ano

walked straight into

n't k

ed on the edge of it, swinging her legs like a schoolgirl

e Pack's public works," I stated. My voice w

chair. "Don't be dramatic, Eleanor

cutting through his condescension, "and then I am done. You

not before I caught Isabelle's reflection in the glass c

s lau

out the door, a jagged

I'd poured into their homes, gave me sympathetic glances in the mess hall. They whispered about how the Alpha

's word is law. To cha

celebratory banquet for the al

ut Isabelle found me. She always did. She was wearing a silver bracelet-a deli

in my throat. I

s office, a piece meant to be a ceremonial gift for the pack e

andelier's glow. Her voice was pitched loud enough to draw eyes. "Marcus gave it to me. He said it

work. She was wea

, my jaw tight enough to a

lute to her lips. "It's better this way. Broken t

traint. "You are a thief, Isabelle. You take things that don

The chatter died. T

e stumbled back. She let out a high-pitched scream and collapsed onto the

Marcus!" she wailed,

ords and her fall was obvious; anyone with eye

dn't care abo

nd that whipped my hair across my face. He was beside her in an i

turned

urious red-his wolf was near th

d, the sound vibratin

ding my ground, though my instinct

grew heavy, the barometric pressure dropping as he exerted his domina

used it.

ne

a wrecking ball. It wasn't a choi

ed my spine, pain shooting up my legs like lightning. I gasped, tears springing to my

sion, head bowed, while

rcus hissed, to

against the mental chains, but the Alpha Command was absolute for a p

ds tasting like ash. "I apol

f your rank. You are no longer the Pack Architect. You

cooing over Isabelle's p

and ran. I ran out of the hall, past the staring

prison-I started

the detailed plans for the new hospital-I ripped them to shreds.

ng, then my wo

essage, but sent as a text-a final, digita

from Is

o rough, your scent too dull. He's finally

e blue light illuminating

ars st

ger st

g just...

wasn't peace. It was the absence of hope. It w

nd-Link, and I built a wall around it. Brick by mental brick, I sealed it off. I

t the

t him