ra

window, a dark silhouette against the morning sun, watchi

embarrassing, traitorous s

movements fluid and certain. "Two servings of the Alpha's breakfast. Steak, e

was breathtaking. But the gnawing ache in my belly was

king human waiter who wouldn't meet Cain's eyes, Cain served me himse

at

illed my empty stomach, my mind began to clear. I couldn't fight him physically. He w

a new s

a pen across the table. It wasn't a contract. It was too simple fo

his alone. In secret. Until he decided otherwise.

Jul

Solve my Julian problem? So I can

of cedar and mint, clouding my senses. "I am not a fire, litt

le your own mess. But make no mistake," his eyes loc

ad claimed me. Signing just meant I could walk out of thi

the devil. But I

hite paper. A wave of humiliation washed over me, so intense it made my vision swim

so

s. He handed me a new phone, a sleek, black burner. "My n

. "You can go now. Go d

from a tomb. The sun was bright, but I felt n

l until my knuckles turned white. Julian's words echoe

face floated

ing, roared to life. They wouldn't just

y, began to form in my mind. Jenna loved the s

would

e center of the claiming ceremony. And then, I would pull th

n crystal. The high-energy field of the

fying mix of excitement and fe

e mask. I found Jenna's number in my old ph

esse

sickly sweet. "Elara! Oh my god,

m so sorry. I drank way too much last night and crashed at a friend's. Listen, are you free

t taken so easily it was almost pa

creen of the phone. The woman staring back was a s