five-foot-ten. Another reason I stood out-and not in a good way. Still, my height would

her," I admitted. "But you didn'

supposed to be cutting ties with me. It was hard

ould have picked otherwise? You're the only unmated

demands. Never a gesture without strings attac

k my frus

int. With him,

entire house. Even my uncle Warren kept himself in check while he was there. Only a

, and the day of the dre

athering had been spinning relentlessly in my head. I was up

nturing into town, depending on my mood. But that morning,

had grown up here, after all. The shadows of the leaves overhead, the damp smell of the ea

full speed when

entire body tensed. A shiver traced a line down my neck, and my senses

n't have

ell-a mix of chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon, with the clean note of a forest after rain.

figure it out. But the rest, more ins

urned

, leaving the woods for the r

down until I

ard I thought it might

ia's

the dress Grandfather had brought, I had no more excu

to meet me on the way, which would m

om what my family had once been-and took the northernmost road. I had grown up here a

nless the weather made it impossible. But the Alpha's residence was completely unknown to

thed, clearly excited, as we m

ther homes ended before the forest began. All of them, except the Alpha's. His residence was at the end

ed. We gained elevation without even noticing. The house itse

here year-round, at least as I guessed, but I had no way of confirming it. Their s

e seven, yet night already seemed to have fallen

out our age, directing arrivals. Cyrus stopped, and

this car is unbo

us and I answered

ast Cyrus and settled on me

nswered, a li

me?" he pressed,

o my knowledge, I was the on

itt

ge. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes before he coll

pha at the gathering scheduled two months from now, assuming he hasn't found a mate by then. In the meantime, enjoy

that last part, but I nodded reflexively. C

lding that seemed to date from the last century but was perfectly maintained. It had to be enormous. I could even m

e been too much. A dance floor had been set up beneath the hanging lights. A large, covered area enclosed by mesh screen

where everyone wandered, ate, talked,

lse. Even though, I had to admit, t