a

ea of hostile faces. The silence that followed my exit wasn't just

rew thick with his dominance, a crushing physical pressure meant to bring me to my knees, to make me bow. My own inner wolf, a timid and quie

as a heavy, roughly carved medallion of black stone-the sigil of the Blackstone Pack. But this wasn't th

the arrogant indifference I had just

rumbling sneer that carried across the silent cou

of his wrist,

the gravel at my feet. It bounced, the cold metal scrapin

he dirt. A simple act was required. Bend over. Pick it up.

wouldn't win me my father's pity;

otlight, strode forward. She slammed her shou

er only I could hear. "Everything here is mine. Caleb is mine. This pack is

ing this too easy. If she struck me here, in front of half the pack and an allied Alpha, my father would he

sed by an Omega she considered less than dirt was an insult s

ink. I simply tilted my chin up s

ht. Give me exa

and

rough the air, sharp

d froze

his tone absolute. But his eyes weren't on her. They were locked on me, narrowing s

e of anger and embarrassment. Thwarted, she turned her venom on the crowd. "What a

's guest and feed their own cruel instincts, began to shout. Vile insu

ara weeping by the car, trying to p

I straightened my spine, letting their hatred wash over me like

ough the noise. "Where am I to stay?" I directed the ques

stinctively, pointing a gloved finger toward a path that led a

in the dirt, I started walking. I moved

ly ignited. A jolt, like pure static electricity, shot straight to my core. For a fraction of a second, that wi

as quickly

e body went rigid. A low, guttural sound-almost a whimper-was torn from his throat before

straight, my head held high. The crowd, stunned into silence by m

g into my spine. I could feel his confusion, his ang

id start forward, likely to p

his voice a raw, ragged com

corridor and finally allowed

over. The war