ier

ing I notice

ld and new, soaked into the stones, the air, the earth its

eel like this. The pain radiates from the walls and the ground and the people who pass with bowed heads and empty eyes, sh

e to sign an alliance, to be a pr

e looks like a saint and feels like a snake. "Prince Xavie

ile or bow.

" he says. "The reports said the

out my father. I

ot." He gestures toward the keep

ing. They are wolves, like me, like him, like everyone, and they are treated like animals. I want to demand how he can look at them and see

of wolves and moons and battles, Derek pours out talk of trade rout

elieves in c

he repeats, s

. When he slides a paper across the table, "Standard terms, nothing you need t

me. I ne

courtyard is thr

h, the air cool. I breathe deeply an

I s

watching me. I have seen Alphas, warriors, rogues. This is different. Power rolls off it like heat fro

not move. Another step, and it

power means. This is no Alpha's blood. It is the bloo

oes not flinch, does not growl, does not run. I kneel and lay th

ck and stretch, and a woman kneels in my cloak, pale and thin, her face bruised, her wrists branded. Her hair is red,

e white wolf. She is roya

nding footsteps. Her eyes widen, and

. I a

hey will hurt you, and they will hurt m

I do not

she never looks back while the shouts behind us grow louder. I am the Lycan Prince, the future King, and I am supposed

, hands shaking. "Thank you. For the clo

hat she is, why she is hidi

ays. "They will punis

for her. "What

are sad

s into the trees. My

le

find he