d silver sky. Laughter echoed between the trees while music drifted through the night air, but Seraphina felt none of the warmth that surrounded th

y heavy, as though an invisible w

hat evening had not completely disappeared. It remained deep beneath h

uests sat. Her eyes stayed lowered as she placed fresh cups on the table and removed the empty ones, but th

d not understan

esence even without l

ade every other wolf nearby seem smaller. The flickering light from the bonfire illuminated the sharp angles of his

of wine in front of one of the royal warriors,

d step away, a quie

ai

it carried a weight that ma

lowly turne

s looking di

moved beneath the surface of those golde

t neither o

nued around them, but the space be

her gaze quickly a

my k

ied her c

t it was layered with something far more complicated. Beneath the scent of wolf was a faint trace of ancient magic that reminded him of old

scent of va

should not exist

ce stood direc

his chair while his wolf stir

ga from earlier,

a nodded

my k

sed of stealin

d slightly around

es

ou tak

ion surpr

ked her that with

shook her

t steal a

her express

ng before him did not smell like someone hiding the truth. Her heartbe

lieve

er raised a dif

erbs, then someone else had

earing surrounded by several young wolves. The future Luna laughed

n suddenly s

d his gaze t

is you

aphi

red in the air

acted insta

a

ough his mind with

and forced his attention

ou lived in this

as I can

ve no f

ook he

er told me whe

r again with re

o carried the impossible scent o

this girl than the Cresc

ddenly aware that many of the nearby wolves had

there is nothing else you requi

sidered

he felt the urge

at his instincts, urging him

now would draw da

before she understood it herself, powerful

rous politics of supernatural clans, and he k

stence too soon c

d he simp

may

in before stepping

e tension in her chest eased slightly, though the

ough the crowd, trying to

ughts refus

s had stirred somet

asked abo

ed at her with

make her body react in wa

ng Lyra watched S

eaking with the other young wolves, yet her eyes fo

onversation between S

Kael's gaze lingered on the

ough to ignite dangerous

supposed to re

xisted only to

rawn the attention of the mos

ot be allowe

nd the silver bracelet on her wrist

once, then perhaps she simply

ensure the pack rem

lebration and moved toward the edge of the fo

walked deeper among the trees, lea

in, and the quiet rustling of leaves

to gather fa

l moments she enj

strange sensa

se of heat rushed

e branches as pain s

as the energy surged aga

oded with overw

music from the clearing mor

oke of the bonfire dri

he could sense something deep

her nails pressed pain

aped her throat

ot entir

the faint echo o

aggered back

to me," she whisp

nt blood of three powerful

clawed towar

ered like sparks

cold and immortal watched quietly

her knees as the stra

aring, King Kael s

sensed it

ening ha

escent Moon pack, Kael realized the situation w

suggested, then the fragile peace between the