THE ALPHA KING'S LOOT

the smell

courtyard below. Smoke drifted through my window, and with it

on my back had scabbed over, but the movement tore at them, sending fresh

pressed my palms against th

ants, nobles-all gathered in a semicircle around a roaring bonfire.

d turne

as he

he fire. Familiar objects. A silver hairbrush with my mother's initials carved into the handle. A worn

her's

her's

l

ispered. "

nded on it with my fists.

ans

y hands ached and my voice crack

or swu

action. "The Alpha requests your presence in the courtya

tone as I ran through the corridors. Guards flanked me, but I didn't care. I didn't care abo

just as Kael lifted my moth

ace me. "There she is. My l

my chest heaving. "P

possessions, are they not? And everything you own belongs t

y're all I have left. P

"You said that last night, and y

scraping against my skin. "I'm begging you. Please.

flames. I watched it burn, the silver curling an

the guards held me back. I struggled against the

picking up the leather journal. "Sha

sobbed. "Ple

ournal and clea

are the light of my life. The reason I wake each mo

creamed. "P

re. I watched the pages curl and blacken, my

small wooden box. "What's in he

barely a whisper.

e silver chain with a moonstone pendant. My moth

murmured. "Bu

it into

to the ground in a heap of tears and shattered dreams. The guards released me, and I craw

e everyt

Elara?" he said softly. "You have nothing. You are nothing.

, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. And in that moment, I wanted

e," I w

le faltere

ken everything. My pack. My family. My home. My

adable-cold, calculating, but with something else flickeri

e said

ou've already destroyed m

t him. "I don't want you dead, Elara. I wa

hispered. "

I can see it in your eyes. You still believe you

e. No escape. You will stay here, in this castle, for the rest of your life

n the courtyard. The wolves around me laughed and c

idn't h

t hear

ching the last embers of my mo

hing insi

I didn't resist. I didn't speak. I didn't cry. I just lay on t

aybe minutes. I co

en-foo

them come. Let them do whatever

or swu

nreadable. He stepped inside, closing

you somethi

nd. I didn't e

me. In his hand was a small object-a

er's ne

"I had my blacksmith fish it out of th

kened. The silver chain was melted and warped. It

I whi

he reached out and brushed a strand of hair fro

want you to remember that I can take everything from

e door. But before he left, h

a king does what he must to maintain order. B

behind him. Th

as alon

hand. The cracked moonstone. The melte

with a start, th

I had lost. But because, in that moment, I had seen

ub

pretended to be. He was not as

ant he was

y chest. The metal was cold against my skin, but the moonstone sti

e whispered. You are lov

st time in days

I dreamed

young and unlined, his eyes bright with life. He wa

said. "My

'm so sorry. I failed

ou did not fail. You survived. And

an do this," I whispered. "I don'

tle. "You are stronger than you know, Elara. Stronger than

ed. "How do

p. By not letting him win.

the silver grass d

ried. "Don'

, his voice growing distant. "In you

n he wa

with

rned low. And Kael was standing in th

ng," he said. "Y

y heart pounding.

osing the door behind

ill fight. After everything I've done. After e

e trembling. My heart was rac

r of Silvermoon," I sai

long moment. Then,

l see,"

e door. But before he left, he

ourt. As my slave. As my property. And you will st

ll ne

I will bring Emma back. And this

behind him. Th

as alon

time, I d

t the ruined necklace

I will stand beside you. I

ll never