a's

e y

ive years learning to control the power that nearly cons

hat's what they c

time in months. Her name is Lena. Seventeen. Bruises on her arms from an alpha wh

he's

with me for four years, one of the first omegas I saved. Now

om the sleeping girl.

ming in from the eastern territories. Sist

silver marks on my skin glow f

them," I s

do when that anger gets loose. "The network's getting t

them

ss the forbidden territories. A network of wolves, mostly omegas but some betas too, who believe the syst

. Relics from the old pack wars. Gold and jewels abandoned when

ept

carefully. "The in

ill. "S

rest of the Alpha Council. My fingers trace the

od Moon

trade agreements, power distribution. It's political theater, a

I be? I'm no one. A dead omega who wandere

I'm n

y know

're inviting the Moonshadow to attend as an independent representat

re sc

o

going?" M

tion. At the date. T

tely, conserving strength. But she's awake now, a

five years, I've learned to live with it. The burning-freezing sensation has become

ret. His carefully

e furious

ell Maya.

wise? They could try to bi

can

g its limits. Understanding what I can and can't do. I'm

hing else

e, "it's time they s

s pass in

espond to my will now, bending reality in small ways. Shadows lengthen at my command. Silver light er

can

eashed. With pure power. I've practiced on rogues who thoug

intelligence on every pack that will attend the summ

g Kael D

as ruled for five years with cold efficiency, making no mistak

's mis

ed deep, carefully hidden, but there

like it hurts u

n't c

i

e part of me still remembers that moment when the bond snapp

y I just

e summit, I stand in front of t

ves past my shoulders. The lunar marks trace visible patterns up my arms, across my colla

k dan

dange

oftly. "The d

s the light, elegant and severe. No embellishments.

wing like liquid shadow. The neckline is high enough to be formal but low en

led. No jewelry except for a single ring on my ri

ying," she says

oo

e as I smooth the

the shadows, I'm walking back into the world that destroyed m

to

eady? my

N

g an

es

ns when you break someone and they refuse to stay broken. Tim

me in the eyes and see exact

ed letters one last time. The Blood Moon Summit. Three days

reflection. Co

see the M

fear what

r corrupted bond, the moment

rror, black silk whispe