message faded from the tablet's screen. Angela felt every eye on her. The low cr

head bowed, muscles tight as drawn steel. The go

at last, voice low and dangerous. "The

nded. "Then we use that. You said it yourself: we need to end

harply. "You'd walk

"You'll be with me. We control t

a with new respect. "She's right. It

clenched. "I w

"I'm already in this. There's no safe place left for me,

working. At last, he nodded.

photos littered the long wooden table. Torches along the walls flickered, c

choose where this ends. We'll lure the Nightfang Alpha to the ru

"We can funnel them into kill zones, c

a game of lethal chess: warriors hiding in the tunnels, Selena l

n risk: that one mistake would mean the

apons close at hand. Angela sat on the bed in Raymond's suite, watching the first

but weary, wearing dark tactical clothes that hugged his powerful frame.

sleep?"

me I close my eyes, I see the

warm and steady. "I've lived with those nightmares my whole life,

ehead, fingers lingering on his temple. "And you make

elted into him, the world beyond the room fading to nothing. When they

e vowed, voice like thunder. "

gathered in rows, armored and armed, faces grim but resolute. Ra

round of our choosing. We protect our pack-our fam

gaze swept the crowd, marveling at the fierce loyalty in every face.

ng the forest silver. Angela kept close to Raymond, every nerve strung tight. The ruins of Ston

beneath the ruins. Angela and Raymond climbed the steps of a broken watchtower,

art hammering. "It's st

led on her back. "T

of wind-set Angela's heart racing. Then, from the shadows beyond the

immaculate black coat, his pale face twisted in a cruel sm

touching. The proud A

blazed gold. "T

laughed softly. "O

clashing with hidden Pride Pack warriors bursting from tunnels and behind ston

e launched into the fray. Angela ducked a Nightfang's blade, rol

sidian fire. "Stay close!" she barked, slashin

irst, pressing gauze to a deep gash in his thigh. Blood soaked her hands, but she moved qu

tfang Alpha stayed back, watching with cold amusement, as if savoring the Pride Pack's

e

ed at her from the shadows. Before she could react, Raymond

ted back, blood dripping from his mout

ind me!"

king voice rang out across th

hurricane, knocking warriors off their feet. Angela slammed int

rd her. Raymond was pinned under a massive Nightfang warrio

ron closing around Angela's throat. "So fragile," h

er lungs. She clawed at his hand, but his gr

ing. His eyes blazed brighter than the moon as he explo

ins, illuminating Raymond as he rose, something ancient and terrifying awak

omething in the Blood Moon's power recognized her-ca

battlefield, inhuman and resonant.

ore into the Nightfang Alpha, raking deep furrow

ribs with bone-shattering force. They collided again and again,

ding. She looked up at the Blood Moon, its light pulsing like a

chain. End

the Nightfang Alpha wore a pendant, an obsidian stone on a

ce of th

e screamed. "

hem. He feinted left, then lunged right, jaws closing on the Nigh

t the night. His body convulsed as black energy poured f

scooped it up, feeling its malevolent heat burn her palm. Summoni

pure silver light burst outward, washing over the ruins. The Nightfang Alpha's scream

horror. Without their Alpha-and the curse-they br

the Nightfangs deep into the forest. The ruins fell

. He shifted back, blood and ash streaking his bare skin. His

ered hoarsely, sta

s neck. His arms wrapped around her waist, crush

d against his chest. "

air, voice thick with awe.

hing, others weeping. Selena appeared beside them, eyes

Raymond, heart overf

heeks. "I love you," he said, voice breaking.

ars, pressing her forehead

ed glow softening into pale silver. A new dawn

ed. And for the first time in centuries, Raymond-a