ne

graze my skin, a sharp, metall

guards, stepped between us. The gaslight caug

s skidding on the stone. His golde

smissed her," Fiona warned,

on her carved wooden throne. Her

na said slowly. "I will not sever it simply because of jealousy. You

way to the front, her c

female! Three years, and she has failed to produce an Alpha heir for

ciety, a Luna's inability to

smug face. My inner

d and clear, "because for three years, the Obsidian Pack

e fell over

essed a wolf's ability to shift and destroyed a female's f

" Xander shouted, hi

finger toward the crowd of se

manor, was pushed to the front. She was sh

"Tell her what Elder Xenia ordered you

to Elder Xenia. Xenia's eyes narrowed int

tself, her forehead hitting

, her voice breaking. "The Elder only told me to brew a st

d in my stomach. Fear

a loud sob. "She is trying to frame our Elders, X

oked at Fiona's silver sword

ing his voice to sound reasonable. "Let me take her back to the manor. I will comprom

ecting me to be grat

torn cloak. My fingers brushed again

your compromise

edgers. Three years of continuous, secret purchases of high-grade

took the ledgers from my hand, and

er eyes scanned the ink. The scent of ozon

nder. "Did you know o

at them, to question his mother's household accounts. He had chosen to close the book and tell me I was being paranoid, that his mother would never harm me. He had buried the suspicion deep, convincing himself that it was easier to

stood up. "Call the Royal Healer for the girl. This Rejecti

ver burn on my back flared with fresh agony, and my visi

the clamor from the courtyard was instantly severed. A spine-chilli

dust of plaster from the top of the archway, and the air filled instantly with the scent of

dgers from me?!" he demand

in his eyes-the flicker of recognition. He knew. Some pa