BLOOD AND SCALES

hina'

Knock

shattered

nding against my ribs. Outside, the wind rattled our bro

ders to deliver or another way to remind us t

htened her ar

ve," she

why, three more kno

commanded. "By or

's face w

the guards had used when they searched our home a

ealth was gone. Our family

the Alpha possib

lowly rose

ere, Se

ht her

t ope

For a moment, her expression softened, an

e long, sw

e don'

broke in

n and kissed

don't come outside

alked towa

e, silently praying that whoever

r opened

Behind them was Morgan Vex, the

and her expression wa

s about?" my

rds unfolded a

nor V

es

accompany us to the

r stared

hour? F

not our

nced at

ne somethi

aughed b

always ask t

I have done nothing t

ily continues to

gers tightened

ain what thi

d steppe

woman. Don't mak

glanced

eyes

ind of fear in her expression

being insulted or los

t would happen to me

y shawl," she

uard

ick

rned and wal

bed and wrapped my a

go, M

d my sh

na, list

re going t

d, and her e

you to b

e brave! I want yo

oed through

s only ten years old and already understood how lit

ulled me in

econds, neith

Your father loved us more than anythi

lled

u talking a

at you come from a good family, no

her neck. A small pendant hung from it, the on

y palm and folded

this

t is

your fath

to me now? You can gi

ooked

ell me something important. Instead

ou, my li

ve yo

my forehead

toward the door, cl

d, she stopped

ied to

to smi

of us su

escorted her i

oor c

was

-

how long I

ed my mother returning with an exhausted smile, t

shawl, climbing into bed, and

oor remai

in the blanket. The silver pendant reste

my mother home

led somewhere beyon

myself that everyt

summoned. They hadn't said she

er woul

romised s

to believe that my mother

heard a

here beyond the se

oice, sharp

t up

ce fo

cream tore thr

that

better t

the

of bed and ran

rushed against my face. The corridor was em

nsion stood beneath the moonlight, i

ra

nces. I didn't think about what t

was somewhere out there,

tone as I crossed the courtyard an

e sheds and approached the s

ed through a

d Morgan's

tter than to keep quiet a

voice

enough,

Al

gainst the wall, m

ted. "I've seen the way she looks a

ave kept her suspi

se fo

voice broke thr

know an

nearly

was

was

"You expect us to believe your h

me he was

red my

mother was de

lpha

y opportunity to accept resp

itted no

oug

silenced

n, the false patie

cided to challenge me. He should have understoo

breathing so

estroy

ce fo

lpha laugh

nd destroye

land. You turned his friends against him. Yo

ul, El

ed those

d turne

anyone accuse the

ot even in the whispers my mother exchang

" she continued. "You k

a's voic

to people who refuse to l

aped across

he cold stone, terrified th

for help, but wh

guards obeyed him. Even the elders

ten ye

money, and nobody w

mother

ave done not

swered witho

d, according to you. Yet

d to keep fr

ater, the

wooden crates as a guard

nd before calli

's r

for

repeated itse

ed, supporting my m

had come loose. She looked exhaust

to rush t

ab her hand an

she lifte

across the cour

hing

rembling hand

't look he

raid of her

ld discover I had been lis

led against the

re you t

to mind your own busine

me

d the guard drag

longer re

before my mind

the

head t

ther

ible second,

r eyes

phina

rd caught me around the wai

ggled, screaming

go! Le

a!" my mo

d my arms

the

ainst the men

ouch my

ppeared in

on, the same expression he wore wh

d. "Look what

lding me low

lowed us

ed until he stood

children who wander into pl

ok my

at had

smi

have stayed

lled against

hild! Leave

ha igno

en must

s done

her father,

face twist

mon

tyard fe

lowly turne

e, I saw genuine

her

I sc

ed my mother tow

y that the man holding

er! P

around, reac

na, list

ly hear her

make you belie

pulled her

the

eamed m

eamed

e slammed sh

oed through t

ed gate, waiting for

r my mothe

e world to mak

obody

-

ck to her room,"

tightene

is arm wit

is my m

gnor

e you tak

started wa

one of you

able to understand how s

spered. "You took our home.

sto

e turned

hard that I coul

long to him," he said. "Your moth

t steal a

ice c

s a go

rded me for se

at your problem

ok my

believe that being innoc

aned

does

silen

ed and looked

she underst

e walk

agged me tow

begged him to release me

ed away. The mansion swallowed my cries as though they w

closed behind me, I co

hook uncon

and I couldn'

ched for my mother's blanket. It

it again

me back,"

e ans

ght, listening for foot

made me li

e hope someone had come to

g arrived

sing hour, my hope

-

longer pretend that

nd Morgan cutting vegetables

my mother?

dn't l

o work,

ant to know

s dealt with

mach t

oes tha

e struck the

should stop as

red a

he come

ally lifte

kindness in h

ge the Alpha rarely

y, my legs s

servants' courtyard, and the narr

the se

d the

had once smiled at me when sh

ave me a

I returned

d was

wall, and her wooden box remained beneath the b

ing exc

e mattress and

ndant lay aga

it, remembering the way she

this

d her promi

ed her fin

bered the A

uld do well to

thought ent

mother neve

ok my

N

scaped as

ther. P

my chest, but it could not r

all I

loved. Nobody to remind me that my father had been a go

urred my

ost my

ha had take

in Crystal Moon Pack cared what happened to a

the bed, clutch

ll find you,"

ce tre

they've taken you, b

he sob rising

hurt you, I will n

es howled ben

t alone with a silver pendant, a broken heart,

where my mother

ow whether s

Alpha had already decided

hat I wanted

terrified that wanting something with all