THE WOLF WH

ith fire in her lungs

er back. The Blackmane wolves howled in unison-a sound sharp enough to split the sky. Ever

ting for their

an stood at the center, flanked by his elite: massive brutes with cruel, jagged scars, red

ed herself i

-glinting claws. Another leapt-she pivoted mid-air and drove him into the dirt with the weight of her

cision, with rage-and

d cold inside her chest. You're dying by inc

oved i

r

in, the Redc

and they began

e impossib

y r

rallying the survivors. Bu

ty. He bit deep into her shoulder. She drove her claws beneath hi

lse-something o

t her sprawling into the dirt, Ashra felt it: th

me

s time-

rld bl

ted. Time bent.

shadow that curled like smoke. Her fur gleamed like m

urned

The entire ba

behind it. "You spilled innocent blood. Y

narled an

tore h

fight. It w

s jud

done, not a sing

t as fast. Ashra collapsed to

held its br

ared at her-n

h a

hat. The wolf who called the sta

ated th

hen the bodies were buried and the blood

was

ething in her cracked. The curse w

becom

e Alpha she once l

re the battle began.

the scouts find him, the

gone

e Wyr

gods for some

eft a

tell th

ask per

rage, and crossed into wild territory where no wolf dared hun

walked i

ght, she'd entered the Hollow Range-a place said to

eady dreami

ree nights straight

night, she rea

wrapped in mist and legend. The stars

igu

it

nri

tur

, rimmed in shadow. His once-pr

olf who had bargai

lo

n't have co

g. "You fled. You left

had

chose

oked

loser. "What di

dn't

nri

ly met h

ded my

eled. "Y

y name, my bloodline, my past. In exchange-" His voice cr

r grew

ed to er

ered. "I tried

step back.

owered h

the pr

breath

prop

ss. Or a monster. There is no in-between. One day, the curse will take your soul,

e was a

l burn th

hed like a bla

e truth of it

o felt some

so

rward, lifted

t moonborn. I am not damned. I am Ashra Blackmane. Lu

red he

tars on fire before I

f Chap