LOGINRebeccaThe training area, which glowed dimly from the energy I had released, was a cemetery of broken obsidian and cracked runes. I picked up the obsidian blade from the floor as smoke rose from the ground where I stood.Silently, the witches observed.They did not applaud. They didn't applaud. They just gazed. That was even worse.since it indicated that they were impressed.From the stands, the commander declared, "Again."My chest rose and fell as I turned. Exhaustion made my body shiver, but the enchantment that was coursing through me would not go away. It raged like wildfire in my veins, and every spell they made me cast and every ounce of hate I harbored only made it more intense.She reiterated, "I said again," and her tone made disobedience impossible.I lifted the blade. My eyes whirled. The silver light I had generated flickered faintly on my fingertips before vanishing, and the ground beneath me trembled somewhat this time. I fell to my knees.One of the witches growled,
RebeccaWhen I opened my eyes, the silence was the first thing I noticed.The quiet wasn't reassuring. It was the kind that penetrated your bones and left you with a sickening realization of your predicament.I blinked at the surroundings as I slowly sat up. There was something harsh in the cool air that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I was no longer in a cell.However, that did not grant me freedom.My wolf was prowling restlessly somewhere deep inside. She had stopped fighting. Not yelling. She was merely pacing. Like a predator in a cage who, for the time being, had come to terms with the walls surrounding her.A figure entered as the door creaked open. The leader She came across the room and stopped right in front of me. "You start what you were meant to do today.""Born for," I muttered again. On my tongue, the phrase seemed both unfamiliar and familiar.She cocked her head, examining me as if I were a creation of her own. "Yes. You may have been broken by them. We'll make
John"Well, let's get started. What are you aware of? We don't have time to squander.He said, "Then let's hope you have luck and she's still fine."We came out into the dungeon. The stone was stained red and gold by the flames' light. The sight of Rebecca's eyes, that same gold, briefly passed through my mind. My heart tightened.I paused at the stairs and gave him one last look. "If this goes wrong, if you cause even a single drop of my pack's blood to spill."His voice was nearly a whisper as he met my gaze. "After that, you'll do what you ought to have done years ago."Beneath my flesh, my wolf stirred restlessly. "Avoid tempting me."He smiled slightly and answered, "Wouldn't dream of it."With the assigned collar in hand, the previous guard hurried up to us. "Alpha, here it is." "Giving it to me," he said.He handed me the collar. "You are free to leave now."With a nod, the guard fled.When I raised the wolfsbane collar in my hand, I got close enough to see the spark in Ronan'
JohnThe silence between us was like a thread on the verge of breaking. At that moment, the only sound was the rattling of Ronan's shackles. I could still hear his words, methodical and icy."Everything is destroyed by the battle if she dies."He was correct.When it came to devastation, he was never. His ability to transform truth into a blade that could pierce reason was his gift.I sensed that he was observing me and waiting to see what I would do. Even as I paced the length of the cramped area in front of his cell, his eyes blazed through me.He always seemed to know that before I broke completely, I would bend.And perhaps he was correct this time.Without Rebecca, each night had been a battle unto itself.Every unheard scream and every image of her suffering tore something from me that would never return.And if there was even the slightest possibility that Ronan actually knew where she was...I instantly stopped pacing and faced him once more.His eyes locked with mine. There w
RebeccaThe leader crouched in front of me and said, "You don't need them." "Not the parent who groomed and slaughtered." Not the partner who was used and bound. Not the mother who put your wolf to sleep. All you need is yourself.She lifted my face to meet hers by placing a finger under my chin. "And us."My breathing was labored. The earth was dangerously unbalanced. However, their comments didn't seem poisonous for the first time. They had a clarity-like sound.This time, I didn't suppress the surge of bloodlust.She bent over. "Let them witness the transformation of their creation." She stood up straight and glanced down at me. "Priestess, make your decision. Become their weapon. or be your own.I had a strong storm inside of me, and the courtyard was filled with unrestrained power. My chest heaved as I stood. Where the iron had sliced into my skin, my wrists bled, but I could hardly feel the pain anymore.I was no longer chilly. I was scorched.One of the witches muttered, "She'
John"Aid me?" My voice was muffled with incredulity as I spoke. "What do you mean by that?""You're looking for your Luna, isn't that right?" His voice was quiet when he answered.I turned to face him completely and laughed slowly. "You. Please assist me. I cocked my head to look at his face. "And from there, how would you like to accomplish that?" I continued without waiting for his response. "And what's in it for you, even if you could help me?"First of all, as I mentioned earlier, I have my own ways. As for the other. You are entirely correct; I do have a few requests."What are you looking for?" I inquired.Ronan's smile grew more intense, purposeful, and piercing. "Direct to the point. That appeals to me."Speak."With a metallic groan, he drew his chains forward and slumped against the bars. His face was marked with hard lines by the flickering light, and for a brief moment I thought I could see the boy I knew before he turned into the monster. Nearly.He said simply, "I want







