est was

ceful.

t q

ond pulsed weakly, like a heartbeat fading away. It wasn't warmth. It wasn

ds tre

ind

ark in the dark, an

ing to be h

I could

clothes. The air felt cleaner out he

the forest, letting

where I went. I j

to t

d to

to s

ed in the pack, I

hysic

iona

d continue to treat m

t let tha

d pulse

like a w

begging me

igno

n good at ignor

il

d to be

d to be

come someone w

d walk away and

me wanted

ed to run back an

t would only m

tayed

egan to

Firs

n't know anything ab

ended on others. I had always belie

rules had b

learn to sta

ing I needed

ngth was

as e

ted tr

on

y lungs burned, climbing trees until my arms ached,

o fight wit

to move

to listen

nse d

of girl who didn'

until my

muscles

pain bec

was proof tha

at I was

was becoming

ing st

ing da

me the Pack

urn to the p

want to

to the boundaries, and

ernoon when I was practici

t it

bo

l, stronger

hain tig

fr

urn

here

a

edge of the clea

sion was u

es wer

.. the bond w

trying to drag me

didn't

ood

't sho

t show

m with a calm

ou doing he

ed over me, takin

My stance was stronger

someone who

who ha

could no lo

ing on you

there was a hint of so

nc

il

ething

d checking o

eyes na

't be out he

ghed

" I a

ou're mine

s were f

no longer

knew the

his

e

had rej

the righ

ulsed agai

tepped

ving," he said,

his

dy have,

hit him li

ession h

st me," h

mil

nderestimate

for a long momen

rned and w

hard, like it wa

g heavily, feeling the

omething in

n't igno

watch

track

e was

se he did

he couldn'

at sca

romise I Ma

ned to the forest a

, and the moonlight reflecte

at my r

saw th

e girl Kael

omeone

ne st

e dang

who coul

ade a p

uld

ld su

d come

him regret the da

se I want

ted him to see wh

the weight of the b

t the girl they called worthless

ftly against my sk

a pro

a war

w how long i

ow what I w

new one

t going

ace that di

trongest alpha in the pack

anym

d walked into

the claiming, I felt somethin

ee