nd, her boots squeaking against the tile. S

dropped

iding into the empty seat beside me. "

said, trying to sound norm

" Axel cut i

n blushed. "Well...

she ignored me. Her attention was glued t

still wrapped around m

drifting betwee

on with his shadows and quiet intensity. Axel

was on

gh

tted.

kind of grace, his hand never leaving mine. But I caught Axel watching me s

ed in attention. Fl

ware that something wasn

d to leave, the sky

ck side-hug. "Text m

l and said, "And you..

," he replied, voice li

her, Claire's laughte

ed to

at... n

dn't

el being curious

blocks until we reached a quiet

elyn. About see

"Then I guess I'll

gold for just a breath of a second, a

iss b

ened my eyes,

on's

ant thunder rumbled like a warning from the skies, bu

as A

face calm-but I knew that look. The storm b

e," I said flatly,

e that was excuse enough. "Warm. H

ollar, and shoved him ba

t tes

wolf close to the surface

l said, voice even. "Not

lf. Sat beside her. Fl

loser, voice dropping. "What kind of

w cle

n't know

et you still ca

ck. My hands trembled-not w

just some g

nd ran a hand through

d quietly. "Sh

d started w

I said. "She'

at like it'

t

w," he

n't r

reets of London, the buzz of humans everywhere-laughing, drinkin

lly broke

a won't b

ne sti

Luna." I

ll waiting

r claim

snapped. "You know what he

n't c

me. "But you should. If s

won

e won't just hurt her. She'll

d not

er, Bryson. Meant to rule. The wolves follow you because they

red a

en because of stories," I said

s undoing it all?" Axel

e moon breaking t

.." I paused, swall

head. "This w

kno

laying wi

eady b

e was quiete

space. Or maybe keeping his distance be

something deeper, more primal. Magic hung in the mist here-thick, wild, ancient. The trees around

l her befor

But the one chosen b

aph

ght, crimson cloak draped like royalty, and golden

d, voice a melody

aid good luck and disappeared toward

ing until I was a

ina." I

een gone.

e in the city

ightly. "More lik

fr

lying. I can smell her on you." H

ch her," I sa

ing me slowly. "But you want to

p my chest. I gr

flared

aid, voice low. "You are n

ripping her hand fr

father. N

. "You're a fool if you think yo

ne to you."

to me if she threa

g. "You do not own me, Seraph

w-but not with fear, with power. "

sk for that

The packs need us united, and you know wha

eject you fo

for a moment-just enoug

built itself lik

ll survive this? You think love

orward, my

tect her

. "You'll never be able to

n't r

Evelyn's hand in mine still pulsed

k whipping behind her

over, Brys

ow."

the trees, wind sc

one, my ch

dea what she'd

e woul

that mome

enough to choose her-over