a P

. "I would rather have the loyalty of a powerful ally who respects me than the pity and obligation of

trum, only cold, hard resolution. He sighed, the sound heavy with the weight of shattered plans.

e a command. Freeze all their access. Their corporate accounts, their pack resources, their traini

nd at your union ceremony with Damien, they will be officially exile

on settled over me. It was

the grand, spiral staircase, I saw Lyra waiting at the bottom. She was dressed in a simp

ust coming to find you. Let's go to the combat tra

ent I'd smelled on Kaelen now washed over me, and I felt my

uch me,"

led backward, her eyes wide with fake shock. Her heel caught on the edge of the stair, a

a dark shadow of raw power, catching her just before she landed. He cradled her in hi

n lounging in the great hall, w

Beta, roared, his face contorted in fury.

I was clumsy. Aria didn't mean it." Her false defense only fanned the flames of the

torm. He didn't say a word out loud. Instead, his voic

sappoi

made of precious glass, and walked away wit

dage wrapped around her ankle for show. She gave me a saccharine smile. "Oh, Aria, ple

ing on my warm-ups.

ist. He demonstrated a defensive move, his body molding against hers. When she feign

soft. "Put your foot on my

is broad shoulder, and he tended

taken a hard fall and dislocated my shoulder. Kaelen had stood by, his arms crossed, hi

er! That is an

rank to obey. Kaelen had flinched as if struck. He had stalked over, his movements stiff with r

lp me. But for Lyra

ertainty that I hadn't just made the right