bration, but there was nothing beautiful ab

in Silver Moon. A massive bed stood beneath a canopy of black silk, while a fireplace illuminated the dark walls with dancing shadows. Along o

beautif

door had no handle on the inside. Even worse, the silver wedding

, and even a little oil

ng wo

magic, my wo

ed the r

riage requires a

arriage, s

led m

derf

were still patrolling the grounds, their movements precise and coordinated.

those mountains

er remain

lace around my neck. The small silver pen

to it continue

re importantly, he had seemed almost frighte

ving the silver envelope I had hidden earlier. I unfolded it c

meet your

e written

wn who my m

adn't she told me any

the letter when I he

louder until

d the envelope b

oor o

ed without

es rolled up to his elbows. His expression was colder than it had b

t, neither

closed t

e challenged me in

ded m

ng to you t

w tigh

use tha

ed an

? Is there another

farther in

rrassed m

at him in

ou ser

mmand. They watched you question my a

vived. Congr

ession d

ink this i

me, I would have ask

ped in fr

atching every decision I make. They see this marriage as an opportunity to w

uld have married some

ask for yo

ask to becom

ettled be

is temper. His hands curled into fists,

away and walked t

ves you some kind of protec

d him wit

keep reminding me

over his

elong to this

isn't ow

eturned to

at things work d

d him ca

he marriage. He sounded almost angry with himself, as thou

the mate bond a

should have

o if he discovered that I was beginning to

replace for several minut

has a p

row

e here? To tell me a

ste

ed my

bodies have been recovered, and nobody has claimed responsibility. Last night,

ked a

eone is attacking

w some

are you te

es nar

his pack, whether you like it or not. You

dered h

houldn't you be searching for them in

sion becam

ref

asking a

ions about matters y

explai

ared

refuse. But eventually, he pulled a ch

ations, and the locations of our weakest defensive points. Whoever is responsible ha

row

ere's a traitor

ssi

uestioned y

y mem

nd

has co

ok my

e asking the w

es nar

oes tha

ly not acting alone. Maybe the information is being passed t

studi

interesting

sumption. It's

ve a problem my best warrior

hru

rent questions might le

he looked at me with

d only a

he

this conversa

n't drea

e door, but stopped

hould understand. Your father

suddenly

ha

tur

us is

ars, but my mind refus

red a

did yo

executed after we

seemed

N

ression re

es

ok my

re ly

ie about somet

anted to hurt

wanted to ma

were capable

t say any of

e, humiliated me, and eventually surrendered

w he w

hand again

my body, like a thread being pull

f whim

s g

sed m

wasn't mine. A fading heartbeat, a distant

t disa

yes, struggli

it," I w

ked at m

ha

ment he

ression

your fathe

ded s

. It was like something insi

an intensity that m

's un

or an

across territories, especially whe

down at

as ordinary as

aid no

allo

did h

was carried out

he su

eyes ha

es that

asked you a

oked

as qu

the answer did li

ith pride. I had imagined countless conversations in w

ersations woul

hated how he looked at me as though I was a mistake. But I still w

ched me

ears gatherin

ll never get

ifted in his

he seemed uncertai

briefly appeared disapp

nd what it means

ked a

. I

ct me to become a

ther. He made me feel unwanted for most of my lif

a shaky

. Everyone expects us to be gentle, forgiving, an

remained f

ike the omega

a sad

haven't kno

tween us becam

glass of water. His movements were controlled,

hing I want to

't look

sk

you cho

and p

y explain

ed revenge. You never explained

d the gl

arcus's d

e a br

ther is n

't answer m

rned to

the consequences of his actions. You were t

red a

s not

ion remaine

uld you

ected me. He barely no

flickered

ow as much about your

row

oes tha

okshelf, selecting a

ation led us to Silver Moon. Your father denied respons

ou confront him th

uncil was alrea

he had said about

ed with the people at

ooked

t I intend

him, trying

ory surrounding Dorian's death might be mo

father had

s he h

determined to di

the book o

y, Luna. I'm giv

ked a

r w

you can be usef

ost l

efu

d council meetings, understand the pack laws, and demonstra

f I re

tly what my enemies beli

ded m

ove myself to people

them that underestimat

ds surp

, wondering whethe

an opportun

answer i

steppe

the daughter of Marcus is truly

ger rise

your pack may see me as an enemy, but I won't spend my

ze sha

at will

ted m

can stand without a

conds, Kael si

e nodd

e w

nded m

ree

ed down

his is a busine

knowing the terms

ched his lips bef

Your training b

toward

ae

sto

o strangely when I m

ion immedia

not part of th

the Blackwood symbol. You recogn

pendant resting

ed to an ancient br

id my mothe

n't k

udie

, I didn't beli

hiding s

es dar

sing your Alpha of thi

u. I'm asking you to

ned th

of this fortress. And don't enter

art s

in the a

no longer c

efore I could ask

staring at th

rthern

ld ar

er's ne

ecting these things for

immediately a

he titles. Most concerned pack history, ancient treaties, an

along the edges. Unlike the others,

led i

pped from between its page

ked i

y three lines

oodline was

members its

n heir must

ing becam

the wor

members its

special. She had said there was something insi

s be what

over, hoping to f

was no

, my wol

e is c

aper to the book and sli

ter, I hear

opened

d. She had light brown hair, bright green ey

iled p

m Elise. I've been assi

odd

nk y

the tray on

urtyard tomorrow morning. Delta Rhe

igh

person who can't wai

aughed

a isn't as terrib

s reas

toward the

ment, her smil

en reading t

row

look

hesi

should avoid

hy

oved towar

been opened in years. The Alpha d

ied he

u know

wered he

f them belonged

art s

mot

no

any years ago. Nobody in the fortr

e rumors I had

es about

ations of

she

ked uncom

dy kn

g else, she straightened a

n't like his servants stayin

the doorway,

re thin

ked a

es

sion becam

don't let anyone s

ediately touch

hy

ced down t

that symbol was accused of dest

e disap

in the middle of the

d owned the

her had di

here was an old book warning about a

down at m

red whether my mother's dea

made certain she would

gan to howl through

lifted h

mething

allo

ha

silent for se

my mind, quieter and more frig

hing inside us that has been

ingers around

d, a strange warmth s

symbol be

eath Blackwood Fortres