na

're

cient beneath my skin. My breath caught. My legs refused to move.

d believed broken fo

golden thread I'd

was a

a

dl

ra

backing away. "You'

head. "I don't

't know

and commanding. "The last living White Wolf. Hidden b

ees b

you kn

nd every step sent s

," he said. "Watched them fall one by one. An

hover near my face, as if waiting

pau

it too,"

ed to

ed another mate. Wouldn't

ould've bee

ke a second heartbeat. I could

say," I whispered, "tha

rk flickered

aid. "The

cefully, but with an authorit

keeping up with his long strides. "But I will protect you. And that me

ct," I said, my voice s

rned. His eyes b

king. When it does, they'll smell it. And they'll

I?" I c

, like he was deciding how

he said. "You're the last dire

ly, bitterly, "

's history. Buried

back, shak

a girl. An Om

throne," he interrupted. "And

ld already feel the bond humming stronger, like Kael's pre

life hiding

ed to make me somet

Qu

wasn't like anyth

e or war-torn.

the moonlight. And at the center of it all, a palace of

asp

s is

Kael sai

ed by warriors who didn't lo

s the

ls like t

stronger tha

iffe

brushed mine,

used to it,"

to be worshi

d slowly. "You're n

n my entire cottage back in the Eastern Woods. Sof

of it m

Kael w

y

y

My wolf stirred inside, restless, aching to break free.

I fel

a

He just stood there, watchi

fted since you w

odd

hy

I did... I w

't change. "You mea

idened. "

She's a guardian. The White Wolves were born w

e cracking. "She ripped through an en

ael corrected. "And no

. "What if I can

uched my jaw,

'll hel

, I dreame

ade of moonst

and eyes like mine, whispe

hen I

n't a

orner, fully formed, c

e bowe

el summoned me t

spy," he said. "Fr

d turne

nto the roo

as J

ruised.

p and his j

ia

ike he'd se

s eyes

e you do

epped f

's m

d a bitter,

s an

ueen," Kae

t to prove it

a

t of ev

nt of

e band

wer. Posses

d back, the r

on looke

Kael said. "You rejecte

turned to me

nt to spea

ed at

y who'd b

away the only thing that

I

N

ed away, he

was done c

ate ch