ra

oment. Every time my eyes closed,

stone circle. The pack gathered sho

straight at me...

his

o n

e he was refusing a drink. No

skull. The instant the bond snapped. It had not b

d out of my chest, lea

h my ribs like a wound that refused to close. Every breath

e never

hile darkness slowly thinned into gray. Dawn slipped through the high barred w

ter herbs burned in a clay bowl near the

were

dull. Heavy.

isoners. Wolves who

ation settled

re making sure I stayed weak. This was not a roo

to be

to be ha

to dis

oor once. Voices murmu

was alive. I was no

ally opened, it w

men stepped

. Their faces were smooth and distant, the kind peo

one of

t. Weakness rushed through me so fast the r

shifted faintly. Not

injured animal burie

They grabbed my arms a

cy. No c

Ceremony was pulled from my bo

thed the fabric, folded it

till deser

are skin. Instinctively, I w

came fast

oman snapped.

fr

ui

what matt

Not pain. Just skin that

Not gently either. They scrubbed hard, like they

ned. My sho

the water running down

oked

cled both wrists. Not

Before the rejection. Before my life broke open. They had already decided

shoved a thick gray dress over my head. The

comf

sport

tal snapped shut around my w

wolf whimpered inside me and went s

than the first. When I shifted my weight, th

posture. The property

n stepped back

re re

ad

gh my skull. They opened the d

we moved through them, but not empty. Wolv

atched

turne

relieved it

ith every step. There was no hiding that sou

appens to t

as we passed, "Do

er his breath, "She

ou

ever h

d through the tall e

when I

ot, hair tangled, clothes crooked,

ropped to

la

e

front of her, but V

way fr

hrough the hall. V

napped tight, yanking me back. Pain shot t

her!" I cri

ht. Her cheek blazed red,

houted. "She committed no

stepped forward.

s voice broke. "Is this w

o

ed deeper tha

im anyway. I twisted against the iron

ed the hall. For one foolish he

didn't. He halted a few steps away, g

e but m

ettled quietly

he would have to admit

raised her! You watched her grow

ched. Rowan's

eant to stay here

art d

his eyes, but th

ways meant t

left m

where?" I

a shook her head. "You

suddenly. "Take me

me then, shar

f they

ed them chain h

ce cracked.

t her, express

is dec

ld air rushed inside. And

neath my feet. Slow footsteps

whispered, "They're here."

sen

nt I had never known. Iron. Frost.

felt optional. And deep beneath my ribs, wh

er. Pulling. Like a scar

on the guard's arm. "E

s crossed t

Broad shoulders wrapped in black armor e

s. They did

the hall already

back without realizi

nize something highe

rd out of instinc

stead. One guard halted before me. His eyes dropp

payment," h

ym

Not wolf.

. "Elara! Don't l

ought it might split open. I looked

me back,

turned. "B

e forward. As I crossed the threshold

er returned from

not transport...

eath my ribs flared on

hing inside me had opened on

ice faded

hadow. Ahead stretched the lo

a king who

the echo rolled across the morning, one

y end. I was being deliver