جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

“So… so… it has been many moons, has it not? We surely felt your absence, didn’t we, Ryan?” Glenn drawled, his eyes darting toward Emily’s twin.“Clearly… we lacked her brand of sheer idiocy,” Ryan growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated in the chilly air of the hall.“Now, Emily… didn’t you claim a desperate need to depart? You had best consume your offering,” Tyler suggested, his face twisted into a mask of false virtue.The fear always gripped Emily when they resorted to claws and jagged words, but she was a thousand times more terrified when they donned the guise of kindness. She knew, with the sinking weight of a stone in a frozen lake, that a week of tranquility was merely the eye of the storm. Her wyrd never failed to provide fresh agony.“Hold… hold…” Tyler barked just as she brought the crust to her lips.“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.Could he not perceive the simple act of eating?“Nourishing myself,” she muttered, her voice thin in the high

I began drifting toward the massive iron gates in a daze, my mind still echoing with the hollow sound of my own false confession. I was about to step onto the frost-slicked main path when a roar of an engine nearly took my legs out. I sprawled onto the frozen dirt—not from the impact, but from the sheer, bone-deep panic that seized my chest.The vehicle screeched to a halt. It was a sleek, crimson-red interceptor, the kind only the highest Alphas of the Five Great Packs could afford. The enchanted glass slid down, and Lucas Montgomery poked his head out. Great Moon! Had I not suffered enough degradation at his feet today? Why was fate toying with my mangled spirit like this?I scrambled to my feet instantly, brushing ice from my furs to prove I was unscathed. Please, just keep driving. Don't check on me. I’m not even scratched.After seeing me standing, he pulled his head back into the shadows of the cabin. A second later, the crimson blur sped away, leaving me in a cloud of snow and

I was paralyzed, my mind a hollow void of static as I stared at Lucas’s ruined tunic. His large, calloused hands attempted to brush away the dark sludge, but the fine linen was thoroughly defiled by the brew.The ice of the frontier seemed to seep into my bones as reality took hold. Panic and a crushing weight of shame collided in my skull.By the Great Moon, what have I done? How do I fix this?“Forgiveness! Please, for the Moon’s sake, I am so sorry,” I stammered, acting without thought as I grabbed a cloth from my apron to scrub at the stain.But the moment my palm pressed against the rock-hard expanse of his chest through the damp fabric, a jolt like raw lunar lightning surged through my arm. I recoiled as if I’d been struck by a silver blade.A heat that had nothing to do with the tavern's hearth rushed to my face. I felt the sting of tears prickling my eyes.His scent—that intoxicating blend of crushed pine, expensive musk, and the dominant pheromones of a High Alpha—swirled aro

During the midday reprieve, I trekked to the shadowed corner of the tavern to speak with Mr. Donalds. I inquired about the midnight watches and the frost-weekend shifts. He had mentioned once that the coin was heavier for those who braved the dark hours. I had run the calculations in my mind: if I endured every night shift until the next Thor’s-day, followed by a full sun on Saturday and a half-shift on Sunday, I would harvest enough silver to cover the Willow-Run workshop.It wouldn't be a stroll through a summer meadow, but I was prepared to push my endurance to the brink. I knew Daniel would offer the silver in a heartbeat, but I refused to be a tether around his neck.I’ve always craved my own footing. It sickens me to see high-caste females treat their mates like endless wells of gold, depending on them for every scrap and trinket. It’s a degradation of the bond.Daniel might come from a lineage of immense wealth, but his status has nothing to do with my spirit. I love the wolf,

The Locker Room Circle. Ryan and his faceless followers.“Return my property,” I said, forcing my legs to carry me toward the back. They had occupied every seat in the rear, creating a wall of dominant energy.“Return what?” Adam asked, his expression one of feigned ignorance.“My satchel. Give it to me now,” I said, trying to infuse my voice with the steel Daniel had urged me to find. He wasn't here yet, but I had to prove I wasn't the Hollowed girl they used to kick. Where are you, Daniel? My pulse was a frantic bird in my chest.“What satchel?” Coal grunted.“I am not a pup to be toyed with. I know you took it.”“You think we have nothing better to do than handle your rags?” Adam snickered.I felt the familiar sting of tears. Not now. Do not let them see you leak.“I didn't touch your pathetic bag. Now crawl back to the front,” Ryan snarled.Fine, brother. If you want a skirmish, let’s go to war.I took a lungful of the thin, cold air and forced my aura to steady. Be iron, Emily.“