ra

fire in the great hearth threw dancing shadows on the walls, yet a

e velvet sofa, holding h

ade for me," she boasted, her v

ergy. It was infused with moonlight power, a rare magic meant only for the tru

ly, my eyes locking

side of the band," I said quietly. "The diamond is cut

her hand back quickly. "

nd my vision blur

whispered, looking across the room at Kael.

cle moving in his face; it was a mask of

id coldly. "The feelings of the

om the center of my chest, a creepi

ny?" I asked, my vo

wered proudly. "On the

locked the door, picked up my phone, and dialed Silas's number. He answe

ce shaking but determin

e background su

tess," I continued. "I want to

hed-but it was not his usual lazy, arrogant laugh. It was som

m someone too, aren

utiful Omega?" Silas asked slowly. His lazy tone d

" I said, staring at the

right now." He paused, and I could hear the sound of a car engine starti

g me in the quiet

to leave early to meet Silas at the Moon Priestess temple. When I reach

akfast, the exact meal he used to make for me after my nightmares. I sat down at the smal

It was a rare mountain spice, the only food in the world that my wolf body hated

onto the plate wi

here?" I asked, staring

ok at me as he

mply. "I have a duty to learn

n, terrified child, and he had held my hand at this very table. He had promise

veled up my arms until my whole body was shaking with the force of

to the floor. The ceramic did not just break; it exploded against the flagstone

my eyelashes and

creamed, my voice breaking. "Why was it so

oor. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He just

me was not merely extinguished; it was plunged into

ng to a cold whisper. "I'm going to the Pri

, began to tremble. I watched his kn

s voice cracked on my na

eady walking

passed through it. He stared at me, his chest rising and falling rapidly as the wo

his voice thick with the heavy

he ride was completely silent for the first ten minutes. The air in the cabin grew thin

suddenly asked, keeping his eyes o

dow, watching the da

ead to look at Kael's tightened jaw. "And his stamina is a hell of a lot be

of his grip, the seams straining against his skin. The grey of his irises s

right outside the ancient stone steps of the Priestess temple. I reached for the door hand

manded, pulling on

this." He turned his head to look at me, his expression full of c

buzzed in my lap with a new t

landed early. I have to go pick up

the words on the bright screen. A slow, chilling smile

sneered, settling back into his seat. "I'm done p

n, the deep rumble vibrati

our Pack," Kael continued smoothly. "I

the face with all the strength I had. The sharp crack echoed loudly in the small, enclosed spac

vel thing from which all emotion had been scoured. "Or was

ad, staring at the steerin

o quietly I almost did not hear it.

," I said. "Un

And that silenc

wreckage between us. Nothing came. "That's what I thought," I said, and my