te Coo

ower lip. The metallic warmth of fresh blood welled up, trickling down my chin. Instead of striking me, Cooper

smooth as poison. "Even though your body has been sta

ver the raised, blackened scar that snaked across my skin-a wou

t inner wolf, I will still treat you as before," Cooper murmured, his tone turning venomously swe

twist away, his hand clamped around my jaw, forcing my bloody teeth ap

n. Ground silver-the one lethal bane capable of destroying a werew

ripping the fine fabric, but Cooper pinned

st his chest. "Do not be afraid. Your husband will stay right here with you. Do you know, from the first moment I saw

ld, quiet sigh

er blade, and your wolf went dormant, forcing the Hewitt heir, Firman, to

belly and my soul at the same time. The silver poison raced through my veins like boiling acid, dissolv

dyeing the bedding dark crimson. My pup... Deep within my consciousness, my fragile inner wolf let out one last despa

ips into a relieved, sickening smile and gathered me tighte

eer hatred, I drove both hands against his ches

sound tearing ragged from

lood mixed with silver residue sprayed from my lips. My strength

y eyes, I let out a wet, rattling laugh. I should have known. Now that he had used my body to frame Arther and secur

hrough the red froth bubbling in my throat, glaring into his widen

eartbeat stuttered to a halt, the cold smugness on

p shoulders. "I didn't mean to-it wasn't mean

or and roaring wildly into the courtyard for a

nd a soul whose flesh had been shredded by pure silver. The cold seeped into

her of the Moon Goddess, I did not vanish into the void; instead, I floa

heart had been torn in two. My ghostly stomach churned with pure disgust. He was the butcher who had pou

from the vaulted stone pillars, and hundreds of white beeswax candles illuminated the bower of pale winter roses. Cooper held a grand Wake that

ne catafalque. My lifeless body lay encased within a carved limestone sarcophagus fitted with a heavy frost-glass viewing lid. Through

stone hall in hollow, echoing silence. Dying with such monstrous grievances

he ambient air grew impossibly heavy, thrumming with the cru

ression aura had descended over the grounds like an iron bell-an apex predator's presence so terrifyin

doors parted w

the stormy shadows into the hall, radiating the lethal Alph

instant he caught that terrifying scent, his bloodshot eyes bulged with venomous shoc