A'S

Trials, and the pendant around my neck still burned from the strain of hiding my scent through that gauntlet of traps and fists. I'd survived-barely-but the memory of

gged from the arena's dust. He was nursing a bruised cheek but grinning like he'd won a

on Professor Elias's stare, Kade's cryptic warning, and that stranger who'd watched me like he knew my secret. I'd come to Silve

lifeline, but it felt fragile, like a promise ready to break. "Jasper, you eve

Intense how? Half the guys here look

describe it. "He was older, maybe a seni

ably some upperclassman scoping the competition. You

back. I needed to be invisible, not a spectacle, but my wolf loved the fight too much. S

ened, shoving the cap back on. "Who's t

my chest flaring like a spark. My wolf whined, Mate, and I cursed her timing. Two ma

s feet, suddenly serio

walls. His eyes-storm-gray, piercing-swept the room before landing on me. My pendant warmed, an

d, like a blade wrapped in silk. "You performed..

o hit the library anyway. Catch you later, Linc." He bolted,

bout, sir?" My voice held, but my hands were clammy.

crossed, studying me like I was a puzzle he couldn't solve. "Ironfang pack," he said,

n paperwork," I said, forcing a shrug

e? Yet he sent you here, barely trained, to compete with wolves twic

e in his tone. "Because I'm good enough," I sa

d closer, and my breath caught. His scent-cedar and something sharp, like a winter storm-hit me hard,

"Silverclaw High isn't a game. If you're hiding something

"I'm not hiding anything," I lied, my voice steady despite the pani

d to leave but paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Your strategy in

He knew something-or suspected it. I had to be more careful, but how? This

efore another knock came, this

into a tailspin. I groaned, dragging myself to the

er slung over one shoulder. His smirk was infuriating, but that tug in my chest was worse,

ted. He scanned the room, then me, his eyes lingering a beat t

ll warm, and Kade's presence wasn't helping. His scent-leather and wi

s around here. You're the talk of the Trials, tripping B

rgetting my caution. "I m

he was seeing me for the first time. "But you've got a target on you

Who else?" I asked, too quickly. Kade's eyes nar

gh." His gaze flicked to my cap, and for a heart-stopping second, I thought he'd yank it off. Instead

hat stranger whoever he was felt like a storm on the horizon. I needed allies, answers, somet

gth isn't muscle, Lina. It's will. Lead with that, and no one can break you. I traced the wo

the corridor's end. That scent-sharp, unfamiliar-hit me again. The stranger. He stood under a flickering light, his lean fra

e said, his words slicing through th

my throat. My pendant flared, hotter than ever, and I knew one thing fo