a

d my eyes, the kind that came from sleepin

ke

nd on my shoulder, a firm shake that rattled my bones

swallowed sand. I pushed myself up, my hair

ar my desk. "We don't h

ked bored, but his eyes tracked the way my shirt slipped o

face, trying to scrub the sleep away. "Lookin

slow, predatory sound. "T

ter the morning run, falling into a black hole of

as stripped of its usual warmth as she h

e?" I looked down at my wrinkled T-shirt a

ed, gripping my elbow and

d the underside of Selene's arm. The spark was instant. Her eyes caught his and softened, a priva

just enough for the cold air to bleed out. Then came the voice-Thorne'

d. He sounded like he was discu

lied. His voice was a blade

e warriors are already losing their minds over the links. T

he man who did the dirty work my father didn't want to get his hands on. He'd

emotion in it, just the flat finality of a death sentence.

Thorne let out a jagged la

one, including you. The rogues are circling. I'

a muscle, but he pressed a single finger t

. "My place is here, breaking the ne

od there like a statue carved from shadow. He was a

ling over Thorne as he leaned forward. "Unless she picks Notios first, you

. The omission hung in th

t, the words sounding li

he light, his massive frame blocking the doorway.

th hitched, jaws dropping. I just stood there, a

her's voice dropped an oct

the door open. His dark, hollow eyes collided with mine for a fr

ack, baring yellowed fangs in a silent snarl. As he passed, he sl

whispered with a crooked sm

in. Selen

ows. I straightened my shoulders and pushed th

y breath. He was skeletal, tall and thin with eyes like gray flint. He clutched an ancient,

toward the stranger. "This is Wi

nd. It was a reflex, a desperat

hand like it was covered in filth a

William said, his voice trembling wit

me, his eyes two black pits. "Kaia, William

nned me to the spot. H

es tracking my every move with pure, unfiltered disgust. I felt like a bug pinned under a microscope. My father didn't c

ked leather of his book. He looked

ceremony immediately, Narcisse," Willi

o "Sir." Just Narcisse. I stared at him, wondering who thi

t leveled a stare at the Elder that

thmic, haunting quality. "I, William, First-Order Elder of the Kentrikos White Moon, hereby verify

es

hrumming through my veins. I didn't understand the legalities of the words, but t

. The word felt small and

lliam rasped. He sounded like

my chin up, making sure

anyons in his forehead. "And do the witnesses co

elene and Cain

. It felt less like a sacred rite and m

lently against the parchment. He slammed the book

father's head and vanished through the door. I looked around, realizing Cain a

wling in a ledger was the big

h opening to demand some kind

ven look up from the papers o

sal stung

ng. I caught up to Selene and Cain a few hallways down,

their stride. "Talk to me.

t," Selene said. She didn't stop walking,

tchy from the Elder's gaze. "It felt... fast.

r head, her eyes focused on the path ahead. "I have to get t

He pulled her closer, his thumb stroking the bac

floor. "But why the rush? Wh

s," Cain said. He flashed a grin tha

means is that you're officially a werewolf in the eyes of the law.

ek. The word "registered" made m

ious tone, "you're legally allowed to hunt for a mate. Every territory will se

sickening roll. "So the

, you'll have the link. You'll be able to hear us, and we'l

frame, trying to process the idea of

having a key to my thoughts made me feel naked. They'd already seen me shift; they didn't need to see my secrets, t

elene's elbow now. She bit her lip, her breathing h

ss. "It's communication. You learn to toggle it.

I had no idea how

let you,' S

uzzy vibration in the back of my skull.

up. This i

ain lean into Selene's space, his scent of pin

as just a cluttered mess of

of that disaster

d the cool metal of my doorknob and shov

pitying smile. "Get some

y chest. Watching them was exhausting. Their bond was so easy, so heated, and so full of

t made up my father's security team, I'd n

only thing in the room. I wondered if my skin would ever b

someone out there

was about

deep where no one could find it, but

e word felt like a promis

less, I th

n the empty room, my lips tin