sound of sha

, the fire long dead, but the noise had come from somewhere beyond my door-a cra

olf knew that sound. It was the sound o

d and pretend I hadn't heard anything. I was his slave, his spo

en I f

y ribs. It felt like someone had reached inside me and was squeezing my heart until it

ling me toward

a

tumbled out of bed, my bare feet slapping against the cold stone as I wrenched open my chamber door. T

the heavy

urned, its legs shattered. Maps were torn to shreds. And in th

t, and dark veins pulsed beneath the surface like black lightning.

led, his voice war

n't. The pain in my chest inte

ning to you?"

back, and he collapsed with a roar. He clawed at

despair, and a terrifying, visceral revulsion. It wasn't my fea

ting his head. His black eyes

at?" I c

thed, the word drip

al blow. The sacred, ancient

spered. "It

t. He stopped inches away, his breath hot against my face. "The Moon Goddess has cursed me. My wolf... he reco

orld

dirt beneath his boots. But worse than his disg

fle

he pack had always whispered behind my back. At twenty years old, I had never shifted. I had n

l the weakness on you. You don't even have a beast. You are nothing but fragile human flesh. And my

miliation crashing over me. "You feel it," I wh

. It makes me sick to my stomach. Every time I raised my hand to you, I had to

k veins receded, but his eyes burned w

And I will find a way to break it

rembling, my tears falling freely. He had taken my pride, my home, m

s you so much, why don't you ju

mate, the Moon Goddess will strip me of my wolf. I will be nothing.

about this," he said, his voice cold as death. "If the council finds out

s arrive, you will stand beside me, and you will pretend to be a good,

f you ever speak to me of this bond again, I will mak

osed. The l

ble bond pulsed, a cruel reminder that I was tethered to a man who found

ance, that voice of hope. But there was nothing. No mother's voi

alized. I am tru

ng, the servan

let them bathe me, dress me, brush my

's court, and the visiting alphas who had arrived for the sum

te. He looked every inch the Alpha King. But when his eyes met mine, the bond flared, and I

, his voice ringing ac

didn't glare. I just walked, my head bowed

red, pleased by

iful-tall, with golden hair and emerald eyes. She wore a gown of deep pur

er voice like silk. "

he bond, I felt a spike of something-not disgu

ina," he sai

down to me, kneeling at his fe

yes raking over me. "The fallen princess. I he

. "She is a slave. She

. "Well, I am glad you are not letting her

rm. "I look forward to our discussions, my king. Ther

is attention e

it wasn't his pain now. It was mine. A slow, agonizing realization that the m

tepped forward, a cr

e summit is a time of unity, perhaps we should entertain ou

s, his eyes unreadable.

t us see if she bleeds like a common animal. A public whipping

f approval. Seraphina clapped

icker of something-a brief, violent struggle-but it w

Kael said. "B

d turne

at him. It was the first time I ha

re dead. "You are a slave, Elara

ack of my gown open, exposing my already scarred back to the ent

re through me lik

d lash ma

shattered somet

quiet, choked whimpers. The court watched. Seraphina laughed. Valerius smiled. And Kael-Kael stood on

n the floor, bleeding, shaking, my

stood over me. He crouched, his voi

th me. Bleeding for my amusement. Remember

phina taking his arm, the cour

e bond pulsed, but there was no hope in it. N

I realized. I will neve

for the first time,