LOGINElaine shook her head, her eyes fixed on the cracked floorboards."I’ve already tasted the inside of a silver-lined cage. It was soul-crushing. The other she-wolves in there sensed my weakness and tore into me every chance they got. There is no freedom in those stone walls, just the same rot every single day. It was a living death."Charis let out a soft, melodic laugh that didn't reach her eyes."And you think your life in this den is a paradise? Are you truly satisfied?"She gestured with a gloved hand toward the sagging walls of the motel. It was located in the lower district, a place where the air was thick with the scent of cheap ale and the desperation of rogues."My dear, this is your own personal hell," Charis whispered, leaning close enough that her perfume masked the smell of decay. "Have you stopped to consider who placed you here? She’s the one thriving. She has a high-caste mate, a place in the Citadel, and a future as a master artisan. Elaine, are you really going to rot
I thanked the woman breathlessly, my heart still hammering against my ribs. "Did you actually sabotage their vehicle to pull me out of that trap?"The woman tucked the steel thumbtacks into her pocket, her expression softening into a kind, weary smile. "It was nothing, dear. I was just out gathering supplies for my den when I scented trouble. I saw those two males shoving you into the back of that van, and my instincts screamed. My kin used to run a combat arena for warriors, so I know a thing or two about an ambush. I ducked into a hardware stall, grabbed these tacks, and laid a trail they couldn't miss. There are too many shadow-packers prowling these borders lately. A lone wolf needs to be wary."I offered her a bitter, hollow smile. I had known Tyler was a rotter, but I never imagined he would sink to the level of trading a pack-mate to the slave-dens.The woman shrugged, adjusting her heavy coat. "Regardless, I must be on my way. You should clear out too. Go somewhere with plenty
You’ve got to be joking," I bit out, the phone nearly cracking in my grip. "I just moved fifty thousand credits into your name forty-eight hours ago!""It’s a pittance, Brooke! You have the link to my vault. Just initiate the transfer! I’m giving you my word, this is the final debt. Do this one favor and the slate is clean. For the family." Tyler’s voice was slick, already spending the coin he didn't have.I rubbed the bridge of my nose, feeling the headache spike. "Tyler, I don't have a hundred thousand credits to give you!" And even if the vault were full, I wouldn't waste another drop on a wolf who refused to hunt for himself.When he realized I wasn't budging, his tone shifted to a desperate, wheedling crawl. "What about your high-caste friends? Can't you take a loan from the pack elders? I’ll have it back to you in two moon-weeks, I swear!"I went cold with fury. "You want me to indenture myself to the Council for your failures? I’m not taking a debt-mark for you! What happened t
Didn't I just transfer fifty thousand credits to your account two days ago?" I grunted, my fingers tight against the phone."It wasn't enough, Brooke. You have the details. Just send the wire! I’m telling you, this is the final time. Do me this one solid, and we're clean." Tyler’s voice was slick with the assumption that I was his personal reserve.I rubbed my temples, the weight of his greed pressing down on me. "Tyler, I don't have a hundred thousand credits to throw away!" Even if I did, I wouldn't hand it to a wolf who clearly hadn't purged the rot from his system.When he realized the direct plea wasn't working, he shifted tactics. "Well, what about your inner circle? Can't you borrow from your high-caste friends or take a draw against your future shifts? I'll have it back to you in two moon-weeks!"I went silent, the rage bubbling up in my chest. "You want me to take a debt for your mistakes?" I growled, no longer caring if my voice carried through the halls of Pierce Holdings.
"Don't go through with this." The warning died on my lips as I looked into Tyler’s eyes. I couldn't scent whether he had truly purged the rot from his soul or not, but he was Ruth’s only pup. If there was even a shred of a chance they could mend the bond, I had to try."Truly? Thank the Great Spirit! I won't let you down, Brooke!"The following dawn, Tyler and I made our way to the transport hub. The winter winds were howling, and the trail was buried under a thick, white shroud. The transport back to the forest village only ran every two hours.We were lucky to catch the shuttle shortly after we arrived. Throughout the journey, Tyler kept probing me for details about Ruth’s life over the last eight cycles. I answered his questions with polite, guarded smiles, failing to notice the predatory glint of greed flickering in his pupils.We reached the outpost at seven that evening. The winter sun had long since dipped below the peaks, leaving the wilderness in a violent, silent darkness. T
"You must be out of your mind, rushing a silver blade with nothing but your bare skin."Calvu felt a cold prickle on her neck as Frank continued to berate her. He didn't howl or roar; his voice carried a flat, frustrating disappointment that felt far more lethal than a physical strike. He had the eyes of an ancient wolf, the kind that could scent the secrets in your blood. Like a pup caught stealing from the kill-pile, Calvu kept her gaze on her boots."The situation was turning sour," she muttered, her jaw set. "Lucas was about to lose his throat. I wasn't going to crouch in the shadows while a high-ranking officer got butchered. I might be healing and small in stature, but I’m a seasoned warrior. Lucas is a strategist who’s been shielded by the pack walls since he was a cub."She didn't soften the blow. Lucas winced, dragging a hand through his hair. He looked like he wanted to snap back but realized he had no ground to stand on. This tiny, bloodied female was right—she was the supe
In the end, Logan had surrendered to Lucas’s logic.But as he prepared to offer a blood-vow of apology, he knew it had to be absolute. He would not offer a perfunctory sentiment to a wolf of her caliber."I see. Regardless, my stomach is howling for sustenance. Let us partake." I kept my eyes fixed
"Apparently, an antique platinum band with a deep-sea emerald surfaced at a high-caste auction house earlier this sun. I’ve already dispatched our Enforcers to seize it before the bidding opens."Logan listened to the report, the mountain winds of the Citadel ruffling his dark hair. He stood on the
The visual evidence left no room for doubt; Calvu had trapped me and attempted a forced claiming. He realized the high-caste laws would offer him no shelter now. His strength failed him, his knees buckling as he collapsed into the carved chair beside my station.Lucas signaled his subordinate to cl
I was sprawled across the sofa when Logan walked in, my eyes glued to the glow of my laptop screen. I had cooling slices of frozen aloe on my face—a trick Ruth taught me for city-exhaustion—and a large wooden tumbler of berry-water in my hand."You’re back? Hunted anything good today?" I asked. I h







