anctuary that was about to become a war room. The moonlight streamed through the tall w

whining or raging. It was utterly still, coi

tie

droom was shoved o

n with the arrogance of a conquering king, a smirk playing on his lips. He

illows. He saw only Elara, standing by the window, her silver-white hair like spun moonlight, her posture perfectly calm.

urred, his voice a low drawl meant to grate on her

olet eyes were not filled with love or pain. T

oice light, almost conversation

ss was unsettling. He reached out, his hand aiming to cup her cheek in a gesture that was both

single, elega

l, closing o

ike a slap in the face. The smirk vanishe

th me, Elara. You're

enjoy? The Thorne family's trade routes? They all run

a clear, brittle sound in the quiet room. It w

re was something like pity in

confusion clou

s to the Northern Alliance. Effective immediately. Perhaps

e, his arrogance shattered. His pupils contracted in

His wolf snarl

and to his Beta. A frantic, silent query. The response came back a second later, a wave of panic and confirmation that cr

e between them in two long strides, his hand clamping around her arm l

, once a comforting mix of forest rain and cedar, was now sharp wi

wolf was a low, rumbling threat, tensi

isper. Her violet eyes locked onto his. "You destroyed it the m

rm faltered. It was the first time sh

f something-guilt? shame?-crossed his face, but it was g

"She is more fragile than you could ever imagine. A

was

t, lingering thread of a bond she had once cherished. It wasn't a choice between E

n her heart was finally over. There was not

g table. Inside was the silver Vargr pack sigil he had given her at their betrothal

essing table, her movemen

for a fleeting, idiotic moment, that she was going to put it on.

t. The polished silver caught the

at it. Her eyes

silent on the thick rug. She stopped at t

isbelieving gaze, sh

its wooden case fell, landi

od at the end of a sentence. A

a hand, not to strike or to caress, b

id, her voice as calm and clear as a winte

us red. It was a humiliation deeper than any he had

own wolf howling w

in

asn't. No

a Thorne," he snarled, the

slamming the door so hard the crystal

triumph on her face. No joy. Just the vast, emp

n the firs

n't even be