ra

the mate bond lasted

ality of the world

grand hall, sounding li

woman whispe

ells like dirty water and fl

gold in his eyes faded b

g my wrist, and then he look

w tigh

silver tailcoat ste

he third-in-command o

calculating eyes

with a razor's warning. "Our borders are threatened. We are on the precipice of war. Presenting a weak, scullery

e Pack has already sent riders. They said if we show even a hint of weakness tonight, they will storm our borders

, my chest tight

ispered, my vo

him, craving the warmth of

mal instinct that screamed for me, battling against the immense, crushing weight of the Alpha's

go of m

touch made me

he crowd, standi

, his voice vibrating with

len

alyzed by his authority. The guests from other packs merely stiffened,

my arm roughly, and dragge

of the grand hall, under the glarin

, surrounded by hundreds

d and turne

down, masking his own tor

ached his

Blood Moon Pack, reject

ang out lou

s if an invisible weight, immense and absolute, had collapsed upon my ribcage. A violent, shearing s

r, but my lungs

wnership of my frame, and the dull impact of my shins against the flagsto

d through my thi

pale, and a muscle

ut he stood his ground, refusing to

etallic taste of bl

at him throu

to be my protect

e was my e

ce ignited deep within t

t let them

ng hands to push

feet, and looked straigh

e blood fr

accept your

ible snap ech

ecting our souls turned

g a mouthful of dark blood o

back, covering the

y back on

rom fear of me, but from the palpable, terrifying vacuum left by a bon

heavy body toward t

not lo

unging straight into the dangerous, f

mewhere in the depths of the castle, the Moon Goddess's sacred bond lay in ruins-bu