Rejected by her mate

ng her spirit. She had grown to love these walks, often exploring the depths of Shadow Moon's land as if stakin

ng Lila flash through the trees. Lila was laughing, her abandonment to al

called back over her shoulder,

ew closer, something caught her eye-shadows shifting in the trees. Her senses sna

a just as the rogues emerged from the trees, closing in on them circlewise. For a moment, Lila's eyes

steely determination. She had already lost so much; sh

uthless. "Well, well, what do we have here? Tw

wed at her heart, she stood firm, rea

fierce. The fight was brutal, chaotic. She fought with every ounce of strength she had, doing her best to fend

her energy flagging. Just when she was going to falter, one of the

in on her friend. Lila's face twisted in fear as she tried to run,

her throat as she fought harder, trying in any way she could to reach her friend. She had finally managed to push h

r arms. Tears streamed down her face as she pressed a hand to Lila's wou

lness. Her mouth opened to speak, but her breath hitched, her voi

resounded thro

rough Shadow Moon like wildfire, whispered oohs of horror and utter belief. Lila,

yal and accusations, hushed yet spreading like wildfire, all pointed at Amelia as a cold-bloode

han, his face contorted in rage. "How could you, Amelia?" he growle

despair in her eyes. "I would never hurt her. The

is a convenient excuse for the blood that covers your hands." He

lan standing on the fringe of the crowd, his eyes dark with pain that split her soul.

ing his eyes. "I fought for her. I tried to save her. I

his sister. His voice was just above a whisper, laced with pain that seemed to cut through Amelia. "I don

Her heart shattered, strength slipping away from her. "I would never

old; his eyes a distant gray. "Enoug

rs. She felt trapped, the walls of the packhouse closing in on her as the hatred weighing upon her from everyone

nts within the Silver Fang Pack. She knows Kaelan will be devastated over his sister's death, a

Amelia thought she could get away from me, huh?" she whispered. "Now sh

lips into a smirk as he crossed his arms over his ch

ction dancing in her eyes. "And this time, I'll make sure she stays

tinged with dark humor. "I never thought I'd say it,

"I'm not done yet. So long as Amelia breathes, she is a threat. I w

mbers nipped at her heart. Each time she walked through the packhouse, cold stares, harsh whispers, and open ho

ing to Kaelan himself was greeted with silence or glare. He refu

ing to the training grounds where she had sparred with Lila only days ago. Th

rt all over again. "I tried to save you. I fought for

a stranger in the only place that had ever felt like home. She saw now that the sh

en should she survive this ordeal, she

inside a part of him he didn't want to give any recognition to. He wanted so badl

the battle within him. If Amelia were telling the truth, he had failed he

t he was letting anger blind his judgment. The pain of Lila's death was too r

ch Amelia break under a crime she swore she didn'