reath ragged and heart pounding. Every step echoed in the gra

as she burst into the A

territory, eyes narrowing instantly at her f

it to explain. "Hazel! She's been-she's been captured by r

he boundaries of the forest, to avoid the rogue packs that had been terrorizing nearby lands. Yet here

ing his teeth. Then, his expression har

alkers, trained in battle, loyal to the bone. In moments, a small band of t

s. Shadows moved like living things around them as they tracked the rogues, their

ut the rogues had prepared traps, and the fight was savage. Branches tore at flesh, and cries of pain p

ounds. Blood soaked the leaves, mingling with the soil, as the forest its

s, tall and cruel, with eyes like sharpened knives. He step

ke gravel. "Take her-but your wea

seeing his fallen warriors, their faces twisted in p

and Hazel stumbled forward, dazed but alive. Rel

precision, it found its mark in a place no Alpha could survive

ut her captors restrained her roughl

reamed, tears streami

air, and then dimmed. In moments, the Alpha who had protected the

physical blow. The world had shifted again, viole

he loss of Alpha Zane pressing down on her like a stone. The girl w

arry the memory of that night forever-the night