a's

chaos. Voices rose in alarm, warriors barked orde

way! Get

e

ays

ncern as I trailed after the cluster of pack memb

my belly, the swell beneath my palm

t, my voice trembling just enough. "Please, make sure

obbed her head .

. It had been hard won, carved from shadows, tears and

ven f

lly not

he way. From here, I could watch Corvin... watch how he hovered desperately over Rael

ort not to say a curse wor

his eyes when he thought I wasn't looking. I had wondered, in darker m

, despite being broken, even with

as if she were the sun ret

alm, hard enough that it

dare

ing my place here, burying her memory under my tou

e, into my title, and claim t

o careful. S

dows, the coins pressed into greedy palms, the scent of iron wh

thing more final, nothing more convinc

had w

nly to find his mate gone, his bed drenched in blood. His howl had shaken the

s, my own tears hot and real. Not for her.

once looked at me th

she wa

ave. I had offered comfort slowly, carefully, never pressing too soon. An ear to lis

, so they had no problems with me getting close to the

ed in his drunken state, desperate for warmth in the

at was hers an

that same raw devotion in his eyes, I

" I sighe

... still, the moment she reappeared, s

leave me. Not now. Not when I carried his heir. The future of this pack rested be

letting my mask

f, so low no one else could hear. "I gave you a merciful

ched my lips. She had escaped, then. Somehow she had survived what I ha

. The years had carved deep hollows into her. She might have the sympathy of

Co

p on his name in m

ife. Whatever bond drew him towards her, it no longer

er, the anguish etched into his f

like that when I stood on

urn to ruin what

a passing guard glanced my way. "Is my cousin s

, Luna Nyra. The Alpha

Alph

lpha

guard hurry on. But inside, my wolf s

rritory. My cr

ould come back from the d

gravely

him. You won't take this," I murmured under my breath, venom

sper Luna al

r her scars

he for her

f it m

ad destroye

to, I would

e.. this is my