g I noticed wa
edgment of my presence. Wolves moved around me as if
rse than
Damien and me now held others-pack members speaking s
sita
, not lifting his gaze fr
di
avoiding us. The message was c
the air sharp and cold. Somewhere deep in
ttled in
shed flowers-silver-veined peta
't like tha
aired woman standing behind me
ned to them
d. "Acciden
ken stems before meeting min
d respond, sh
e in the east wing. Her hand
inside tonight,"
hy
directly. "The pat
tle
choed as n
ward my room when the lights dimmed s
sounded
ed-and
ut of the shadows. His posture
makes you visible,
ed. "Are you h
mediately. "I'm
e about
en back at me. "You broke ba
oing
g you don'
t harder tha
ll me?"
exists," he sa
hall. He stepped back into the shadows, v
g after he was go
standing at the window,
aries," he said calmly
I rep
"Mercy buys time
my arms ar
since arriving, I u
dness didn't
me int
rld ruled b
t was d
ed to come
mansion settling, the whisper of wind brushing against the windows. I lay
nt it r
la
that even
the ground, blurring the forest into shifting shadows. Movement flicke
tr
atch
ved, Mara appeared with d
alk alone today,
hide,"
Courage and recklessn
kno
idn't
ed the gravel path, conversations nearby fell qu
ining grounds an
their movements sharper than before. Each tim
e, and the laug
ess
yself to k
he spared wolf again. He stood apart fro
ted," he said quiet
otic
hey won't touch you yet. That wou
" I e
"They'll aim f
ed through the air. A tree branch snapped nearby
eath
rushed
reacted
ulders stiffened. "Th
cutting through the tension like a blade. H
" he sai
sked the question that ha
g will t
they accept you... or unt
that h
tened. "Then
d have com
, it sc
understand something far mo
didn't just
a wolf pack re
ecided mercy
ldn't fo
, the estate
t observed, every turn anticipated. I changed directions twice on my walk, only to notic
n't hidin
idn't
e water shimmered faintly, disturbed by ripples that shouldn't have been
rn r
k b
the dress I'd wo
ned around the ed
for som
aired woman stood nearby, arm
that," she
't," I
ribbon. "Things fall w
ed it down. "Is this what
ent. "Balance is remembering
away, leaving the ribbon flutterin
amien called a
il. No w
he said plainly, once
kno
"They avoid breaking my rules.
es?" I
on't know you'r
owly. "What
said. "Fear is contagious. If y
if I
ened. "Then th
e in silver and shadow, I returne
fr
first glance. The bed was m
mirror w
traced through the co
ma
ngers, my reflection staring ba
t
ts later, his eyes went i
a line," he
what?"
dark and resolute settli
learn that mercy doe
the door, I realiz
of mercy w
s pat
atien
unnin
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