or's

oved freely. No one dared speak above a whisper. Even the enforcers positioned themselves

l as two of the

ouchi

that escape was no

dn't s

have been

eyes stayed o

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't important e

d have bee

was

em-whatever it was-didn't l

ight

ly, forcing her h

of the enf

wa

old wood, lit by hanging lanterns that flickered like tired eyes. Wolves passe

d behind him

a gu

a he

g else e

er witho

made her j

Lyra could feel him anyway, like a storm drag

ll entrance, t

lway

where decisions were made, punish

she did

nside, conversati

es t

ar

ose immedi

's he

rsed om

he with t

t her ch

made you invisible. But looking forward-straight into the eyes of

he l

y looke

at the cent

en did

nt ribs, banners of the Blackridge crest hanging hea

hem all, si

e swept th

bedience

es landed o

unre

cont

" he o

low breath. "Lik

s shifted a

hea

urse

n't react

ned slightly to

n," h

he left side-his posture

efully. "We were informed

through instantly

pa

aze flicked

sharpened hi

ega is present in coun

ediately-the wei

eg

he

wo

cat

tightened

er my comma

spread i

l," another council

eyes da

estioning m

nce

ous si

uickly. "We are only asking

ly closer to the ed

n the room ch

The instinctive awareness that

domi

eneat

g else f

ng tied

dy reacted before her

s Lyra Vale

e the ro

e again-fast

al

t the trai

they were w

ghtened slightl

s what t

curi

eutra

decided long be

y this time. "Alpha... that bloodline is rest

y protection,"

it harder t

tec

ed at him

dn't lo

hesitated. "That is

erious claims," K

pa

r voice-old

ies responsibility. If she is of cursed lineag

lmost

ra

he subject of every whisper in

ssion tighte

h

e entering the hall, he

e he

linked

on moved through t

idn't

gaze sh

d come

xhaled

her told her not

it-responded to

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ow

bera

he base of the platf

every wolf in the hall

ped down

were almo

imity hi

r thi

ght slightly befo

not

urse

in just

o only she

it too,"

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morless exh

ia

owed. "Don't

ed to her wrist

ck to h

rea

sn't mean

" he said

red. "What are yo

hesit

or a f

h

and why my wolf is los

ld not have sounded

it

tro

ced

tared

e this started, something i

fe

ubmis

closer to

diately as if the mome

back toward

ays," h

l erupted

s unacc

cursed omega inside

aken the Alph

e cut throu

oug

eturned i

d the roo

uieter-but mo

not a

pa

h

is

all f

ire body w

realize the weight o

dn't take

ly stoo

ovi

iel

anyone to c

r head slowly

said-" s

t I said,"

met her

ing in the

osses

crue

hing

most like in

voice. "Don't say

slightly. "It is not

ade he

oes tha

t answer i

ust briefly-like something inside h

, "You will

ai

tly. "You keep saying tha

t require

the pr

crossed his ex

h

r of them co

ce cut thro

ha K

tur

elder st

were fixe

t disap

sur

id carefully, "there is something you

ach tighten

tention s

der co

of that line was not me

pa

she was part of a b

all s

t it imm

gaze da

riment," h

looked at

aid qu

lved mate-bond

ed so hard it

breath

ssion change

an

disb

far more

ing beginn

ow

ven

something buil

first time s

t Lyra not li

n he was suddenly