Chapter 5

I had barely set foot in the Royal City when Evelyn's little circle of girls spotted me.

"Oh look, the cheap gift has come back."

I smiled. "Are you saying Lysander's engagement was cheap?"

Her face went flat.

"Shameless. Exiled to the border and still trying to name-drop the Heir."

"Real pair of shameless scoundrels."

I smiled colder. "When Lysander gave the order, he called it a good arrangement for both families. Calling us shameless — is that your way of saying the Heir lied?"

They had nothing to answer with. Eventually they just drifted off.

I didn't stay in the Royal City long. Kane's figure at the border kept coming back to me.

I had afternoon tea with my parents. The sky started to dim. Before I could stop myself, the words came out. "I should go home."

My mother paused. Then she smiled.

"Sounds like things are going well."

Thinking back on my days with Kane, I realized something between us had shifted. I didn't know when.

I later heard Lysander had thrown a fit when he was told what I'd said. He ranted that noble blood meant nothing, that I was wagging my tail for some lowborn wolf now.

After that Evelyn went quiet. Too quiet. I knew she was planning something.

And sure enough — on the day of the Great Trial for all Northern warriors, Kane burst into my chambers, pale.

"Lucian is in trouble."

Lucian. My younger brother.

There was no time to explain. Kane rushed me to the Trial grounds.

I saw Lucian the moment I stepped in. He was chained to a stone pillar. His silver fur was matted with blood, his eyes had gone red with feral rage, and he was howling at the sky like he was dying of it.

"Lucian!"

I ran for him and tried to undo the chains, but the main pack's guards blocked me.

That was when I saw Evelyn.

She was wearing snow-white fox fur. Holding a warm cup of tea. Smiling, gently.

"Sabrina. What are you doing here?" Her voice rose, deliberate. "My, what's happened to Lucian? Why has he gone feral?"

Kane fought to get Lucian back under control. When Lucian's mind finally cleared for a moment, he pointed at Evelyn and roared, "It was her! She walked a stone right past my face! I got dizzy and then it was too late!"

Evelyn frowned. "Don't make things up. That stone is for strength. And anyway — it's Kane's. Your brother-in-law would never let me use it without permission."

She put emphasis on "brother-in-law."

Lucian couldn't hold on anymore. He collapsed.

I stared her down, shaking with anger. "You did this on purpose. You wanted to hurt Lucian."

Evelyn laughed.

"Do you have proof? And why would I bother? You are nothing but a loser, a wolf rejected by Lysander."

She turned to Kane behind me, eyes suddenly soft and wounded. "Kane. I used to be your mate. Are you really going to stand there and let this woman bully me?"

Kane frowned. His voice was flat. "Evelyn. I'm warning you. Sabrina is my mate now."

Then he took my hand.

It was the first time we'd touched.

I had always assumed that to him, I was a duty. That Evelyn still had a place in his heart.

But when I looked at his eyes now, I understood everything.

Evelyn's eyes went wide. She hadn't expected the Alpha who once doted on her to speak to her like that.

She shook her head. "I was only trying to help. Even if I did bring the Moonbloom crystal, it would help him pick his warriors, wouldn't it?"

Kane's voice was low. "Moonbloom crystals force a wolf's scent to release violently. You only use them when a wolf is at their weakest. Using one in a Trial arena is a guaranteed way to make someone lose control."

Evelyn clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh no. I didn't know. You never told me."

I stepped forward and locked eyes with her. "Even if you didn't know, pack law says no one is allowed to interfere with a Trial."

She saw I wasn't backing down. Her face twisted. "Who do you think you are, questioning me?"

She turned to her maid. "Tell Lysander I'm being attacked. Get him here, now."

Then she smiled cruelly at me. "Sabrina, do you really think you're anything? Your family was finished long ago. If the Alpha King hadn't taken pity on your old father, he'd have kicked the lot of you out to starve in the Outer Reach years ago. Only a washed-up piece of nothing would raise two useless pups like you."

"You —"

I was shaking. I raised my hand to slap her, and someone caught my wrist.

I looked up. The man was wearing royal finery, but he had a thin, sharp-boned face.

Lysander. It could only be him.