ra

ous night was gone, burned away by a cold, hard resolve. If diplomacy a

pened my bedroom door, I found Karla waiting in the hallway, as if by chance.

ere so upset yesterday. I was worried all night. Let me wa

y confidante, to worm her way back into my c

just ignore her. I faced her directly.

day forward, you will not approach me. You will not speak to me. You will n

practiced sadness in her eyes was re

y patience," I added, my voice dropping to a near-whis

xture of humiliation, fear, and a new, venomous hatred. I heard a faint rustle and knew she was followin

ent straight to the heart of our

uards stood sentinel at the doors.

f them greeted me w

," I announced, my voice firm. "It is a matter of

council meeting. But I was the daughter of their last true Alpha, a revered figure in our pack. My blood gave

her expression a mixture of apprehension and annoyance. The five most senior elders of the B

oor. The hall was built for judgment, for pronouncements of law

l afraid. I f

eswax filling my lungs. Then, in a voice that rang

e Alpha Kaelan Beaumont, stand before t

the crackling of the fire in t

, then looked at each elder

for the right to perfor

, each one a stone dro

y reject my fated mate, Alpha Gavi

t, there was a

chaos

Rowan shot to his feet,

tching his chest. "To reject an Alpha of his stature

tightly her knuckles were white. Her voice, when she spoke

act that sta

hey called me foolish, reckless, suicidal. They accused me of spitting

the storm, perfectly

wanted. This w

r with whispers and hints. So I had brought the conflict into

mplacency, to make them s