Chosen by the Alpha Who Marked My Stepsister. He came for her. He marked me instead.

Aria Vale's sw

curved behind the Moonshade compound. She stayed out of view, always two steps behind the world, a s

ed the sound of laughter-Isla's,

ched her fingers into her palms, dipped her

sn't eve

uman

even rea

. She never knew who said them. It didn't matter. It never mattered. Because they were always sai

ail that wound its way up through the thinning pines to the rocky overlook. A place too high, t

from the satchel bag that was slung over her shoulder. Her fingers were already smudged black

ys the same wolf. She had no notion why she drew it, nor how she was able to draw each detail without ever h

er own

e had

ng, fast, regal. Her silvery-white wolf shape shone under the growing moonlight. E

a voice breat

ormy gray eyes, the bearing of a born Luna. She wa

was

ors. Hair too dull, eyes too strange. She d

proximity might someday sh

hate Isla.

. needed t

rted months ago, this strange hum under her skin. Her mother told her it was grow

this distance, but she could read body language. Wolves stood up straight when Isla entered a room. They nodded in re

s the a

brought with her fr

ho hadn't

moon last year when all the teenag

ith nothing but ripped fingernails and s

idn't cry. N

rs sparkle into life above he

face. Cold. Wild. Carryin

pice. Fo

eart missing beats. That s

oreign.

it made her

grasped her coat tight, standing too fast. Her s

rely n

hen, the first

wl. Not an alert c

d arr

as meant to be

l Dren of

since she was a c

eyes and a shadow pack that followed him not out of loyalty-but fear. The stories said he didn't

. Stories were often twisted over time. Bu

g hidden. She didn't want to see

d

e in h

o

ed it. Fo

e caught

ildfire hea

thing in him. And a shiver coursed thr

pped in at the back, unnoticed as ever. She ha

anterns all burned with gentle witchlight. Crystal goblets of mountain wine shone on the long oak tabl

r work-placing goblets, straight

her lips in approval. She paused alongside Ar

No hug.

obl

a entered the room

he Luna she was born to be. Her hair fell in thick cur

jagged thing that

o it. Isla was

... Aria

oor o

cold c

was a

ent. He hadn't spoken a

wool. His eyes sliced through the room like a blade. And for a m

he looke

t the Alphas. Not

h

stirred beh

dn't breathe. Co

or a m

wards her with measured grace, ext

rly buckled. He

the tray she

shat

ike blood acr

that-everyone