he Alpha's C

ct you, Elena Moonvei

uck harder th

remony fell silent. Then hundreds of whi

ll bore the silver crescent that matched the mark on her wr

to recognize the man who had looked at he

ickered, and beneath his controlled expres

f was s

her. Take ba

forced hi

declared loudly enough for every member of Blackthorn

first tear slip

ame from somewh

ad made an embarrassing choice. Another

rd ever

e from the man who ref

me," El

ined fixed on the

d, hating how smal

s. For a heartbeat, she thou

ale stepped beside him,

Isadora said coldly. "Not a girl

rd her. "I wasn't

s smile

spoke to a noblewoman that way, least of all a se

ally looke

oug

n Alpha's authority. Several wolve

mained s

me?" she asked. "After the Moon

made my

why your han

glanc

ent on his palm burned beneath his skin, but he

ordered. "T

rs approac

efore they could t

ut something in her voic

hardened. "You wil

ment, searching for even a trace

ound

r of lo

ccepting her m

hurt more than

" she said, wiping her cheek

parted, but

ain," Elena challenged. "

against the ins

're destr

looked toward the assembled council, the watch

nothing

nd sha

scre

t. Her knees buckled, and she caught herself against the stone altar. The silv

d moon d

nd the ceremony

iors dropped to their knees. Wolves whined and pressed their bellies against t

ered, clutch

howled

sadora shrieked, scra

frightened voices faded beneath a deep, an

artb

he

hing

orming a crown of silver flames. Symbols appeared al

head. Terror had drained every

as awakened her,

"Impossible. The Moon Sovereigns

ou are seeing!" the

dared

ut the agony inside her was changing. Beneath the shattered bond

ked at

breathing ragged, his

that night, he lo

t," he

linked.

nd, but his legs nearly gave wa

laugh esc

and now you want

dn't

That I could be useful? That the girl you hu

n fli

ver light followed her movements, curl

at me," she said. "You

duty to

had a

allowed th

d struck him across the face. His hand rea

reco

t tou

arm

ttled between them. Whatever hope she had car

rose unsteadily and

ign," she

ed murmurs swept

er, lowering themselves before the girl

them, disbelief w

," he c

person

your A

her face. "And she is the bloodli

breath

ncest

uncil's oldest elder stepped forward. His

truly the last Moon Sovereign, she m

drew thei

teadily. "No on

ed. "You rejected her, Alpha.

had no

s closed in. Silver fire gathered around her

thundered thr

he Moon. D

it beneath the

altar, swallowing Elena whole. The warriors were

faded, Elena

ddle, revealing an ancient symbol carved into it

iestess beg

spered. "Someone ha

mething answered with a howl so pow

e clearing dropp

lf excep

color, as a final message appeared acr

LIVES. THE K