awake. For a moment, I forgot where I was. The silence was so unlike the Bloodfan

still

n me. The weight of rejection still clung to me, but in

t the door bro

fifteen, standing there with a tray of food. Her hair was

aid with a shy smile. "And to tell you he's in th

d. "Tha

go, but then hesitated. "You're not

oat tighten, but

smelled of mint and honey. I ate quickly, hungry in a way I hadn't no

e carved with lunar runes-old ones I didn't recognize. This place was anci

rthern courtyard, the cold

. His movements were fluid, precise, not the brutal chaos I'd seen from

stepped back and handed

," he sai

ust passing thr

esn't mean you can'

way that made me feel exposed-but

trained?

arrior pack. Train

ed. "Sh

nked.

ing space in the court

Not to prove myself to him-but to re

ward, droppin

tep for step. I landed the first strike-just a glancing hit to

ck fast. I b

my arms aching. But I didn't stop. Not un

ight like someone who's had to defend her

's champion," I said, chest heavin

moment. "That's exactly the kin

that he saw something in me

nch. "Come. There's som

w colder as we descended, the stone walls slick with moisture. At the bottom was a chamber-half shrine, half library. Can

id. "A place for those who walk be

l and lifted a scroll

It speaks of a wolf born under a rare lunar alignment-rejecte

mach t

t coinciden

But when I saw you that nig

I'm your

Moon doesn't

old I was less-just another foot soldier. Then Kael rejected me, crushing wha

s too

ial," I said.

y. "Then maybe it's the br

m fear-but from the pull I felt. The bond was gone, but this-w

nt kind o

ready," I

ave to be. J

, I'm passi

il the path ca

to leave m

ng. Listening. The wolves were different here-less hierarchy,

ked at me like

ws still

whispering in the wind. At first, I thought it was my wo

s out

lin

eached an ancient stone arch, half-buried in mos

the air shimmered-

f bleeding in the snow. And Lucien, standing alone wit

and stumb

sion v

was

memory? A

war

ent, I knew-whatever I had stepped into, it was b

of someth

ing aw

m, I found a n

it, did

all i

errified me more th