h Gilles

the freezing courtyard, her nose wrinkled in disgust

ey hadn't stepped in to support my weight, I would have collapsed face-first into the dir

g down at my bruised face and bloodstained hem

response. Leaning heavily on Corey's a

en inside the hollow leg of my cot-a meager seven hundred dollars, the last of my private savings. It wasn't nearly enough for

ing pen from my dress and hid it deep in the seam

hew out through the service gates and into the

gned wolves, transient merchants, and working-class families. It was noisy and rough,

n a brick alleyway and used five hundred dollars cash

the Pack," I instructed Clara, pressing the remaining two hundred dolla

ul embrace. "Ever, be careful. If th

back and forcing a confident smile

side my inner pocket was a solid silver pocket watch engraved with Casimiro's initials-the only valuable item my late husband had left behind. In wer

g. Having gone without food or sleep for over thirty hours, a sudden wave of hypoglycemia

f a high-end French café, leaning my should

cing heart to slow down, a familiar scent

ar and win

snappe

window of the café's VIP

dark crewneck, yet the casual attire did nothing to soften the lethal, aristocratic edge of hi

tunning, golden-haired noblewoman dresse

months, the Pack's rumor mill had buzzed with whispers that the Council was actively arranging a

red hands, while Damon merely swirled the black coffee in

r them. Lowering the brim of my

an electric bicycle lost control

ok

vement. My handbag flew open, spilling my sparse belongings across the sidewalk-including Casimiro's sil

ter drew the attention

er my things. When I reached for the pocket watch and looked up, my

ee. His gaze was pinned on me, c

blue eyes widening in dramatic surpri

rass-trimmed glass door and stepped out onto the si

ing with sweet, patronizing concern as she extended a lace-gloved

t, and pushed myself up from the cold ground using m

casually shoved into his coat pockets. His eyes dropped direct

ging through gutters for scraps?" His voice was s

and met his gaze with cold defiance. "T

oblivious to the razor-sharp tension between us. "I'm heading to the couture boutique down the

s," I said quickly, taking a step bac

a steel blade. A faint, cruel smirk touched the corner of his lip