ss the ancient stone pillars of Frostveil Citadel. The entire Glaciara pack had assembled once more, but

metal had been forged in the sacred fires and blessed by the Moon Goddess herself-designed to suppress a wolf's c

torn from her shoulders. Elder Morgrim held the precious garment aloft before casting it into the sn

e cracked across the assembly, "what becom

ght of fire magic. Few wolves possessed such gifts-most relied on tooth and claw, strength and speed. Bu

uties li

a symbol-it was the physical manifestation of her connection to the wolf spirit w

ling against the iron bo

dlust, their need to see the one who had disrupted their perfect order brought low. Near the edg

etween wolf and Goddess. To bear it falsely, to claim kinship

. The heat washed over Reign's face, and she could smell the acr

or the word even as it left her lips

stepped into the circle, his golden eyes reflecting the firelight like m

bloodmark. The silver crescent that had marked her as different, as special, as co

n a

rth writhed and twisted, fighting against the burning magic that sought to tear it from her very soul. She

d with tears she refused to shed. The pain went deeper than s

mark had been. The silver crescent was gone forever, taking with it her connection

ed through the crowd. Unm

"She who was Reign Winterhart is no more. What stands before

the torchlight. When he leaned down to whisper in her

ld claims your bones, when the scavengers pick your carcass

e authority. "Guards! Remove this... thing... from our lands. Ca

t meeting her eyes. The iron bonds fell away, leaving her wrists raw and bloody, but the damage was already done. Without

s snarled and snapped at the air. Above it all, Lyra's laughter

wolf called out. "I'll take good care of

r, carved with protective runes that had guarded the pack for centuries. Beyond them lay the frozen wa

iron bonds that had suppressed her wolf spirit shattered against the stones, but the relief was minimal. The b

lammed shut with the fi

swallowed

mple tunic as if it were made of paper. The temperature was dropping

tity. The unmarked scar burned like a brand, marking

ow, something unexpected stirred in her chest. Not d