a's

f the Silverclaw Pack, f

gic that made the councilman's words echo. Every syllable lands

accept an omeg

d doesn

twi

us and wrapped it around my heart, pulling tighter and tighter until I can't breathe. The warm

ands flying

nn

le

a, p

comfort during the worst nights, who promised we would survive this ceremony togethe

alpha," Kael continues, his face a mask of cold aut

rowd

someone wi

belong in posi

st have been

ng. The corrupted bond pulses with every heartbeat, sending shocks of agony through my body

Kael through

mething cracks in his expression. His jaw tig

with silver hair and cold eyes, whispering something

t, I stop exi

voice brisk and businesslike, as if he didn't just witness some

e movi

latform. Conversations resume. Someone laughs. The dr

that won't fill my lungs, and they're con

d me carefully, av

urmurs, her tone p

of pain worse than the last. It's not just physical. Something fundamen

d. Not Senna. Just me. The part of me that always kn

ehind me, annoyed. "Yo

enter of the clearing. No one helps. No one looks at me d

inst the same oak tree I'd hidden behind earlier. My entire b

y continues

re revealed, other pairs step forward

in through my corrupted bond, reminding m

alphas, his expression neutral, controlle

e he

ecting me

ider. I press my hand against my chest, tryin

, connecting me to someone who doesn't want me. Who ann

up and leave before someone

much. The bond keeps tightening, and S

to end. Long enough for wolves to start dispersing, heading to

mixture of pity and relief. Relief that it wasn't her. Relief that she's not

ays, pulling her away. "

ear into th

al

meter, but they're not watching me. Why would they? I'

this time I taste copper. I've bitten

ught surfaces through the

veryone saw what happened? Back to the tiny room I re

o

clear and cer

ther end of this ruined connection, knowing he's out there somewh

o my feet. My le

erritory. The other direction. The deep woods. Shadowpine Forest, where the trees grow so

idden for

step to

ore time, desperat

le

mewhere in the distance, probably at the feast, probably accepting

The pain makes

, it has to be better than this. Better than living with a bond that remin

the tr

drift through the night. Music. Laugh

e darkness bet

ncient and wild. Magic prickles against my skin, so much stronger t

n't

h every step sends agony shooting through my chest. The tr

eeps twist

. Something else. Something silver and bright, like moonlight e

ink distantly. T

catching myself against a tree trunk. The

feel the bond flare. Like Ka

o

Let him know what

nsumes my vision en