Too Late, Alpha: I Am Free Now

Nightw

tion. Cheers and howls echoed across the pack grounds, a symphony

there was o

ainst the ancient parchment. I leaned over the heavy oak d

Night

y heart. After thirteen years of a hollow, loveless

ned, a storm trapped inside my ribs. But tonight, she was unnervingly calm.

ea. Her sunny, optimistic scent of fresh linen and citrus was soured with worry. Her eyes, usually a brig

ing. "Are you... are you really going t

placid and unmovable as a frozen lake. "It's because he just secured h

on-the color of a contract's end-and tied them with a neat, firm bow. There was a

n't know about, buzzed on the corner of

dy. We can proceed

reply. *Council cha

t you'll have nothing," she choked

It was the only thing I had from my life before Stonecrest, before him. It wa

r gently. "I'll have the on

ee

ara! The pack is waiting for their Luna!" It was the

scrolls out to Poppy. "This is yo

thunderstorm and pine that clung to everything in this house. It was a scent that once made my wolf sing, but now it only felt like a cage, heavy and

f worried loyalty, opene

of ale and victory. They saw me and fell into hushed whispers, their eyes filled with a familiar mi

osite direction, toward the council chamber. Each step was solid, firm. Thirteen years of biting my

omise I'd made to her on her deathbed. The memory didn't brin

time to get

A sliver of light shone from beneath them. I knew, with absolute cert

't hes

holographic image of Leo Hale at the far end, projected from an encrypted device

, who had followe

ot loud, but carrying an authority I had never used before. "T