KO

But the moment I saw her bleed lig

coat, fingers still shaking, not from fear, but from the echo of her power. That shrine was

nting a crimson vein down his jaw. His eyes glinted gold bene

pat, voice hoarse with smoke. "You

hed low like she was listening to the stone itself. "She burned l

d. "A wolf-less omega with lunar ethe

t traced a pale finger along the splinter

s there. No wolf has done

ser, eyes locked on the broken rune scorched into the sto

carrying a wolf that

her wolf fought to protect her. Even in sleep

hunched over. "So, what is she then?

the vessel and the wolf shields it until it's strong enough to aw

Jaw locked. "Why th

r worse-she chose to bury it. We don't know what she's endured. But

unconsciousness, she was fighting something I couldn't see. The th

Yelena. "How do w

, her mate. If they mark h

ted where th

dy may reject the shift if it's too weak. If the wol

the t

Just for a secon

celestial scrolls we shouldn't even have. It's dangerous. Violent. It wo

f she

," Yelena

like a blanket

If the wolf isn't out by then, it'll rip her apart from the inside. Th

er right away

cracked

drying on I

cious girl wh

ke. "Then we'v

Isaac. "Fi

ter than a heart

my eyes.

They shift at eleven. Young. Unstable. Their mate-call is instant, e

finish. Did

e cut the si

's rare, but it happens. Some wolves are born outside

ed ri

plain,"

without letting the wolf out? That doesn't just

muttered, the word

us. "She could reduce thi

t something primal. I've led wars. I've watched empires rot. But that cursed, broken thing on the mar

n around my neck. Cold now. L

ethered

a pulled me ba

"That leaves us w

head. "One. Th

brow. "Why no

rformed. And if it goes wrong, she dies. If it goes really wrong? W

th look

fened. "I'm N

your lands. Under your protect

recognize me, hm? Didn't you s

obeyed your com

til

d under my

ey

world cracked and she could'

air. "She definitely obeyed. Y

walls," I snapped, finishin

slab and let my head hang between my shoulders. Stone. Real. Soli

My voice rasped.

re I could finish. "Her wolf will f

blood filled my mouth. My hands c

es her a

apon. We're not ready for the Con

our only chance. We c

trol s

ve a

t too loud

their eyes. "I

lena cut in, firm. "This isn't a

re not marking her. Not mati

wled, pacing now, fighting the heat building in my ches

than I've ever heard her. "She's weak because

aw l

voice quieter now. "I'll speak

d her head.

me. "And her? We letting her stay

hand hovering over her. "We can't tou

pen?" Isaac muttered

ared her shoulder, the ta

k, slamming my grip ar

ack. "What

d who knows what might detonate ne

een me and the gi

mple. "You feel that? That's he

"The talisman reacts to h

answer.

truth? The one

the talisman re

was

th

so

him

apped like a bl

mped with tears, dirt caked along her cheekbones like war paint. She was

beside me, jaw l

g between us like a hawk closing in. Then s

dn't

already rushing for her ba

under my breath-something primal

n't need another trigger. My skin brushed hers, soft, damp, and burn

barely weighed anything. Like ash caught in the wind. I carri

. And I didn't

," Yelena order

Caged her be

y. She moaned-soft, broken. Her body curled forward. Into

uckin

it touched my skin, heart

blanket over the girl's shaking f

ht be... a

ws collecting behind my

a dare. "Since she obeys your command... You can

ked the room

. "Wouldn't that sen

n't look a

pha's command will o

n me fuckin

ur the pack. I want every elder, every blood shama

ers already flying

to their shadows. This wing stays locked down. S

na asked. "Wher

't hes

tine. No light. No s

en it

sc

aced with fir

s I'd gone

felt like three hu

aac. "Make the

he answer. Didn't c

me. "One week, Alpha

't loo

y mate ha

ed him mor