The Forced Bride

n Valentina's head long a

t loud in her ears. The tiny gold locket-her mot

necklace lowered into the grave with

awled down

enti

path. Tall, dark-haired, wrapped in a flowing silk robe the color of blood.

g closer, the faint click of her heels echoing off th

ina asked, hiding the

d. "Someone who was once e

ulse jumped.

an interrupted

tared. "You

? Tell me, did he look at you the w

ee the faint scar that slashed down the left side of her thr

to you?" Vale

woman said quietly. "The

ard. Guards spilled out from the corridor, and behind them came Alistai

ou shouldn't have come back so

, low and dangerous. "You have five

Lucia. The name h

hanged late at night. Lucia DeVore. Alistair's first fiancée. Th

-innocent. "Curiosity. I wa

na, then back to Lucia. His ja

. "You think you can bury ghosts,

Alistair

l, darling. You might need me sooner than you think. The cu

eyes flashed lik

si." She brushed past Valentina, her perfume heavy with jasmine an

he was

at followed wa

is chest rising and fal

herself to spea

through his hair, muttering something under

r bride," Valentina p

slowly. "She

scars on your throat,

ful what you ask, Valentina

r palm. The necklace glittered

air f

as suddenly low, dangerous, but not w

in," she said. "This b

as though it were a gh

istair. How does something buried w

his composure cracked. His hand came u

. I fou

n gate, his jaw tightening. "Th

wned. "What d

d slowly, "this wa

one of his guards rushed

ci

he

itated. "She'

tina

"Her body was found by th

lentina's face. Alistair'

e ordered. "No one l

, Al

naturally-Alpha. Not

alentina whispered, "It

ve her the answer

y. "Go back t

rt beating. "If som

aid

ut beneath it she caught something she hadn'

he obeyed, hurryin

sity gnaw

hall that led to the northern wing. The air gre

ed the courtya

oaked into the grass. And there-half-hidden behind the

e rising. The scent of

d to run-

came from

art st

appeared-silver

r?" she

st was massive, black fur matted with blood, teeth b

ng on the stones. The thi

ond growl tore through

first, sending both creature

Claws slashed, teeth snapped, the sound echoing like thunder through the c

lv

sta

ught as reali

cursed. He wa

ed into the woods, leaving Alistair crouched

their gazes met

Bones cracked. And before her eyes, he s

gain, naked and trembli

na's mi

ed with pain. "You weren't sup

me," she

bitterly. "Don't ma

cloak from the statue nearby and draping it ove

e other one

. A what. A rogue. Part of a

s inside y

arkly. "Which means

the scream, the way Lucia had loo

st touched her," Alistair said, voice

ood drain from

to send a message. Y

ook. "Then w

him, eyes burning with something fierce and

Even if you're the

long time. Then, quie

hickened-fear, heat, confu

tair, if you're cursed-if this is

owing his face. "Because the Moon Goddess gave me on

itched. "And

d to chain you to me? I don't. But if I don't claim yo

do?" she a

o her lips. "Then

g in the air

where beyond the walls, another wolf howled-

und, every muscle tense. "The

ho

rog

ing faintly silver again. "Get i

?" she w

dangerous smile.

before she could speak, the

clutching her mother'