ble in the crisp morning air. The woman before her had soft brown eyes, a kind smile,

hat v

learned what yo

mth. No welcome.

aged, the words bub

ing flickering behind her pupils a

eat, the illus

The brown curls transformed into long, raven-black waves. The gentle eyes turned feline and pred

Sarah's mother. S

arah said, disbelie

ard with practiced grace. "She's dead.

h's blood quicken

slowly, a cold sm

ah's mind John had murmured that name back at the pack

Sarah, cloaked in deceit,

t?" Sarah demand

closer, her heels silent against the forest fl

in throbbed in her shoulder, still fresh beneath her skin. The fo

ou think he bit you by acc

"He didn't mean to. He

hat he was doing. You were just the latest. Do you know how m

ey had t

p back, Sarah repl

pat, venom lacing her word

d in the angering sky, dark clouds

the irony-he'll never love you. He can't. The curse won't

ed hard. "Why

ng with barely contained fury. "

racked not magically th

trained beside him, killed for him. And then you just a human girl

this," Sarah shot b

king. "Oh, sweetheart, no one asks

and Sarah's heart thundered in her chest. Bianca's

voice. "You'll never be free of h

thered down

y sound of cloaks flapping, feet shuffling in t

ed. "They've come

I'm not goi

te on her shoulder, st

d. "Don't be foolish. The wilds won't save

stepped forward men in black coats,

thing, just

" Sarah insiste

touch her. She

e said coolly. "Tell him I

sed to resist. Her body betrayed her

to bind her. They didn'

whil

his hands, pine needles tangled in his hair. His eyes burne

. Not entirely. H

re

roared int

e wind

e through the sil

lp

round, fa

was

g with barely contained aggression. "If

ds in a placation.

breath

. with us. At the compound.

ication?" John pres

ght us. She ca

elief hardening his featur

kering in his expression. "

anded, urgency

tated. "

he pack c

ing ring familiar, wide, filled with f

andage on her shoulder. Her

lt the

t their

ng inside h

" she snapped sudde

e ans

Their averted eyes

, Bianca watched

ht

the bed in a small, locke

They still shook sometime

the pain that

e voice i

rds, coilin

ou. He only kno

r click

look

fr

o

the moon, soaked in rain. His jaw wa

re," he sa

said n

forward. "I t

d

did you

in the eye. "I didn'

. "What did sh

ho

anc

w and bitter. "Oh

hitched. "What

?" Sarah

e stre

Moved towar

ed me. And you never

t have a

ys have a

w. Rage and confusion

ow? I don't even know what I am. Your p

stop

ser. Inches be

he world for yo

. "Then maybe it's t

that n

ndow, silent as a shadow. She d

she coul

yes. But she'd a

ldn't tru

ven h

er they were were

swers. Not lo

ve

question chased he

uman... what exactly h

e for

owl pierce

of g

of h

darker had

as comin