r

after the guards dragged me aw

top thinking

onal o

t? And why had he looke

ad lost, but the pain wasn't the worst part. It was the way Darius had loo

meone would finally see me

d chosen the one man who mad

" one of the

ushed me through t

you taking

r ro

ro

a look. "Yo

me grabbed my arm and forced me up the stairs. By t

he door open

hes wer

obe, my shoes, the few books I owned, and even

at the em

pened to

gged. "Orders

ere are

im you

inside and

rabbed the handle, b

the

e ans

door wit

ed to speak t

gh the hallway before

ng for someone to respond. When n

ked me insid

ith my hands. I wanted to cry, but I was tired of giv

had rej

had bet

ck was treating m

d they possibl

nst the silver pendant

th

to its surface. It was the only thing I had left from her,

ld still remember how it had burned

dmoon he

ice returned t

ok my

r was. Perhaps the pain of the rej

the pendant be

xt, I wouldn't let a

ounded at

ed to

is

's

her's

e. I hurried to the doo

n the door. I nee

g, and the door ope

his usual dark suit. He looked at me br

ening? Why did the

our voi

red a

hy

e room and closed

ings difficult fo

couldn't believe

ck. Selena knew what he planned to do, and now my belong

rubbed his

assment. You need to accept what happene

hing tighten

y fated

has rejected you. The bond is broken, a

aiting for him to

did

r I was all right. He didn

hispered. "I have

ession h

ut that before making yourse

ds sile

d toward

u going?" I a

e situation w

se any trouble. I can leave the pack if he wa

ther

oment, I though

looked b

Aria. It will be e

fore I cou

clicked i

e of the room, stari

had aban

me after my mother disappeared had just

e and forced m

n't sta

ms. I didn't have much money, but I could find work i

ad

e was a small window near the bed, and beyond it l

wasn't

ins aside and push

rushed in

ground was several feet below, but there was a

breath and beg

the stone as I

ce sounded

ou think yo

fr

nside the room,

my dress and pulled me inside. I landed hard

go of

this room without th

done anyt

t for me t

o the bed and f

ry that again, I'll

at him in

and locked t

st my knees, struggling

t going to

t

lear in front of everyone. There was no reason to

ran down

sonal o

s debt. I remembered Darius asking his Beta to find out

the way Darius

mach t

I whis

ldn't

ed him. I had never asked to be his ma

ldn't sell me

rned in

feet as Darius

as a

His eyes moved over my face, then

ly covered it

you want?

the door b

ed to

at? Your

w tigh

't s

laugh e

pack, Darius. You humiliated me, and now you've locke

lked

t you to

shoul

r future dep

red a

oes tha

nt from his jacket and

mount of money. Our lands, our warriors, and our protecti

ded m

hat have to

ryth

began t

hed me with

accept a personal offering in

a step

N

t even hear

't nee

es nar

u have no place in this pack, and I

ok my

n't be

a

send me to th

y made the a

th fel

at the man before me, searching his face

was

voice broke. "You're sell

t sound worse

ipped dow

e treating me like I'm s

ssion rem

a chance to serve a greater Alpha. Some

appe

racked thro

ead turned

. I had never struck anyone bef

ard," I w

turned b

s had g

your

e again? You've already t

bbed m

arm as his fin

are yourself. The king's carria

to pul

lease. Don

ing. I didn't care if he thought I was

anted hi

l never come back. You wo

ased my

sion has

d toward

ai

but didn'

voice shaking. "Why ar

seconds, he

he an

ing has agreed

oor o

, leaving me alon

ction was the worst th

been

imply throw

er to the most feare

ng, I would belong