ches cracking underfoot, night creat

a r

She couldn't. Not with the images still burning behind her eyes-blood,

o longer o

jected. Mark

breath ragged and raw. The pain in her lungs was nothing compared

not of the lonelin

she ha

ed, stumbling against a tree tr

ies

wasn't a wolf. It couldn't be her wolf, it was something els

een. You wanted powe

bed. "I wante

you belo

o the soil, and she screamed, not in pain, but in fury and a

assed over

hickened. The fore

wl rose b

rned s

could smell it-no scent of unity, no bond of blood or law

her feet. "I don

brute with one torn ear, b

ecked from whatever had happened and from running through the forest. So she couldn'

pread out in

er," one of them gr

ed his lips.

ised them, trembling. "

rogue wo

re frozen. All she could think of was the blood on h

o

ag

he

t

es from her throat, when so

n't command it. One heartbeat she

arched back. The wind howled as

ast ca

't stand

aller, monstrous, shadows writhing along her limbs. Her voice was two-toned, echoing

e throu

praying across the leaves. Their howls were short-

hen s

psed and b

e up and saw hersel

f the four rogues s

e of the wolves had a pup's collar around its

again, this t

monster had

.

she didn't have

ed. Or may

s. Her legs refused to carry her much farther. The forest

whispered again. "Moon God

he voice this tim

r a stream. She crawled to the water's

ld eyes, hair in dis

the face looking back at her. All she saw was the mons

d her vision

silence

tsteps. She

limbs were lead. Her mind was unraveling. S

were shifters. But not from Bloodfang. Their eyes glowed with fe

Ruthless. Untamed. They looked more da

hair tied at his neck, arms corded with muscle, a sca

ched be

e smooth and dangerou

, but only blood bu

ther rogue said behind hi

od-matted hair from her fa

at her

ed her ove

e mark-a crescent moon entwined with jagged black f

s muttere

horne." one whispered.

ed, his eyes narrowing.

wn at Raya a

one from th

ouldn't think. Darkn

usness took her, she

nds are true, we've jus