ood drying on her fingers, her breaths shallow. She stared down a
changed? Or had it
in mist. And somewhere in the forest b
shiv
ck came at
inched. "
voice. Calm. Stead
or just enough for t
the blood. Then to Selene's tremb
s be
enching her fists. "Wh
The dreams, the mark, the bond-it's all con
ied. "But the moon calls who it will. And when it calls, we must answer." S
d. "He said I'm his fated mate. But how can that
the Silverclaw bloodline," Rowan said, her tone revere
up sharply. "Y
d tradition. Left the pack. Paid a terrible price
d Moon rises to its peak. It's the one night the Alpha c
t thudded. "H
wi
s that pulsed faintly in the moonlight. Torches lined the perimeter. The scent of firewood and earth filled the ai
mother's pendant. Her hair fell in waves over her sh
, bare-chested, and crowned with the ancient marking of
he stepped int
eyes
around them
, a tether of invisible light stretching between
g and sure. "Under the Blood Moon, before
d across th
. "Do you accept this
e upon her. Her breat
was m
h something other than fear. Her wo
ther voic
stepped int
ng, the picture of honor and strength. His eyes were kind, but cold no
darkened. "You wou
"By alliance. Her family owes mine." "I don't belong
le fell
king about me like I'm some kind of prize. I didn't c
ed hers. "But you
. But that doesn't mean I'm ready to belong to a man I don't know." Caleb
ed low in his ches
een them, raising
with eyes like flint. "Selene Ryder," he said, "you are of two bloods. O
hands t
from Cale
oon-blood-red
time," s
ed. "You have
enched, but h
nd walked away
s trailing like smoke. Selene remained in
You stood your ground," he
answer right a
said. "I didn't believe in fate unt
ce him. "You thi
ftly. "Not yet.
ven if it breaks me." He started to walk away, but paused. "You should know," he added,
eath c
n he wa
under the full red moon, the
e ni
e ch
bo
she could no