Chapter 4

A knot tightened in my gut, a premonition that something was off.

In a heartbeat, a dozen of towering werewolves burst from the canyon's shadows.

We were encircled in an instant.

Without a moment's hesitation, my silver dagger slid from its sleeve-holster into my grip.

"What's your game?"

Sierra, under the point of my blade, did not cower. Instead, she laughed derisively.

"Relax, it'd be no fun to have them jump you just yet."

Her words barely hung in the air when, to my shock, she crushed the lethal wolfsbane between her claws, sending a cloud of peculiar dust swirling into the air.

She inhaled a bit, then began to tear at her own fur madly, exposing the pre-made slashes beneath, blood already oozing.

I grasped her ploy in an instant, my heart sinking as I realized I had already breathed it in.

"Rhett... save me!"

Her scream was still echoing when an immense force blasted the canyon entrance wide open.

I whirled around, my heart in a vice.

Rhett stood silhouetted against the crimson glow of the sunset, his face obscured.

The ferocity rolling off him made the very air quiver.

Arrayed behind him, a formidable line of elite wolf guards.

The world seemed to hold its breath.

"Rahhh!"

A roar thundered through the valley, laden with a psychic shockwave.

It was as if my skull had been hammered, agony exploding as blood seeped from every orifice.

"I just wanted to talk things out with her! I-I didn't want the elders to reprimand you on my account…"

Sierra, staggering, threw herself into his arms, her sobs tearing at the silence. "But she said she wanted me to know what it's like to be tainted, so she conspired with our enemy to use wolfsbane on me... to..."

Her words trailed off, but every werewolf caught the unsaid.

"Fiona." Rhett's face was as hard as the ice that never melts atop the highest peaks. However, I saw it clear as day–the raw, unmasked intent to kill swirling in his eyes.

"It wasn't me, Rhett. You know I'd never resort to this..."

"Rahhh!"

Another mental blast, stronger than before, hit me.

I could not stand it any longer. I crashed to the ground, my mind fogging over.

"When did you turn so vile?"

I was in too much pain to utter a word.

Outside the canyon, the werewolves from the Shadow Valley were clashing with the wolf guards, and the werewolves I had brought were ripped apart in an instant.

He wrapped Sierra in his cloak, lifted her with care, and strode past me without a second glance.

"You will reap what you sow." He glanced back at the stronger werewolf who had not fought yet and said calmly, "Take her to the Howling Caves. Let her savor being swallowed by the shadows."

"Rhett!

"I'm your mate!" I screamed with the last shred of consciousness I had left.

He hesitated… but did not stop.

The lead werewolf chuckled vilely, licking his lips as he closed in. "Heh... Sierra was right. There are perks to this... We'll get a taste of what it's like with the Alpha King's lady..."

I bit down hard, the old despair of being surrounded by werewolves closing in on me again.

My body trembled, but my hand was firm on the silver dagger.

Through the haze, I watched the werewolf who once walked toward me then walk away with Sierra, fading until he was gone.

A single bloody tear fell.

At 18, I gave him my all, thinking it was for life.

However, the hands that once shielded me were the very ones that cast me into the abyss.

As they dragged me away, I pushed with all my might on a small button hidden in my sleeve.

The token from Xavier was in my hand, his parting words haunting me–"This is your last chance."

This was the chance he provided for me for the rest of my life!