e's skin, cold and sharp enou

rip was iron, pinning her against the ravine wall as the

is voice a growl pulled from deep

strike. His eyes weren't on the stranger-they were on Nicole, like h

r, but neither of you's strong enough to keep her." He pressed the blade harder,

forced out, steady

r temple. "Who do you think? Ghos

ss the flicker in his expression, a re

e through the tens

rian snapped

new the micro-hesitations, the slig

he end of the ravine. Nicole's boots scraped against the stone, every muscle in he

r. "You won't make it three steps

vine. "Then I'll die with her thro

de

ver this was, he wasn't a rogue. He was pa

ade her certain-he alr

voice cutting through the ris

e was louder t

gging her toward the light. And when they

gleaming under the dim glow of lanterns. Half a dozen figures moved in

Not mercenari

ed, pressing the blade ha

e temporary. Canvas tents, steel crates stamped with markings she didn't recognize, the faint stench of oil and b

ntly. Heads turned. Rifles tilted upw

ns. He made a show of dragging the knife along her collarbone before slidin

man announced. "O

with gray trim, but the way the others straightened when he appeared told Nicole he was someone with authorit

pened jaw. Hair

't recog

Bria

r his face like a storm cloud. He didn't call out, didn't rush forward, b

voice cultured, almost pleasant.

sheathing his knife. "She was wandering righ

nees. She locked eyes with the hooded man, raising her c

. "No. I have yo

rifles aimed squarely at Nicole. Brian remained just behind the perimeter, every muscle stra

rattled through her bo

both waiti

in our side for far too long. You think you can vanish for a decade, and the war

rian?" she asked coolly. "Did you drag him

f-but real. He straightened. "He knows

of the camp, caught between shadow and firelight. He d

er chest she didn't rea

wisted, the metal digging cruelly into her skin, but they held. The bite of cold iron made her vision

ready," the leader said simply

gging furrows in the dust. Nicole forced herself to ke

she wasn

t

hard his knuckles cracked. Silas

Silas growled

k at him. "This

aybe you wouldn't have betrayed h

d him, voice low and dange

ked. "Tell

tent where Nicole disappeared, his chest rising a

and dust. They chained her to a post driven deep into th

ing against the cuffs, but her mind ra

few allies who had stepped into the light. Of Silas above the ravin

ian. Alwa

l she tasted blood. She couldn't afford to fracture.

d with her life was standing on

chains, testing the strength. Iron bit into her wrists like a predator's teeth, sending sparks of pain through her veins. W

refused

guarded flap. The only light came from a single lantern set high on

clenched. Think. Don't pa

lap r

ity that unsettled her more than shouting ever could. He removed

sharper. I'll admit, I wondered if the years in hiding would dull you.

ch twisted. He

. "Funny. I don't remember

urve of a smile. "Still fire i

cted. "Don't. Don

not? Your mother was brave... until the end. But bravery wi

s, fury igniting behind her rib

rry the same weakness. You've surrounded yourself with wolves who'd so

d. "You talk like y

er, voice drop

es. Silas remained on the high ledge, his form half-shadow, watching every move below with predatory patien

moving," S

If I move now, she di

bers. "She rots in their hands. Is that your gr

awing at him-Nicole ten years younger, bound, screaming his name as fire

lose he

red. "Then

nned on the tent where Nicole disappear

head-on. "If you think chains will

his eyes. Cold. Cruel. "No. Chains d

d under her s

" she asked, forci

hy Brian never speaks of his past? Why he disappears

didn't break her stare. "Bec

tell you because he can't. Because the tru

at him, to shut his mouth before the poison d

t tr

her, leaning in so his

s ou

rged against them, fury explodi

re, watching, but not saving you? Why else would he carry our mark on h

She wanted to deny it, to spit the words ba

rian hadn

ian hadn't

she knew there were pieces of hi

ap bur

ed like he'd run through fire to reach her.

His voice

faintly, unshaken. "

oze. Prod

rt crac

eyes locked on the hooded man, fists

"And betray the family

world til

was louder tha

ain. That single word from the hooded

l. For him to snarl back that it wasn't true,

he d

n the man across from him. The sil

ed despite the steel in

w, fire that had saved her more times than she could count. But und

fists clenched so tight his knuck

ne was a

est co

He is ours, Luna. He was shaped by us, long before you ever touched him. And now-" He g

inside Bri

His fist connected with the hooded man's jaw, sending

someone

split t

n was already moving, a storm in human form. He slammed one soldier into the ground, twisted

e were t

s form shifted mid-air, landing as a towering wolf made of smoke and

l the hooded man rose again. His lip

unted, brushing dirt from his cloak

s faltered, just

oldiers slammed into him from b

, rattling her chains un

is smile widening. "See? Chains don

no weapon, just a

ian st

ldiers holding him down-it was something d

h the air like a curse. "Kneel, son

ing invisible shackles. His teeth bared,

yours," h

he man pointed at

n the soldiers hesitated,

ns clinked softly, her voice bre

move. Torn in two, fire a

h

ngth that rattled the ground. His fist drove into t

ice was thunder.

oded man from the side, dragging him into t

iting, vision swimming. She blinked

t the iron until his palms bled. "I've go

ve with a met

r and fury. She wanted to shove him away, demand answers, curse hi

d speak, Silas's ro

man wasn'

the dirt, eyes glow

," he hissed. "Your bloodli

ished, swallowe

ayal. His secrets weren't whispers anymore. They we

only beginni