, his hand settling

e said. "I must have left the TV on.

straight to her face. She wanted t

his chin at

cane had struck, tears running

ent a mind-link to her.

ser, clearing a path

ked on his arm around Ava's

ow?" she shot back through

His patie

t. Finally, she turned on her

ll free, fumbling, hands gr

and uncertain. "Shouldn

steps forward. Straig

d quickly, voice tight.

rching the floor until th

rippe

brought her heel down

a shr

cracked across Stella's shoulder. Once. Twice. The thir

ace a picture of horror. "I h

trace of the sweet

la l

Stella's wrist mid-swing, twisted it back ha

a scr

or shouted. But he d

wrist instead. Ha

reamed again, clawing at her arm. Then Stella's f

welled warm and

of Victor's grip, shoved Stella

shove

he dresser. The breath p

heaving, one hand press

is back to Ava. Hands raised, like

id, low and fir

face buried against his shoulder, b

dle the back of her head. He

and felt the last

ella whimpered. "Vict

murmured. "It

s curled i

. His expression was hard. He look

e was the vill

ned. "Why is

"The elders are putting pressure on me, Ava. T

"You forget she's th

that far." He sighed, the patient one. "She's spent a year

e actually s

nto the dungeon. He'd wept with Ava, swo

d, and it was Ava he loo

eath. When she spoke,

n ch

blinked

ill curled against his chest. "You keep calling yo

hing crossed his face.

ttled, col

't stand at my side, can't read a room, can't find her own mate across it. The pack would nev

uth he'd been circling all along

said it

nd her voice came o

ject you, Victor St

s breat

d wrenched, a hot, tearing

oosened his shoulders. He'd wanted this. She'd hand

id firmly. "I accept

ond snappe

hand and pulled o

ear. Focused. Bright

ained from V

toward her. "Ava,

'd get to keep your hands clean." She tilted her head. "Take a good loo

h opened. Not

t o

ase, just

n't shake at all. "Both o

to her ribs, whimpering. "It hur

ncern flooding right back. He scoope

to the hospital

slammed b

e in the wreck

ound the v

it open, and dropped the box into

ppeared, gone in one small

g she had been standing

t it, then p

and impatient. No hello. "Your fath

eyes. "I was at

lla girl. She blinded you, the pack owes us. You'll file with the elders and deman

e was very quiet.

better. You can sign the forms

eyes and stared

ht. Two people had sworn they loved her to

she

d you ju

clear. "Victor and I are finished. I rejected him. Whatever you were planning to squeeze out

rateful

leeding for

hung

ne down. It ran

n't pic

e doorb

toward it. Her

smooth it over, to make her feel like

r, bruised arm aching,

leave. I don'

died in

r doorstep wa

And his eyes, cold and silver-blue, fixed on h

King. Damo

adoptiv