oke

le chains locking my muscles in place. My hand, which had instinctively reached for the door handle, froze in m

ar in a small clearing, illuminated by th

elly began

her worth to the male and the Moon Goddess. Her body swayed, her hips moving in a h

into permanent silence, whimpered in the back of my

gnited in my chest. He was resisting. His posture was stiff, his own wolf fighting the primal pull of th

started to cry, her sobs carrying on the still

k her hand, and let her lead him deeper into the woods, toward

tter than the silver

weaken. The oppressive weight on my shoulders lessened, the lock on my muscles

move my fingers,

ill warm from his body. His scent-pine after a thunderstorm and expensive whi

ve back was a blur of dark trees and deserted roads. My mind, f

or, but had never been allowed to call home. Every step on the cold ma

cket of the simple dress I wore and pulled out the folded, five-year contract. The paper fe

it into t

umed the signatures-his, bold and arrogant; mine, timid and hopeful

e a pathetic collection. A few simple dresses, a handful of books, and a small, carve

. When the Blackwood warriors stormed our village, she tried to shield our most sacred tapestry with her own body. The

onvinced myself that my love for Easton was a noble reason, a fated

ront door slammed open, the sound crac

footsteps storm

ook

heard directed at me before. It wasn't the cold c

grey eyes blazing with a storm of fury. Kelly clung to his arm, her face a perfect p

rated through the floor. The sheer force of his Alpha presenc

," I said, my own voice surpr

d. "Kelly's moonstone necklace. It's gone. It was a gift fr

I only took it off for a moment..." Her gaze slid to me, full of poisonous

as so blatant, so absurd, that for

om you?" I asked, my

ce between us until he was towering over me. His scent, that intoxicating mix of pine

dangerous whisper. He reached out and grabbed my ar

a exploded behind my eyes. My heart hammered against my ribs, my blood boiling in my veins. A scent, his true scent, crashed over me: a blizzard over a forest of

er wolf, a creature I thought was dead, ro

in

lt it too. I could see it-the confusion, the dawning

hadn't been wrong