ra

sed behind Mrs. Sullivan and her en

tration beneath. She struck the stone floor with the base of her matri

ury, "has the Blackwood Pack had a tradition of refusing weapo

nd terribly alone. I met her angry gaze without flinching. "Grandmother,

toward me. "I am not a fool. The white dress. The refusal of the gift.

re and death? The man you want me to marry will one day watch me die, believing

mission of guilt, of

I know you have doubts. I know this is not the love match you dreamed of. But Gavin Carlisle is a once-in-a-century Alph

pered the words, a bitter

I was rigid with terror. I had flinched from Gavin's touch, and I saw the hurt and anger flash in his eyes before they turned to ice. The entire ritual was a painful,

mistook it for stubbornness. Her pati

oice once again hard and unyielding. "The elders from both pa

from my throat. My head snapped up,

Not even the rest of thi

e sliver of hope I had clung to was brutally extinguished. A w

ng. It was the first time I had pleaded for anyt

f, her face set like stone. She would not be

his for the pack. Why couldn't she see? The loneliness of my burden was

or. She left me standing alone in the cavernous hall. The portraits of my ancestors seemed to mock

voice broke the

ite honey cakes in her hands. She wore a look of such

a gentle murmur. "Don't be angry with her. She just wants w

ing the part of the loving, devoted cousin w

iling face that had watched me burn. The beast of my ha

d not

elt into my gaze. Then, I turned and walked right past her, my shoulder nearly brushing the tray of cakes she

This was not a rejection she could twist into a misunderstandi

vy door shut, the sound echoing the finality of my actions. My back hit the wood, an

ressed emotions. The strong facade I had worn all morning crumbled into dust.

not make

welcoming the sharp, metallic tas

or weakness. No

ee

ays to save u