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Closing his eyes for a moment, Tybalt pinched the bridge of his nose. It was all he could do to curb his rising temper. He had half a mind to knock Marcus down and beat him until the entire story poured out in a single chunk, rather than in frustrating drips and drabs. Tybalt had worked so hard to ferret away his anger and hide his pain at losing the only relationships in his life that had mattered--until he found the Triads and new friendships that helped him thrive, that is. But Marcus had chipped into his careful control in only a few minutes. Tybalt opened his eyes. "Okay, tell me what's going on." Marcus nodded. "Seamus first became ill about a year ago, but he was able to hide his weakness. Only a careful few knew of it, and no one outside of the Alpha's family discovered it until last week when he fainted during a Mating Ceremony. The challenge came soon after, which was five days ago, and a challenge must be answered within seven." Two days left to either produce Keenan or fight himself, weak from the Shadow and likely to die quickly in bloody battle. It would change the dynamics of the Pride--and not necessarily for the better--if leadership switched to a new bloodline. "Keenan has not been seen since the death of his mate six weeks ago," Marcus said. Tybalt's hand jerked and the invisible vise on his heart squeezed tighter. Astrid was dead. Until the notion occurred to him, he never realized how much he wanted to see her again. In the back of his mind, he'd always wanted to apologize. Hellfire, and now it's too late. Marcus surprised him by touching his arm. "It wasn't Astrid, Tybalt. I know they were promised, but they never Mated." The sense of relief he felt at a stranger's death should not have hit him so strongly. He had only assumed that, as promised mates, Astrid and Keenan were joined, no matter what had happened between Astrid and Tybalt. As the male involved--human or not--Tybalt had been the one punished for their indiscretions. Punished with banishment from the Pride and his unceremonious return to life among humans. "Is she alive?" Tybalt asked.