se sent a fresh wave of pain up my shoulder, but I bit my lip and stayed quiet. I didn't w
k stone. Tall towers reached for the moon. High walls stood covered in climbing vines tha
us pulled stronger now that we were closer to his territory. It felt like a warm thread wrapped around my heart, tugging whenever
heir alpha home. Men and women came out to meet us, carrying torches. They s
d forward. "Welcome back, Alpha. We
He swung down from his horse and came to my side. Before I could protest, he lifted me off my horse like I weighed n
ckly, pulling away even
he let go. "Your arm is ble
d herbs. Alexander led me to a big room with a heavy wooden door. A fire was already crackling in th
He brought over clean cloths and a bowl of water
ands were surprisingly gentle as he rolled up my sleeve. Whe
ly. "These shadow creatures carry poison. Your m
r and more like a man carrying too much weight. There were small scars on
tly. "There must be o
n seal the rifts. And the bond... it chose you. I felt it the moment I saw you in that hall." His voice dropped lo
e completely. Instead, there was something almost honest in his t
"You should sleep. Tomorrow will be lo
to know everything. The rifts, the shadows, y
don't survive here." He walked to the door but stopped before leaving. "My beta, Edward Sinclair wait, no, your uncle shares the n
reath and sat on the edge of the bed. Safe? The whisper from the
ster than normal, thanks to the moonlight pouring through the window. I walked over and looked outside. The f
d braided brown hair stood there. "I'm Victoria Lane," she said quietly. "The alpha
ing down a tray of bread, cheese, and warm soup. She seem
said. "Have you
as attacked by shadows." She glanced at my bandaged arm. "Y
were, how the pack trained, and how Alexander had lost his parents to the same darkness
n't come easy. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Alexander's face or the
stood in a ruined temple. Moonlight poured over broken stones. Alexander was there, reaching for me, but shadows wrapped
" a voice
stumbled out of bed and opened it. Charles Beaumont
at hall. There's been an attack on one of our border patrols. Wi
corridors. My bare feet felt freezing on the floor. When
ide. He looked furious. Several of his warriors surrounded a captur
he bond pulled tight. "You shouldn't see t
er anyway. "W
Grant. Hawthorne sends a warning. The moon will run red on yo
ed the man by the throat. "
exander's arm. His skin was hot under my f
in fear as the light forced the truth out of him. "Hawthorne... he made a deal with the Void.
ed and slumped fo
something warmer. His hand covered mine
loser whether we wanted it or not. But the warning about th
r. "We need to talk. Re
look like the scary alpha everyone feared. He
owl echoed outside, longer and full of w
ing was onl
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