te Coo

he raw, bone-crushing force behind the strike sent Cooper-a mere Beta-

, ice-cold features. He radiated a murderous aura so dense it s

wolf sealed inside his veins was so terrifying that in life, it had always made me shrink back in fear. Because he doted fiercely on his younge

our face here? The council and the Alpha King didn't execute you for treason? Arther,

nee beside the Brazier of Lunar Flame. Beneath his cloak, he drew a ribbon-bound packet of the northern front

gonizing, barely suppressed tremor. He kept his gaze locked strictly onto the dancing embers, not daring to lift his eyes toward the fr

spiraled toward the vaulted rafters. Instinctively, I reached out m

ising how thoroughly my past self had been blinded by Co

t. Like a rabid cur, Cooper charged

in this hall! Lottie's soul wi

y appointed Minister Ortiz knows the truth in his own black heart. Tell me, d

emands sacrifice! Lottie loved me to the bone-she w

of his Alpha aura slammed outward, causing hairline cracks to spiderweb across the stone pill

tning. I drifted right between t

s. Beneath his manic mask, a flicker

f, your crimes would stay buried in the dirt? Years ago, you secretly conspired with Kiya to slash Collette's face with a poisoned silver blade, burning her inner wolf into

phantom throat. My furious hatred nearly rippe

ike my own flesh and blood, sharing every secret in my bedchamber, had conspired w

ed his teeth stubbornly. "Vicious slander! Standing

to his hip, slowly unsheathing the heavy royal broadsword, i

ked into a terrified shriek as he stumble

er step, a brutal crescent of cold steel severed the air. The heavy royal broadsword swept across with crushing kinet

beneath him. Hot crimson blood sprayed across the white mourning banners hanging f

te, enchanted hush. Not a single guard crossed the threshold; the perimeter had

ots splashing through the dark puddle as he stalked forward, broads

per hauled himself backward, his fingers clawing frantic

roadkill. "Did you truly believe your meager, common w

or and disbelief warring in his eyes. "What... what are you talking

e truly is..." Arther's vo

rove the heavy runic broadsword down with executioner's weight, running him

the red-stained granite, until the frenzied l

er leave his enemy's twitching mouth, and wh

ike you does not

. He drew a linen cloth from his belt, wiping the blade clean of Cooper's tai

he hollow chamber, the suffocating, bloodthirsty Alph

d to face the viewing lid, all the savage, predatory fury in his golden wolf-eyes was gone-replaced entirely by a fragile, u