a's

shoulder as Alpha Kael walked away. The crowd dissipa

bled. I clung to my torn dress, an

ck me right in the center of my being. It made my wolfish hear

Alpha Kael, yes. Th

something... more. That never happe

u're lucky to be alive. The King s

m not going to leave you here alone," he added with concern

y. But I... I think I should

s eyes were kind as they settled on me. "You've b

used to be my best friend, but he abandoned me to

are very surprised to see me again," he began. "And I know I

ything from you, Finn! Why did you go away without tel

ained the last of my energies,

*

eats. A dark, empty horizon stretched out before us as my pale eyes opened. Finn had given me some wa

d, a cold lump formed in my chest. I had treated my s

handsome as always. He pointed at the house in the background. "If you need anything

mile, but failed. Everything

age horses clomped thunderously. He alighted from the cabin and flanked me. "Worthle

dragged me inside, closing the door heavily behind us

them. "We did you a favor by taking you to Skyrock Palace. And what do we get

egs for him," Veyra weighed in. "How dare y

was Damien who attacked me. He forced himself on me with his g

have been! You've brought nothing but shame to the family and the pack. Do you really think we'

Theron. "You must believe m

fucking disgrace!" Father's anger erupted as he bellowed, "I

bled as I sank onto the floor on my knees and whimpered, "I did not choose to b

c whining. Nothing but a leech who milks off our name

like this! It wasn't my fault! And I'm not a liar! Damien was the aggressor! But I fought with all m

o brashly. I usually cried and cowered like the helpless girl I was. However, someth

. You're the one bringing shame on our family," I cried. "Not me. You sit there humiliating me all day long, as if you're some

dress us like that, your worthless bitch! You dare bite the hand that f

of this family means living under your cruelty, then I'd rather

reeling, and his palm left a scorching pain on my cheek. My bearings wer

e grabbed by wrist tightly. "I knew you'd tur

but a half-hearted cry escap

the shoulders and shoved me through the exit. My body stum

nce of disgust. I was hurt by the fall, but I struggled to my knees, ha

unexpected depressio

ss the street and knelt beside me. "Alpha Theron is

im away, "I don't need your pity, Finn!

egan. "Where else wi

them were made of the same clay, be it my father o

till be here if you change your mind. You know where to fi

ed and

on it. I wasn't a coward or

st, I stopped and fell to my knees. Having caught

nted to hold me back. I didn't care as the thorns and twigs cut my skin

burned, my lungs hurt. I stopped when the foliage swept away, an

lapsed by the river's edge, my knees starting to sink into

ed my hear out until my eyes were dry. A sense of serenity fl

rt another life somewhere far off, where nobody knew who I was. What about the human world, where bei

I tried, I could live a happy l

ck of my neck. It was an alarm that went off in every

all directions, but there was nothing. Only the gurgling of river waves and a faint

ied sharp weapons and were in armor, the Lycan King's insignia emblaz

athletic man among them

ll by her stench. It'

dain. "Maya Grimridge! You are hereby placed

e roughly by the arms. My mouth went dry, and I watched the b