pte
r
sleep t
coul
elling me I would be handed over to the Lycan King. His words kept p
I had made
ld es
s outside the Blackthorn Pack. But I would rather face the d
window again. This time, I didn't climb out immediately. I searched the room
d the bedpost and pu
h
ound my waist. I had barely lowered myself through
s esc
art j
round. The bedsheet slipped through my finge
knot ca
w feet and landed
forced myself up. I didn't look ba
he guards shou
op
ng for the e
he eastern gate was only a short distance away. If I could reach it, I m
re when someone
s my head je
ink you're going
from the gate. I kicked and fought,
me
a cha
re two more guards waited. One of them
ful!" I
lau
teful the Alpha hasn't orde
mach t
and threw me into a c
Darius appeared at
lm, as if he hadn't ju
m my dirty dress t
ied to
red a
me to do? Wait happil
ession h
our tone
You'll sel
d forward, but Darius ra
, he simply
e stairs and stopped
a how much troub
hed bi
one selling me
is not some or
akes it
cked, but I
anyone who disobeys him. They say he has no mercy,
said
ed his
ing you want. I'll leave the pack and never
ed his
nt has alrea
canc
ly cancel an agreemen
east
w tigh
orth risking m
t deeper tha
released
cou
en. A problem. Someone who could be discard
rned to t
room. Make sure she
y feet. "You can't
ds seize
they dragged me t
riu
't turn
eas
behind him, and Selena
n she saw me be
ppening?"
tried to escape
my bleeding hands
ght she might say so
d, she
cept things? You're only mak
red a
e was going
frow
wh
to the Ly
ickered tow
ll movement,
kn
rstand the situ
plain it
loser, loweri
ng you to the king saves hundreds of lives, is
elieve what
fe means
not what
s what y
ce har
lfish, Aria. Everythin
at her in
lf
had swallowed every insult from her mother, accepted every punishmen
g me selfish because I
fighting t
was no
airs and locked me i
didn't approa
wall, trying to understand how my
membered
out from ben
light, and for a moment, I thought I sa
it with
hiding, Mother
question countless tim
r returned? And why had my father bec
no a
couldn't trust anyon
rn sounde
d to th
tood at its front, their bodies covered in polished armor. Several armed w
t began
n King's
come
rom the window,
No, p
ounded in t
and Darius entere
," he o
hed my
t want
longer yo
d toward t
arms and pulle
ong. One held me while the other fastene
skin, and I gaspedu putting t
one of the
ed at
ink I would ru
tend to tak
nted to scream until the entire
y tears and let the gu
d the main hall. Several warriors watche
stepped
en my
for him, but he was
ldn't bear to
he simply d
ed me through t
d I saw the royal carriage wait
side it. He had a sword at his waist
Darius, he b
Black
s appreciated,"
glance
is the
us n
a Va
me for a moment before o
ins
carriage, then
ered one last tim
s without a t
. It will be bett
inside me
gged him
my back and l
I would leave without
into the
lammed shu
r, the horses
disappear behind us. The place where I had spent my en
whether I woul
t time, I wasn't
the thicker the forest became. Tall trees blocked the sun
ed in my lap, trying to ig
rriage sudd
hed fo
happ
e ans
ing outside, followedart p
s goin
sh shook t
ed, "Protect
, "Forget the guards!
d turne
gi
talking
osite seat just as an arro
cre
ell against the wall. The door burst
appeared in
s fixed
nd y
but he reached inside
t g
him in
nd tightene
growl shook
ked man
did
deep and terrifying. It was unlike anyth
owly turne
ved between
voice rang thr
, and I'll tear
d man rel
in black, his dark coat moving in the wind. Sev
ttackers beg
e, but the stranger moved t
y cut thro
man
their weapons and r
er didn't
aight toward
e wall, trembling as his sh
essed like someone who was used to gi
at me, I forgot
ere fixed
moment, he seeme
ook a slo
l rose fro
at
arely audible,
art s
o
uldn'
e dropping to the silver pendant at
anged in his
d the air around him
held out
ith me,
able to understand
you?" I w
never l
l Dr
ycan
r in the kingdom was
I were the one person he had be
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