ie's

d. My heart shattered into a million pieces right there in the hallway, the harsh reality of my parents' sudden deaths crushing the last bit of air out of my lungs. A

a mixture of shock and something dark that I could not quite understand yet. She wrapped her t

slightly as she smoothed down the collar of my torn jacket. "The palace will ke

d out, pulling away from her touch because the stifling air

eep voice booming across the grand room as he poured himself a drink. "You are an orphan n

d at my bruised hands and swore to myself that I would never let myself be vulnerable again, I would never depend on a mate, a pack, or anyone else t

ran until my lungs burned like wildfire, lifted heavy iron weights until my muscles screamed in agony, and struck the heavy wooden training dummies until

, Mollie," Chloe's voice drifted over from t

he top edge before turning around to glare at my former best friend. Chloe stood there in a bea

breathing heavy, my voice completely

ing smile played at the corner of her lips. "You look completely unhinged

need yours," I spat back, grabbing a heavy metal staff from the rack and

and marching away toward the main courtya

ng to speak to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. The dynamic inside the palace grew more tense by the day, the se

od in the shadows, washing the dirt off my arms. "The terrifying leader of the Nightsha

maid gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "Why woul

the entire region, but to me, he was something much worse. I firmly believed with every fiber of my being that Brian Peltz was the cold-blooded monster who had murdered my beloved older brot

corridor toward the main hall, speaking to his Beta. "Make sure the guards are posi

e main courtyard is se

iately to avoid my brother's supposed killer. I dropped the washcloth, slipped quietly through the shadows of the bac

rhythm against my ribs. I picked up my pace, running past the stone arches toward the heavy iron exit gat

llic wire stretched across the floor, a shar

nd trapping me inside the dark corridor. I lunged forward, grabbing the thick iron bars, shaking them with all my strength, but the