pte

NE POINT

is wrong

om my body. My arms shake when I try to lift them. My legs wobble when

She's always been quiet, but this is

n I wanted to run. In the darkest moments after Uncle Marcus died,

t emptiness whe

face. The girl staring back at me in the mirror look

r to my reflection. But my

I'm walking through sand. My backpack weighs a thousand pounds. By the

rgy feels overwhelming. Bright and sharp against my dull

happeni

s like a child's scribbles. Professor Kane calls on me twice, but

e sounds far away. "Ar

els like too much work. H

and close my eyes. The hallway noise pounds against my skul

eone whispers. "Sh

eplies. "Maybe she'll f

ed to care about whispers anymore. Too d

re with that same cruel smile from yesterday. But today, something is dif

ll?" he asks wi

answer. My tongue fe

heard being rejected by your mate c

ick like thorns. Is that what this is? S

orn and bleeding. But still there, pulsing

lung to life between us. A thread. Frayed. Starving. Maybe because

can't fully destroy what

hite noise. My vision blurs until I can't see the boa

t to me touches my shoulde

ly. The room spins

ne," I

ng. Like someone is slowly

eria worker gives me a concerned look when my

, honey?"

I catch myself on an empty chair, but my tray crashes to the floor. Food

ares. Point

ou see

n barel

wrong wi

try to clean up the mess, but my hands won't st

thered hands gentle as she helps me steady mys

his stranger offers comfort without asking for anything in return. I want to thank

apse into the chair. My body feels like it's mad

le. Dead. Brittle. It crumbles to dust when I touc

when I

se movements. But there's something different about him to

ring a n

nt. Dark blue, almost black. It catches the light in stra

him wear jewel

a moment, I see something flicker in h

d says something to his friends. They all

s neck seems to pul

denly,

he way my wolf has gone silent. Th

this

to what's happening. To why I feel

through me, hot and fierce. For a moment, the w

shes down. The anger disappears. The strength evapo

by whatever magic

t. Can't focus. Can't do anything but sit ther

her students flow around me like water aroun

lift it. The teacher doesn't bother calling on me. I'm

le. I lean against walls between classes. Rest on

ow stare openly. Some with confu

getting

she's

t's con

meaningless noise. I'm too tired

I gather my things with movements tha

finally get there, I lean against it and clo

gh d

there. She looks worried. Guilty. L

sk. My voice comes out as barely a

ervously. Makes sure

nd nervously. "I don't know if they're true, but...

ind of

ics. Use forgotten magic

to ice. "What

nnection to their animal side. Make them stop feeli

stop feel

pecially m

my chest. The bond. He's trying

telling me th

he admits. "Because what's happ

use w

, you'll lose everything that makes you a wolf. The bond will f

Each one driving home the horribl

ng to strip away my wolf. My connection to him. E

opped?" I ask

Maybe. But you'd need to destroy the source. And

finish. Does

d Ronan Nightbane is t

r flashes across her face. "I can't be

eaving me alone wit

to process what I've learned. Try

s and sever bonds. That can strip away eve

n me to destroy what th

stone that seemed to pulse with its own light. Th

p me stop it. I'm just one weak Omega ag

vision goes black at the edges. For a terrifying mome

elps a little, but not much. I sit on the f

helping. I'm invisible to them now. Just another

text message. I pull it

n, but the message m

when you a

every shadow looks like a threat? But somehow, I

his magic is working. Making sure the

one away. But the damage is done. Th

oying the sacred connection between us. Tryi

st part? It

hat used to burn bright between us no

ething inside me rebels. Something small but fierc

to lose my

bond to disap

m erase what we ar

find a way to make him re

costs me