Chapter 2

“Alison,” Leah said sweetly, voice dripping with false concern, “I know you want Mrs. Hart to see you happy, but you shouldn’t use her illness to pressure my brother. Your engagement with my brother isn’t even official yet, and my mother has already fallen ill again, all because of you!”

Then she turned toward my mother, trying to look gentle and saintly.

“But don’t worry, Mrs.Hart. I promise that this year I’ll find the best healer, and I won’t cause any more trouble. Just hold on a little longer, okay? You’ll see them bonded by moonlight soon. They will be mates.”

Her words were honeyed, but her eyes gleamed with triumph.

My mother went pale. Her gaze cut to me, trembling. “Alison… is that true?”

I glared at Leah. “What are you doing here? I said it already. I’m not bonding him! How hard is that to understand?”

My mother’s hands shook, her breathing uneven. The black marks along her neck, signs of the curse, darkened even more. Panic surged through me.

“Get the healer!” I shouted.

I couldn’t relax until the healer came and started examining her.

Leah wept, “I’m sorry… I only wanted to help. To stop you, Alison, from making a mistake. I didn’t mean to upset her…”

I snapped at her pretended innocence. Before I could think better of it, I slapped Leah across the face. The slap rang through the cabin.

“My mother is still alive,” I hissed. “Go mourn someone else.”

The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. Then I heard angry footsteps behind me.

Logan’s voice broke the silence, sharp and cold. “You’ve gone too far, Alison. She apologized. Why did you hit her?”

Then, with a cruel calm, he added, “And your mother was dying anyway. What does it matter?”

My vision blurred from the tears that were threatening to spill. Just as I was about to retort, the healer interrupted us. His face was grim.

“The curse is spreading fast. We need to get her to the Moonlight Altar now. We’ll need a car!”

Logan grabbed his keys. Relief flickered in my chest until Leah gasped and clutched her chest dramatically.

“Logan… I can’t breathe… take me home…”

“She’s faking it!” I screamed. “She’s doing this to stop us! My mother needs help.”

Logan hesitated only for a second before he scooped his sister up.

“Mrs. Hart will be fine with the healer,” he said flatly. “I’ll be back as soon as Leah’s safe.”

He didn’t look back as he drove off.

I stood there, shaking, blood oozing on my lip from biting too hard. I quickly did the math in my head. Two hours to go, four in total to come back. Too long. My mother wouldn’t make it.

I turned toward the back of the cabin, where my father’s old things were stored. Pulled out the ancient communication crystal, untouched since his death.

“Lynn,” I whispered, “my father died saving your pack. The Silvermane Pack owes my family a debt. Does that vow still stand?”

For a moment, nothing. Then a low, steady voice answered:

“It always stands. Alison… what do you need?”

“Two things,” I said. “First, please, send help now to carry my mother to the Moonlight Altar. Second…” I took a deep breath. “Bond with me in the moonlight. I’ll let you go in three years. I swear it.”

Silence. Then the voice came firm and unwavering:

“My most trusted warrior leaves in five minutes. When shall we bond?”

“In three days,” I said. “At the Werewolf Temple.”