forward. “What kind of ceremony?”

“I don't know,” he said.

“You grew up there,” Moon said.

“I wasn't allowed to see it take place,” he said.

“Why?” Moon asked.

“Only the Alpha family and pack elders participate.”

Christmas frowned. “You were Alpha family.”