C3

"We can break the bond," I say, "but I want the three smaller packs that the Ashclaw Pack just took over. Give them to me as payment!"

"What? You are crazy!" Alaric screams before anyone else can talk.

I look at my father with cold eyes. "We are not even mated, and you are already helping them keep their lands. Whose father are you?"

"You"

"Fine," Ronan’s father says, stopping Alaric with his hand. He looks at me like a real leader. "I agree to your words. You bring your half of the pack token to my lodge, and I will give you the three pack lands."

"It is a deal," I say.

Ronan’s father walks away with his helpers. My father, Alaric, looks at me like he wants to kill me, then he helps Vivienne and the old elders out of the hall.

Now, it is just me, Ronan, and Seraphine in the dark stone corridor.

I do not want to look at their ugly faces anymore. I turn my back to leave, but Seraphine cries out behind me.

"Sister!"

She runs fast and stands right in front of my path. Her face has tears all over it. She grabs my bare arm with her fingers.

"Sister, please do not be mad at us! I did not mean to fall in love with your male wolf. It is all my fault. If you want to bite me or hit my face, just do it now!"

She looks so fake and weak; it makes my stomach turn. I pull my arm away hard.

"Get your hands off me!" I snap.

I did not even push her hard, but Seraphine let out a scream and fell right onto the stone floor.

"Seraphine!"

Ronan moves like a fast wolf. He picks her up from the floor and roars at me. "Nyla! What is wrong with you? Why did you hit her?"

"I did not—"

I try to tell him I did not touch her like that, but Seraphine starts talking over me.

"Ronan, do not be mad at Nyla," she cries, holding his neck. "It is my fault because I love you so much. She just pushed me to the ground, but she has the right to kick me or bite me if she wants!"

My eyes go wide. She is a big liar.

I look at Ronan, and his eyes are full of hate for me.

"I did not know you were such a bad wolf, Nyla," Ronan says. "This is my fault, so you should fight me! Why are you hurting a weak girl like Seraphine?"

The words stick in my throat like a sharp bone.

"You think... I pushed her?" I whisper.

"I saw it with my own two wolf eyes!" Ronan snaps. "I thought you were just a cold girl, but I thought you were still good inside. Today, I see you are just mean and cruel. I finally see the real you!"

I stand there and look at them. I see Seraphine looking at me from behind his shoulder. She has a small, mean smile on her face. She thinks she won.

A cold laugh comes out of my mouth.

"Ronan Ashclaw," I say, "today I finally see how dumb your wolf brain is!"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," I tell him. "You two love each other? Great! I hope you stay together forever. No wolf wants to eat from a bowl that has been filled with dirt, even if you clean it with water, right?"

Ronan’s face goes super dark. He had never heard me use bad words before. "Nyla! Do not talk like that!"

I pull out a piece of cloth from my pocket and wipe my arm where Seraphine touched me. Then I drop the cloth on the floor.

"I do not have time to play with pups," I say. "Take this little bird girl and get out of my sight forever. I wish you the best."

I look at them one last time and smile. "A bad female dog and a stupid wolf boy. You really look great together!"

I turn around and walk away fast before they can say another word.

"Hey! Stop right there!" Ronan yells, but I keep moving.

"Ronan..."

Seraphine makes a small crying sound and holds her stomach. She looks super white. "Ronan, my stomach feels bad."

Ronan looks scared. "Seraphine, what is it?"

"I do not know..."

A small spot of red blood drops onto the stone floor by her foot. Ronan’s eyes go huge, and his body shakes.

"Do not worry, I will carry you to the healing sanctuary right now!" he shouts.

...

Ronan picks her up and runs out.

I sit in my small wooden wagon outside and watch their wolf wagon speed away. I smile a sad smile.

I do not go back to my small cabin. I drive straight back to the Shadowmoon Territory.

There is a big tavern on the bottom floor of the fortress. It is full of wolves drinking fire-water and spending their silver tokens.

I sit at the wooden counter and drink one horn of fire-water after another. I do not usually like to drink, but tonight my heart hurts too much. I need the burning liquid to stop the pain inside my chest.

I acted strong in front of Ronan and Seraphine.

But inside, my heart is broken into small pieces. Six years of running together, and it was all a big lie. I thought we would make a pack together, but he was sleeping with my sister.

It is a big joke.

I raise my horn and drink more. I am a strong wolf, but the alcohol is making my head spin now.

Suddenly, my talker vibrates inside my leather bag.

I pull it out with blurry eyes and press the button. "Who is this?"

"Nyla, you lost everything!" a voice says.

It is Seraphine.

I let out a mean breath. "Did you call me just to brag about your fake win?"

Seraphine laughs loudly and happily on the other side. "Nyla, do you want to know a secret? I have a pup in my belly."

My body goes stiff and cold.

I look at the dancing wolves in the room. "Why are you telling me that? I am not the wolf who put it there."

"It is Ronan's pup," she says, laughing. "He told me he will mate with me under the next full moon. You were with him for six years, but he never even touched your skin. He told me you are like a cold, dead body. Looking at you just makes his wolf feel sick."

My fingers squeeze the talker so hard the plastic makes a cracking sound.

"When we are together in the den, we do it every single day," Seraphine whispers into my ear. "He says he is so happy with me. He says you are too stiff, like a male wolf. He says being with you is like being with a boy!"

My heart feels like someone is tearing it apart with sharp claws. It hurts so bad I cannot breathe.

I take a deep breath and push the anger down.

"Seraphine Saltbane, I thought you were smart," I say. "Is that all you have to say to me?"

"Sister, you can cry if you are mad. I will not laugh too loud."

"Why would I be mad?" I tell her. "You are just picking up the garbage I threw into the woods. A dirty rag will always smell bad, even if you wash it. Do you not feel sick when you put it on your face?"

"You"

"Listen to me," I snap. "Do not call my talker again. If you make me mad, I will come back and bite you, and you will not like it!"

I hit the button and turn the talker off.

My chest is burning. Her words hit me like sharp teeth, even if I do not want to admit it.

I still remember when Ronan asked me to be his girl six years ago. He said he liked how clean and pure I was. He said my cold face was like a beautiful white flower on the top of the mountain. He said his wolf wanted to protect me forever.

He told me the best love is when our minds are connected, not just our bodies.

But it was all a big lie. He was sleeping with Seraphine behind my back, and now they are having a pup.

I want to cry so bad. I put my hands over my eyes because they are burning.

Suddenly, someone hits my shoulder hard.

"Hey! Aren't you the big daughter of the Saltbane family? Why are you sitting here alone in the dark? Are you still carrying boxes like a low Omega courier?"

I turn my head around. Three wolf girls are standing there in tight fur clothes.

The girl leading them is Selene Thornmoon, Ronan's sister.