lle's

lse jump. Through the tinted windows, the ancestral oaks stood like silver

efore I could start chewing my

ee years since I'd last smelled the crisp mountain sage woven through our territory ma

yawned open befor

ht gilding his broad shoulders. The newspaper crump

e distant thunder, "my runa

let him

g me onto his shoulders when I was a cub-locked around me with terrifying gentleness.

mbled into my hair. I felt his lips brush my temple. "Twelve bull

st his chest. "Recite

realized were falling. When his gaze dropped to the faint scars circl

her's. The pack bonds thrummed be

ey'd seen everythin

weight of centuries-old Alpha bloodlines. "That Ashmoor pup would

Calden's hold on me.

he found made him nod once before pulling me back int

n a dozen, then hundreds-a rising tide of voices celebr

his Alpha scent wrappi

a's footnote, pup." The words rumbled through his

, the last of my tensio

e sprawled across the sofa arm. "Reservation at

re his Alpha voice dropped like a gavel. "Sho

n that reckless grin that always made ou

ed. For all his bluster, he'd never

inued, nodding toward me, "Elle's ag

to oversee our European holdings-an omega breaking traditions in

ened. "I'm ready

self to fit some Alpha's narrow expectations. Sunl

was a

hat's my blood." He clasped my elbow, steering me towa

ight snack raids?" I laughed, the sou

spreadsheet of your fruit preferences. Those Jap

ainst the pillows, his threadbare arms outstretched as if he'd been waiting. I buried my

uette backlit by the afternoon sun. "Rest

eaded windows, the wind carried the distant chorus of packmates going about their day-the co

ck that had never

*

Merek

e finality of a vault sealing. After th

shadow at the foot of the grand stair

under my weight. The light sliced through the window blinds,

ow

the command of an Alpha who'd wai

e unharmed after

rom his tablet painted eerie shadows across the

th disdain. "Born Thessaly Voss. Former mate to Calde

e leather of my chai

aelen was Sunlight Ridge's heir apparent. Until..." A tap brought up a

rough the armrests.

sweetheart before the blood dried?" Cyric's golden eyes glinted

wolf rising to the surface. Three years. Three years

m

keleton in that she-wolf's closet. Every

med in the dim lig

back Thessaly's l

the moonlit wall behind me. "T

ke it worthy of our bloodlin

ng behind his dark eyes-caterers, security, the delicate

" I let my claws extend just enough to score the armrest. "And

sis wasn'

the entire werewolf aristocracy see my daughter radiant in Missatian jewels. L

efore turning to leave. "I'll ensure the inv