ana

ceremonial hall, I already know th

the wor

guards a

s ache from how tigh

under my skin wher

the

Full.

nted wi

n, and every conver

force them steady. If I hesitate, they'll

I w

row in dark formal robes. Warriors stand along the walls. Pack women sit wit

ll, Riggs stands besi

in b

l pe

t lookin

ch the steps. I don't rub the sore spot

ont lifts his chin.

uld r

laugh in

ly let them call me unstable, emotional, unworthy. They'

besid

gh to feel

now he's holding

won't l

fast enough

o

eel angry th

ial. "Tonight, Silver Fang gathers to witness the f

tu

lmost make

ld in my wrist pulses once, deep and wrong.

egacy. Stability. The kind of words men u

says n

htly, just enough t

w is l

e clenched a

a man bracin

ld not ma

d

an hear. "If you're going to

cond, noth

s head

es mee

st wish th

no hatre

dis

something that looks d

omach

you doing?

flicks to

ck to m

ing," h

r hits li

elder raises his voice. "A

ves imme

or one heartbeat to

I can hear fabric shi

pack law, the Alpha may now confirm

oat ti

's what

cere

ution with be

ld hav

the moment they brou

dable, while the whole pack waits for him to decid

attention like

my pulse in

in my wrist getting

know why

e, m

erat

hope I haven't

ly, I move my h

for the cro

fingers to brush th

flin

s s

t inv

l it like

ath ca

dramatically. That wo

t goes

tiny touch cos

on burns hot

d back and lift

i

I'll give him distance

faintly, like he's seen what he needed

holds i

doesn'

t bl

ook at

s voice is calm en

nd was a

, the words do

the

le hall see

ore I can stop it-smal

e rus

e obj

hat follows i

satis

l waiting for thi

myself t

lf to stan

I say, and hate how clo

yes flic

t o

ays. "And it

far too ready. "Then by Silver

ect

ands hard

ough the hall in q

ar e

fi

on

st

ind the crowd, but she doesn't get clos

curl in

l not

he

for

iana of Silver Fang is stripped

silver-and-moonstone token they gave me

re L

a j

t his hand.

oken from my wrist with slow, steady move

s a sof

ame is

sn't stop

more than

chin toward the gu

ds move

hen the p

my arm. Heat tears under my skin, sharp and brutal, l

s almos

urges onc

the heat

o

lace com

dinary

ng

that fe

nstinct in me scream that s

e at m

n looks

it, the bond

staring at my arm with a flash o