a's

is own, and my lips were still tingling and my skin was still burning from his touch. But nobody

en before. My heart ached, not with regret,

l who had her first time with the Alpha, and n

tly around me, even though whoever it was

e the voice of the kitchen Omega, Ta

ed to the slight mark at the curve of my n

fore the entire pack

wn soon," I

turned. Whispers followed me like shadows. Some wol

just a

t yet. What's so

like that before. Not eve

barely touching my food. My thoughts s

et it eat at me, but by nightfall, I was

e scent

per, something that grabbed a

door opened, and ther

d he stared at me like I was the

way," he mumbled,

"Then why d

. "I had busines

aressing my cheek

s, Aura," he whispered. "Y

to speak. I

like he needed to memorize my fla

e next

the

en no one could see. When the rest of the pa

isit, my heart

rting to believe.

e my

im once. "Why do you

h and desperate. "Because I want

n't the trut

, he didn't wan

Whispers grew louder. Some

even of n

thing. A

g eyes searing into my back. Couldn't stroll p

ery night. Like I

ver said what we were. But whe

ght I overhe

meant fo

s quiet on the stone hallway near the council room. The heavy wooden door was

de

traditions," he yelled.

my fingers. The thud mad

I needed the bond sealed

No. He couldn't me

ct anything once I

ed. Male. Deep. Counc

from noble blood, your

ng p

done," Ryde

ra

uel joke, piercing through every moment we had shared. Every

l means

s trembled as I staggered into the trees behind the packhouse. The chilly

d I was his pa

d me in the ey

me afterward

genuine. Of course,

to believe

the earth. The night, once a shelter, now felt

's secret

s all

g inside

ye

dn't

while lying in the dark and

~~

ollowing morning. The whispers weren't s

s a p

t

move on

watching the water run. Tryin

everything. My

called me

ived again. A

d. Like he hadn't just

uttered, rea

lin

inkled. "Wh

n the eye. "Do

or a second. But

lpha," he s

at. "That doesn't a

he stepped back. "Avoid asking qu

shut beh

s I sat on th

ant the

lready