l like a curse anymore

e. There's a clearing behind the cave. It's sa

me or handing me chores. But Kael's hand was an invitation. After a moment, I took it. His touch sparked fire

nst mine, and the air in the cave seemed to hum

s throat and stepp

owed h

rees. Sun came through the leaves in spots. T

rt, excited gasps. Kael stood ten feet away, his arms crossed over hi

t because the moon says so.

n't know how to do it on pu

already in you. Stop fighting the dark, Elara. Feel the shad

the air on my skin, the cool shade under the tr

My wolf whis

hands and when I opened my eyes, it was silver and bright and the clearing looked sharpe

me with his

ded, looking both surprised a

ped fo

ached out. I didn't s

ext second I stood behind

human, and a lau

I couldn't remember the last time anything had f

That was ama

shadows, move through them fast, maybe even pull someone else in if you ge

first time in twenty-two years, I wasn't the scentless mutt clean

wline, and that two mates he'd mentioned last night flared to life. It wasn't the heavy, pain

ping into a low, gravelly vibration. "Kairos was a fool to t

ond, I forgot the scars, forgot the exile, and forgot the King who had sh

of my hair. His fingers stayed near my cheek

t from Kairos's? Why did it feel l

heart as the mate bond with Kairos suddenly turned into a searing brand

I

ad was so loud it

opped. "He's g

with someone

er, stronger this time. I

them, I met Ka

e more,

ing something inside me I h

h as yo

ankles, Kael looking at me like I was worth every risk, I felt

o

just maybe... something else

might just ch

nly went stone-cold. The shadows at my feet, the ones that had bee

ed me behind him, his claws sl

n the tree line where the sunl

rate crunch of a warrior. Then, a scent cut through the pine and smoke, one that m

ds. And that bitt

'd escaped with half a dozen of guards behind him. He didn't look like a King c

s still hovering near my arm. A low, vibrating growl ripped from the Al

, Kael," Kairos said, his voice a

ing forward to shield me. "You rejected the 'monster,' re

e, Kael. Father would be ash

me, Kairos. You did. You destroyed our bl

I didn't see the cold, distant King. I saw a man

el it through the bond. "Whatever he told you, whatever lies

He held out a hand toward me, not a plea, but a command. Behind him, a g

I said, my voice shaking but loud. "An

I felt the shadows at my back rising, forming a wall o

face hardening back into stone. "I'm taking yo

pair of heavy, silver-lined shackles. My blood went