mured, her voice a smooth purr that usually

t irritated the

he Grand Ballroom, surrounded by th

ndreds of high-ranking Alphas, glittering nobles, and

ant, her platinum-blonde hair pinned up perfe

e Luna. She was smart, ambitious, and

ing her through the traditiona

phantom scent of silver and burning fle

I saw her. Nyra Vale. The nine-year-old girl I had pinned to the freezing

er down

-year-old crown prince, paralyzed by duty, terrified of the tyrant kin

wolfsbane had killed her and she was dead. But a dark part of me always w

epped closer, her hand tightening on my shoulder. "The Alpha of the Northern

ce dropping into that terrifyingly calm tone I

me, a violent spike of menta

g our high-frequency pack mindlink. His

are, col

xpression a mask of stony indifference as I c

estern cliffs with its throat torn open with a silver blade and no al

uired either high-level dark magic or someone wh

are the

stairs,' Paxton hissed, his mental breath rattling. 'Alpha... whoever they are, they j

room? During the most heavily

inner wolf instantly waking up, scratching at

hic whisper. 'And do not stop the music, and cause a panic. If the Council thinks I

te shadow guards to secure

l turn of the waltz, bringing

mile. "Excuse me for a moment, darling. The Alpha of the Eas

sharp mind instantly detecting the subtle

interrupted, my tone leav

into the crowd. I didn't run b

exits, slipping past the heavy velvet curt

blic sight, my pace mutate

possessed was scr

e thought they could kill the Alpha King in his s

he two elite guards stationed at the corner. They already had their h

to stay back. This p

ing wolf's head. The lock had been picked with terr

a master thief o

le, masking my scent and my breath, suppress

lipped into the pitch-bla

or clicked s

dark, my massive 6'5 framework moving

off guard, slamming them violen

th a grip like titanium, my broad chest c

owled, my voice vibrating wi

itical hitman sent by the rebellio

sped, and her scent hit

r rain, crushed pine needles, and a fierce, ancient electricity that defied all logic.

..he shattered his chains, howling with a violent,

hrough my mind like a thu

sudden, uncontrollable heat. I forced my gaze down, st

evealing a lean, athletic woman with a mane of

hat made my heart com

and glowing with a r

n whisper as the brutal realization slammed into my c