ora

eptic was the firs

blinding white of the pack hospital ceiling. I tried to tur

, looking at me with pity. "The Wolfsbane was concentrated. Because

re the weakest. We heal slower, we run slower, and we are expected to serve. But I was worse

She was just... locked away. Buried

oor o

led, and he smelled of stale coffee and... her. That

hed the be

city shot up my arm. It was the Mate Bond. No matter how much he hurt me, my biology

ck as if he had been

ked, my voice rasp

oiding my eyes. "The noise... it tr

she poured Wolfsbane on

The waiter put the Wolfsbane in the soup as a garnish,

ry, humorless laugh. "Or did she draw

he saved my life. She can't have children be

ars pricking my eyes. "You forced me to lie in my

ing his face. "I did what was necessary to

ose her

, once Ilene is stable... once she feels secure... we will do the Marking Ce

ng his mate, sealing their bond and sharing hi

ing," I sa

ked at it, and his expre

I'm scared. The shad

Link he still hadn't blocked. It was wh

d, already backing away.

I pleaded, though I knew it

rora. You have... you're

d and wa

phone vibrated. A video mes

cked

She was wearing Ethan's shirt. She pulled the collar down to reveal a red mark

lice. "Face it, sweetie. You're just the placeholder. He might be bound to you b

ideo

at the bl

t I had been holding together with hope an

e empty room. "I don't want this

that connected me to Ethan. It was a golden cord,

of effort, I clamped

a wall. I shoved a brick wall between our minds. The golden light dimmed. The back

le

rs, my head was quiet. And in