Chapter 2

The lead rogue fixed its eyes on Vera and me, its voice dripping with mockery.

"Kevin and Simon—they teamed up to drive us out, just to wipe out anyone who stood in their way. More than half our pack froze to death in the snow because of them."

"And now? They're even colder. All to please a Beta, they threw away their own mates and pups."

"Revenge is ours now. Today, we make them feel what it's like to lose the ones they love."

Before the words even landed, the rogue bared its fangs and lunged straight for my throat.

In that same instant, Vera—who'd been abandoned just like me—snapped.

She shoved me aside, and despite five months of pregnancy, shifted into a massive wolf, tearing into the rogue with feral savagery.

Blood sprayed. Horrible howls filled the air.

Vera carved a bloody path out of certain death and crushed the enemy's throat between her jaws.

When the remaining rogues saw their leader dead, they fled in terror.

I survived.

But Vera, back in human form, collapsed hard onto the ground, her body wrung dry.

Black blood gushed from her lower belly.

Trembling, I crawled to her and pulled her weak body into my arms.

Two sisters who'd turned against each other over men's power games—covered in blood—exchanged a bitter smile.

Then Vera's mind-link buzzed with Simon's voice.

"It's all your fault. Kevin beat me to it because of you."

"Don't bother me at important times from now on. Deal with your own problems first."

Vera stared at the corpses scattered across the ground, let out a cold laugh, and crumpled, too spent to hold herself up.

I walked over, lifted her, and said through my tears:

"Vera, let's go back, break the mate bonds, and leave this place. Forever."

Vera looked at me and smiled, her voice barely a whisper:

"Okay."

We held each other up in the snow, walking for what felt like forever.

Every step sent agony through my lower belly, blood trailing down, staining the snow behind us.

The pack's outline flickered in and out through the blizzard. A few pack members spotted us and rushed over, carrying us into the clinic.

After a day and a night of unconsciousness, the healer's footsteps woke us.

He sat by the bed and sighed.

"Ladies, we checked the outer defenses. Except for the gap where you were attacked, everything else is intact."

The healer frowned as he applied medicine, confusion thick in his voice.

"Katherine, Vera—those rogues seemed to deliberately avoid the traps. They came straight for you."

My heart dropped.

Only Kevin and Simon had ever seen the pack's defense layout.

How would rogues know...

Before I could think further, the mind-link in my head buzzed.

Kevin.

He'd finally returned to camp with the elite warriors.

I thought seeing the wreckage would bring at least a flicker of guilt.

It didn't.

His cold voice came through the link.

"Katherine, listen. This is the critical moment of the election. Father is furious about me pulling the troops."

"But this is also an opportunity. I need to find a way to pin the breach on him—say he abandoned his post."

"Once I win Lilian over, get her to testify for me and pin this on Simon, the Alpha seat is mine!"

Through the link, his voice was electric, drunk on the taste of power.

The camp had been breached. His mate had nearly died.

And all he cared about was how to please another woman and use this disaster to take down his brother.

"Kevin..."

My voice came out hoarse.

"When the rogues broke in... our pup..."

I meant to say our pup might not make it.

He cut me off cold.

"Katherine, I don't have time for this right now. Lilian's shaken up. I need to report to Father. Wait at home for good news."

Kevin cut the link. Silence swallowed my mind again.

I stared at the ceiling, tears sliding down without end.

A while later, Vera got a mind-link from Simon too.

His voice was smug.

"Vera, lucky me. Kevin just tried to pin it all on me, but Lilian spoke up—confirmed I was the one who noticed something was off and called for the return first."

"Now the blame's probably swinging back to Kevin. The Alpha seat is as good as mine!"

Vera's jaw clenched. Her whole body trembled.

"Simon, I almost got torn apart just now. I lost half my blood."

"Enough."

Simon's voice went cold.

"Vera, you're the strongest female warrior in the pack. A few rogues? Please."

"Lilian helped me. I need to go thank her properly. You've had it rough with the pregnancy—once I'm Alpha, I'll make it up to you."

The link was cut from his end.

Vera slumped against the hospital bed, a cold laugh escaping her lips.

I looked at her frail body, a pang of pity cutting through me.

"Forget it. You're completely drained. Rest."

Two sisters wept together, and all those days of snarling at each other's throats suddenly seemed utterly ridiculous.