Her mind was a chaotic blur, running on pure instinct as she raced toward the main pack house. The betrayal from Connor's letter felt li

ick. It didn't smell like a celebration. There were no flower garlands or joyful scent

g Elders stood clustered around the entrance to the med

is arm extending to block Evely

voice shaking slightly, though she forc

l clinging to her trembling finger and hesitated

ry, but the sight waiting for her

the rogue borderlands three years ago-was writhing in pain. Her skin was deathly pale, slick with cold sweat, and dark purple

er trembling shoulders with whit

r tunic was unbuttoned at the collar, his dark hair dish

ame barely escape

she had been struck. She buried her tear-streaked face against Con

h and raspy, suffocated by hyperventilation. "Please,

, and the desperate love that had filled his amber eyes on Moonlit Ridge

m in heavy, suffocating waves that forced the lesser wo

ng between Connor and her half-sister. "I just arrived. Sienna, what

from the corner of her lip. "You brought me that lavender tea last night! You said... you s

e Elders standing around the room, then back to the man who had held her beneath the stars only hours be

. She couldn't say it. Not in front of the Elders. No

ded over his chest. His harsh eyes locked onto Evelyn. "It's an ancient, odorless toxin. It paralyzes a wolf's internal

g into tight fists. "And I don't possess any. It's forbidde

epped out from the shadows near the medicine cabinets. He held a small, velvet-lined wooden

gs?" Evelyn demanded, her heart

idote," Marcus said, his voice smooth and devoid of emotion. He reached into his coat pocket and produced a tiny, glass vi

went de

rror. "That isn't mine. I've ne

aid coldly, taking the vial from Marcus and holding it up to the morn

look at her, to see the truth. "Connor, look at me! You know me. You know my heart. I

er voice ringing clear through the quiet room. "She found out that the Council offered me as a secondary consort to the C

reached out, her fingers almost touching C

to face Evelyn, his expression was a mask of cold, unyielding granite. The heavy w

n. He simply stared at her with a look of profound, sickening disgust-as

mth. "I thought you were quiet. I thought you had dignity. But yo

nor,

force of his voice rattling th

nes in her wrist groaned under the pressure. With a harsh, brutal jerk, he

ling over her eyelashes as a drop

er rage. Then, without a moment's hesitation, he tossed the ancient heirloom onto the cold stone floor. The silv

ced with a lethal, unforgiving ice that cut deeper th

eling beside the cot to take S

hering to look at Evelyn as she stood frozen in place. "Strip her of her