ALPHA'S EXILED QUEEN

ng air wa

s of wolves and members of the pack stood silent in awe, a half-moon curve around a massive stone altar carved with the ancient runes. This was

the center, bath

-a radiant crescent written in silver thread. Her black locks fell loose waves down her back, and he

with Kael-the Alpha whom s

nd fur. His dark hair curled up slightly at the forehead, and his ice-blue eyes-tough to everyone else, but always warm to her

to her, he was still the boy who would

er Varyn, wisest of them all, moved forward with the ritual chalice. Within it, the Blood Moon El

s heart

all too

it w

e boomed through the darkne

dge of the forest, where a figure emerged from the darkness-

's gut

of Kael's inner gu

ped, striding forward, his voice

. "Excuse me, Alpha. but I must say

rrowed. Whispers sprea

r Varyn growled, h

red a glance-then in

meter was breached. We lost three of our scou

g out of his cloak

blood tur

on their last anniversary. The one she'd had on every da

Kael growled,

n answered gravely. "And a trail. whi

s nearly

panted. "I

es now inscrutable. "Selene,

laimed, pounding heart. "You know I'

l said

e Elders. The

d his eyes-the clenching of jaw, the f

d. True or not, the omens point toward that. Until ot

s voice trembled. "You too

traitor," another Elder s

growled-but not

eath c

open. "You promised you'd be my Lu

. "But now. I have

oke somethin

y at first, then more strid

world f

l the truth is revealed. you are

forward to block her way. Her legs wouldn't

d at Kael

k I'd hurt y

-but didn

as her

off her fate, Selene didn't scream. She didn't beg. She let

the pack ha

ned how

dn't die

uld wa

rs Later -

s tattered, her toes aching from wading through thorns and mire barefoot. The guards brough

tree, trembling, he

nded out of

he rejection and confusion. The experience with

e trees emerg

gu

them, b

pon her like vul

one taunted. "Let

she snarled. "Kill me. At least that

fway through the air, a flash of

ed into the moonbeam

ma

ybr

he growled, voice like

fled into t

tood the

cross his cheekbones, but his eyes were gent

. "I guess I don'

ou might be lost right now

ted-then acce

nt who he was or where he was

othing le

made her