ed out, gently but firmly.

torm about to break loose. Though her muscles were tight with restraint, the f

." His eyes fixed on hers, his look piercing. "You h

g through her veins made her breath catch. The ground under her feet trembling

through her spiralling ide

late. Lois's grip bro

e air around her crackled with an unanticipated ferocity. A wild, inst

a tree, the force disturbing the upper branches. Lois stared in disbelief at the

sympathetic, his eyes met hers. "You have to learn to reign it in," he added,

uck Lois's gut. "I didn't mean to, " she be

s lip. You will find out. You will learn. Unchecke

nderstood the Shadow Mark was hazardous, witnessing its actual devastation left her terrified.

"You're not a monster, Lois," he whispered softly, putting a hand on her shoul

can something like this heal? she queried angrily, her voic

d. Your strength is not only a curse. Though it's a gift, u

g down on her. How can I tell it won't kill me? I can feel it inside of me,

focus it." Indeed, it's risky. Lois, if you can manage

cting. "I don't want to turn like Tyle

are not him, he replied softly. You will never be him. Lois, you must

s could sense the reality in his statements, yet

g to the floor. Kade, I'm terrified

ence that. You have to manage it nevertheless if you want to live, if you want to safeg

ything that kept her back. But what about fear? Losing command? Losing her way? Or

up at him. Why should I? Why was I selec

Lois, your bloodline. The Shadow Mark; its strength is linked to your

her chest like a stone. She had always known her family h

born for this?" her voice heav

ed to the Alpha Kings, to their destiny. The Shadow Mark was supposed to be

her chest. Am I meant to guide them? The Alpha Kings?" she said again, her v

show yourself first, then. You have to prove to them and yourself that you deserve the pow

a Kings The pack's destiny. It all appeared so... improbable. Just a woman fleeing her history, b

ith a breath-taking intensity. Lois, the upcomi

t. Should I fa

look was unreadable. The packs then fall. Then t

t an oppressive weight in the air the closer they got to the concealed training grounds. It wasn't only the weariness, the pe

ing slightly ahead, stiff pos

on't you?" Lois

. He turned to look at her and halted in his tracks. Lois, it's not only in your

erstood the reality long before her head could catch up. The wolv

remarked, hardly unable to suppre

intense that they made her breathless. Lois, time is something we lac

l." Though they were a promise, the words seemed empty. She

owering his voice, he moved closer to her. You are not safe. Not

she now bore, and she swallowed hard. She was

ng for the attack as he turned his head to

them had become strangely silent. Too silent. Her instincts screamed at her to run, to h

dagger's hilt at his side. Every fibre in him

vement, always ten steps ahead. She had witnessed the quiet resolve in

ow, "you have to concentrate. Don't let t

something to anchor her. The Shadow Mark was growing inside of her, pushing her to let it go and to let it loose in full

darted to Kade's face. Though he concealed it well, she could

s's breath caught and a group of wild wolves burst from the trees

ned accuracy. The wolves charged forward, snapping their tee

l energy too much. The power reacted to her dread, increasing with

sight became hazy and the woodland surrounding her appea

laws approaching for her, its jaws snapping with

ike an electrical current. Desperately, she lifted them; before she realised it, the ene

just released, Kade was pushed to the ground and his body sl

gh his countenance was worried, he was

n a raspy but forceful tone. His eyes flar

is knelt next to hi

wing more forceful. You cannot, however, ke

e force still humming under her skin as her breath came in fast bursts. She had

We have to go," he said fast. Tyler's troops will keep goi