nore

back. But Cristian saw it differently. In his eyes, I wasn't stoppi

e fury in his eyes cooled into somethin

gner?" He let his gaze travel down my body, a slow, insulting appraisal of the moon-white

inst my mind. Just cruelty, plain and deliberate, delivered in front of half the city'

y silent. A collective, horrified gasp seemed to be suck

sn't just an insult. It was a desecration. It was a slap in the face to th

en, a flicker of sick, ecstatic triumph lit her

ast vestiges of pain, of love, of hope, simply... evaporated. All I felt was a profound, chil

ine smile tou

e was clear, carrying t

even look at Cornell, whose entire body

to. My calm agreement, my quiet exit, was a louder act of defiance than any fight could ever be. I was leavi

ors into the cool night air. The wind felt good on my hot skin. I found an empty st

family's waning influence for his pack's stability. I was a comm

ill in the quiet g

to the phone. "Ellie, tell me you spit

ngely calm. "It's just a dres

efore she c

. He shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders

him win," he said, his

t like a shield. "Thank you, Corne

n. "Just remember," he said softly. "If the battle gets to be too

ng me a way o

his face like thunder, while Angelena tried to play the role of the comforting, reasonabl

ne last look of utter disgust, t

e evening, his eyes kept drifting to the empty doorway. For the first time, a seed of dou

rtment. I couldn't. Instea

curled up on the narrow cot, still in my beautiful, desecrated gown

m Cristian's. His was a storm, all lightning and destr

ty that my marriage was a cage. And maybe, just mayb