a P

anded on Kirt an

arm, his face dark with humiliation. Candida shrank agai

Elois

turn my command into another little family misunderstandin

eak. "Do not start, Elois. If you came t

d mask of gentle matriarchy, was white with

shrill shriek. "Alea White! How dare you speak to m

"Katy, you live in my house, eat from my table, wear gowns paid for by m

e went

I continued. "A stray dog with a

puttered, at a

el. "There. Much bette

. He knew he had lost. To stay any longe

ou will regret this, Alea,"

, to make his gran

was quiet, but it stopp

ope in his eyes. Did he think

man hiding behind him. Candida flinched as I a

erfeit jewel someone had been foolish enough to present as priceless. I took in

it?" I asked, my t

ged a sh

"From a small, forgotten Pack on the brink of collapse. An o

ion of her helpless persona. Hearing it from my lips, strip

y," I said. "So you found the one thing you c

s lips t

e bold enough to crawl into my engagement. You sho

e, and lowered my voice to a conspi

man who can be stolen can be stolen again. And when Kirt tires of saving broken little bir

rkest fear in her heart. I saw it land. Her eyes widened

Bradford, collect your charity case. If she ever sets foot on White Pack land again,

A true Alpha protects his own. I had just declared tha

hed at his sides,

contempt. "Yet you brought your mistress here to beg from the woman you betrayed

hoking off whatever re

ing with fury. "Enough. You w

will not mistake my mother's house

s fr

gh," I said. "Soft voice, gentle smile, hands folded neatly

jumped in

loom that vanished. Every servant you

, real fear flashe

mother's sleeve.

anding there with her mouth open for far too long, and I am

a strang

e out low and ra

l-shocked Candida out of the fo

battle was lost for today. They shot me one last venom

e I could stop them. I had been running on anger and willpower, and now the streng

t?" she asked, her vo

t. The cold fire in my eyes returned. "I'm fin

d from the cold marble of the foyer

tions in my name. To all the Lunas and ranking females of the Packs allied wi

ing anecdotes to share regarding the ambitions of certain 'younger ladies'." Beck Guthrie was the Alpha of the Guthrie Pack, one of the strongest Packs allied w

rs for all her personal assets. And have the Pack's attorney and chief accou

a steely whisper, "have someone watch Kirt an

confrontation had been a necessary, cathartic releas

ed by a fierce loyalty, simply

ow, watching Kirt's car dis