ed. One second, Beowulf had been glaring at me, giving me that unmistakable warning to stay away from the Wolf Moon-or else. But then, just like that

is words-of everything that had happened. My stomach twisted at the thought of Beowulf's harsh treatment and whether it had something to do with th

a Harley Davidson swerving arou

shouted from one of the co

d spread the rumor that my mom couldn't shift because she had syphilis. Never mind the fact that she'd been beaten senseless

at had just happened. I pushed on through the tree-lined streets of the wolf district, my thoughts st

. The sun couldn't even squeeze through the gaps between the buildings, casting everything in a grim, dim light. The stench of droppings, festerin

e air. My lips thinned. Was it Weasels versus

ed by a burst of laughter. "Get out of th

before I even had time to think, my

ugh the mess of broken furniture, bags of trash, and unconscio

door to our shack was lying in the middle of the road, as though someone had just ripped i

sharp. This was my home. My mother

e?" I screamed, my voice rising over th

ushing past weasel and rodent shifters until I reached the edge of the crowd. My hear

ouched my

e Eliza, her second-in-command-an imposing black woman with braids. Healer Asena, the one I'd never fully trusted, st

, maybe even four of them. But Asena was different. She was unpre

snarled, my voice cut

malicious amusement. "Ayla Garrison," she said, her voi

ace. I recoiled, feeling my chest tig

ed. "Tell Syphilis Sib that no

said. One minute, he'd been glaring at me with a warning about the Wolf Moon-stay away, or else-and the next, he

d as my mind kept racing, caught up in the mess Beowulf had made of my day. I didn't even hea

shouted from one of the co

couldn't shift because of syphilis-it had stuck like glue. The truth didn't matter, not that it ever did. My mom had taken the beatin

t, but my thoughts kept circling back to Beowulf. Why did he have it out for me? Was it just me, or was it be

gs swallowed me whole. The sun barely made it through the gaps. The air was thick with the stench o

s versus stoats? Or hamsters versus shifters? It

out, followed by the threat, "Get out of t

omach. My breath caught, and

unding as I shoved through t

n furniture, trash, and even a few unconscious shif

oor was lying in the road like it had been ripped off its hinges. A crowd

my home. My mother. No one

to my house?" My voice cut th

h, ignoring the sneers from weasels and rodents until I reac

ch as touched

the faces I'd been hoping to avoid

lent strength, stood beside her. And Asena, the healer I never quite truste

Frida and Eliza, maybe even four of them. Bu

tep," I snarled,

ling into a twisted smile. "Ayla Gar

I'd been slapped. "What t

smug. "Tell Syphilis Sib that n

you are slandering my mother. She wasn't soliciting. And as a gradua

in a quick snarl. "T

rs work in Lunaris. Some of them work in your clinic. You don't h

ehind me. "Did you

"What do you call running a woman out of bu

her eyes flickered to F

oor to the house creak open slightly. My h

harassing her long enough. No one h

settle this like wolves," I growled, st

racting chlamydia?" she mocked with a nervous l

and Frida, but I masked my anger. "Sounds like you

omorrow, it'll be one against one.

eat, considering the last fight with you and your

h the crowd. I didn't care.

mask her unease. "Let's see how your brute

ring at the retreating women, m

down?" I asked, irritati

onize me,"

tep, tell these goons to bugger off, and hand over

but she didn't budge. "That thing

cracked stone. "Three coins, or the rodents g

fists clenched. She was pissed, bu

rdinary. Her magic was dangerous, fae magic, the

o her pocket, pulled out a handful of

er too incompetent to he

ere were more important things at stake. I gla

back, Asena had disap

ghbor, stepped forward, a handful of go

shing over me. I forced a s

eck on Sybil?" Phina offered, co

atefully. "

"That's your share. Go

of my home. They had been set up to make the shack look aban

loors. My eyes searched for my mother, but she wasn't

s the scattered leaflets on the l

her eyes glazed, like she

I rushed to her side

n my arms. Like a bir

ou?" I asked, my

rmured, her w

on her breath. I clenched my

ed distant. "Tonight is the Spring Equinox of yo

-blonde hair, brushing it away from her face as I

per lost in the fog. "Only an hour's worth. I needed

ce soft. "Mum, why don't you just sl

er voice distant but insistent.

onfusion swirling in my mind. "D

arpening. "Tonight... y

in the hearth, but the warmth couldn't reach the cold that

nwavering. "Ayla ." It stopped me mid-sentence. "You wer

the blood of an Alpha running through my veins." She'd said it to me every day, as if the blood coursing through me meant

ack of loyal followers made my life hell. Every taunt, every shove, every cruel word was met with the reminder that I was meant for somet

by a single encounter that tore my world apart and sent

a tight knot in my chest. Guilt gnawed at me. "Sorry for

iliar. "You're frustrated," she said, her voice distant, like she was speaking from another world. "But you're like the

ce of rusted metal. Diamond-shaped, with a stalk running the length of it. Two diagonal lines splaye

I asked, my c

sigil," she said. "Wear it tonight for luck." She closed my fingers around the metal piece, her gri

my voice barely a whisper

nto her back, adjusting the blankets so she was comfortable. Mum always did this during festivals. While

les from a long day of cleaning the guest house. The crack of my spine

tense that it felt like he was daring me to regret attending th

thing? My gaze dropped back to her, unce

to lose. Not

ight, that the Wolf Moon prophecy held some truth, then I