lott

when I returned to t

t nights at Kalia's townhouse. The closet was filled with clothes he ha

em all to th

To a wolf, scent is identity. His smell used to comfort me. Now, t

uck a

feeling a strange lightness in my chest. The bond was still there, physic

hell are

his chest heaving. He looked disheveled,

lmly, throwing a tie he had le

y arm-the broken one. I fli

"And what is that smell? You s

ly, I smelled like lavender and fear. Now, thanks to the hos

ff me,"

ded. "I'm your Alpha, Charlo

at. "Or I was. Until you decided Kalia's d

tic. Kalia was in shock. She's delicate. Y

r me. Not beautiful. Not che

e pulled out a silver chain with a crescent moon pendant. The Luna Necklace. I

alia needs something for the Sterling Gala tonight. She's inse

my birthright

g back to the fire. "It's

ou're coming tonight, too. As staff. We need to show the other p

the door

rs. Then, a sensation brushed against my mind. It wasn't

e Gala, C

ing around. No

's

de

ark was impossible. Only the most powerful Lyc

is? I thought back,

ad, warm and possessive. But first, you must st

was my secret. I designed smart-fabrics that stretched with a wolf's shift, preventing the shredding o

, made of a shimmering, liquid fabric that

the bruises on my face, but I left the

l territory hotel. The air was thick with the scents of hundreds of w

silence rippled

clung to me like a second skin. My hair, usually tied back,

lover girl," s

t she was

ed a glass of champagne

ng the Luna Necklace. It looked tacky on her. She saw me, and her eyes

ed me on t

erve showing up h

s a free country, Kalia. Even f

she used scent blockers and synthetic ph

. "You're still a defect. A genetic dead end. Bryant keeps you ar

yes flashing yellow. Her

first time, I pushed back. Not with hands, but with p

es widened. She took

t are you?"

ould hear it. Her inner b

"I am the nightmare

al. With a screech, she extended her cla

g in. But I let her graze my

my voice cutting thro

rs burs