Rejected by her mate

, giving the surrounding forest an eerie, desolate quality. She hugged her thin coat tightly around her shoulders, trying to ward off the bitter co

ia knew she had no place left in the pack. Her heart had broken into so many pieces it felt like she could ba

en Amelia crossed the border, Caroline's smile turned dark. "I want her dead," she hissed

"As good as done, Luna," he said with a mock bow, his voice full of malice. With a

head, pulling her coat in closer, the weight of the packhouse slowly lifting o

er her. She froze, the thudding in her chest ceasing as silence smothered her from all sides. Her cauti

bye, Amelia?" a low, mocking

wave of panic raked at her insides. Spinning the other way, she ran-right i

, voice quivering. "I d

Oh, but we do," he sneered. "You've got something our client wants-a ticket out of her way.

gnity; now she would stop at nothing until she was erased totally. Anger sputtered inside her, mixed with the terror ru

her foot caught on a root, sending her tumbling to the ground. Pain shot up her arm, but she forced

tepping closer. His eyes shone with malice as his claws flexed, ready to lu

sence carrying with it a heft that stopped the rogues dead in their tracks. The air crac

l of lethal intent, the man's voice. The rogues faltered, eyes exc

he hood of his cloak, but his eyes were like molten silver-hard, unrelenting. There was something about h

power. "This isn't any of your business, stranger," one snarled

ng-or anyone-that I'm meant to protect." His gaze flickered to Amelia then, and in th

fighting, but the man merely smirked and cra

h sent the first rogue flying while the surge of the stranger's fist into the other's jaw dropped him on the ground. The third rogue now attempted to

or. "Y-You're.," he stammered, the blood draining fro

man's face. "You should have

e into an unconscious heap in the snow. Amelia was frozen,

gaze softening as he made his wa

to her eyes, it felt like no one had ever seen her before. In her soul, the mate bond tugged stronger

ce low and soft but resolute.

ere was nothing left for her in that direction. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers,