ee days. He returned e

mate can rarely survive carrying a Supreme Alpha's pup without magical inte

lene's body was failing, and he needed p

m. Kaelen hadn't just brought a hundred men; he brought an

cess Selene in his arms, and landed grac

teps, blocking the entrance to the tomb, K

elen growled. "I'll give you one last ch

'll adopt you. You'll live like an Alpha's son. Yo

To be an officially recognized member of the Blood

assuming the "mutt"

ered his head. He nodded. "I will

a look of arrogant triumph. Everyone

to hug t

ng, perfectly mimicking a terrified

bers burst i

suck up to his new stepmothe

he hairs on the back

ped forward and opened her arms like a benevolent

nt he stepped into her embrace, the moment his tiny arms wrapped

from pure silver and

de upward, aiming right beneath Selene's j

was a Supreme Alpha. Before the blade e

slammed into

unched into the air, crashing into a stone pillar. He cru

ate the Luna?!" Kaelen roared

by the hair, smashing his face hard against the c

from the ground. Unbridled fury contorted his face. "I sh

n drove the silver stake straig

shrill, agonizing shriek of silver

nd drove it into the boy's le

e. Two. T

oss the cobblestones, mixing

I shrieked, throwing myself

take the blows for him, but the silver stake passed right

ntom pain ripped

t as though I was dy

hand gently on Kaelen's arm. "Enough, Kaelen.

hest heaving. He tossed the blood-soaked silver

," Selene said, her voice trembling,

nly human nature that she hates me and refuses to give me her core. Let's go, Kaelen.

ike oil poured o

to the crypt's iron gates, bend

aelen marched back to Lucian, grabbed him by his bl

Lucian's throat. "Or I'll chop his

inutes

patter of rain and Lucia

ed beast, his amber eye

a mouthful of blood and

eeping across his pale face. "My mother is dead

taut. "You think I won't?" He pressed the blade deepe

ld, cruel realization dawned on

more of her power to resurrect you like last t

s Beta. "Bring

rt plummeted i

ce and shadow; there is not

as a different ni

incinerated the soul, complete

ers from the armored vehicles, Kaelen ordered

! Tear down the wa

gled weakly against the enforcers holding him do

m deep within the catacombs: "A

the sound of vicious triumph.

e on a slab of ice. It looks.

y body out into the sunlight and dumped it uncere

rpse. The skin peeled back from the skull, fangs jutted grotesquel

m with the toe of his boot. With a sickening crack, my brittle wrist

N

trying to break free fro

the boy's mask of cold apathy shattered.

shoulder as he fought desperately against their grip. "Kaelen, I swe

genuinely taken aback by

e mother? A friend? Tell me where Elara is, m

xing with the blood. "I've told you a thousand times! She's dead

ne hesitation cros

osely. The shape of the brow, the length of

ok his head, dismi

their core is destroyed. And I can still f

asp. She stumbled, clutching her stomach

ards shouted,

dropped to his knees beside her.

een hovering nearby, check

ithout a Scarlet Core to stabilize the pup

s shirt, her eyes rolling back. "I don't

in agony. "I won't let you die. Even if

l intent. He gestured to the goons ho

is wrists and ankles to a thick iron post. They piled silver-soa

mountains. "Elara, this is your last chance! If you don't come out, I'm go

from a guard and tos

d in a blinding flash

his head back

soul was being ripped apart by the holy silver. I knew that pain. It w

n, weeping uncontrollably, begg

hild, he's too weak! He's your son! I beg you

the spirit realm, but

his head snapped toward

rembling as he raised a hand. "Halt the fir

fr

oul? Was the Scarlet Core in his che

slow ste

ing the empty air mere inches fro

right here? Ar

exaggerated, blood-curdling scream. "Kaelen! It hur

nce was

ion shatter

d and pulled Sele

frantically, completely stepping away from where

killed me while my son burned alive on the py

f love I had clung to for f

en I was pregnant, he had looked a

the most useless

, his face hard

by the neck. Stripped of the glacier's protection, the dry, c

black, his clothes burned away, but his eyes... his eyes

g and just stared b

e where she is, and I'll put out the fire.

saulted his mate was an enormous concession. For Selene's

he was bein

es, his laughter sounded dark and hollow,

bubbling past his lips. "She doesn't want y

eyes turned feral, his pupils dilating until they were pitch black. "Yo

nd, Kaelen swung his arm and hurled my shr

N

am tore throu

one, desperately trying to reach my burning body. But he was too late. The Sacred Fire in

g my own cremation, feeling a n

ied, starved, and treated like an abomination. He never fought back be

is was for

d, my soul could finally pass on

ee. We could reunit

heaving. He muttered to himself, "No... she's

ead against his broad back. "Kaelen, let's go home. She'

her and turned his back on the burning pyre w

ok thre

earth cr

wo

ite

ine in werewolf history