pte

r

sleep t

coul

elling me I would be handed over to the Lycan King. His words kept p

I had made

ld es

s outside the Blackthorn Pack. But I would rather face the d

window again. This time, I didn't climb out immediately. I searched the room

d the bedpost and pu

h

ound my waist. I had barely lowered myself through

s esc

art j

round. The bedsheet slipped through my finge

knot ca

w feet and landed

forced myself up. I didn't look ba

he guards shou

op

ng for the e

he eastern gate was only a short distance away. If I could reach it, I m

re when someone

s my head je

ink you're going

from the gate. I kicked and fought,

me

a cha

re two more guards waited. One of them

ful!" I

lau

teful the Alpha hasn't orde

mach t

and threw me into a c

Darius appeared at

lm, as if he hadn't ju

m my dirty dress t

ied to

red a

me to do? Wait happil

ession h

our tone

You'll sel

d forward, but Darius ra

, he simply

e stairs and stopped

a how much troub

hed bi

one selling me

is not some or

akes it

cked, but I

anyone who disobeys him. They say he has no mercy,

said

ed his

ing you want. I'll leave the pack and never

ed his

nt has alrea

canc

ly cancel an agreemen

east

w tigh

orth risking m

t deeper tha

released

cou

en. A problem. Someone who could be discard

rned to t

room. Make sure she

y feet. "You can't

ds seize

they dragged me t

riu

't turn

eas

behind him, and Selena

n she saw me be

ppening?"

tried to escape

my bleeding hands

ght she might say so

d, she

cept things? You're only mak

red a

e was going

frow

wh

to the Ly

ickered tow

ll movement,

kn

rstand the situ

plain it

loser, loweri

ng you to the king saves hundreds of lives, is

elieve what

fe means

not what

s what y

ce har

lfish, Aria. Everythin

at her in

lf

had swallowed every insult from her mother, accepted every punishmen

g me selfish because I

fighting t

was no

airs and locked me i

didn't approa

wall, trying to understand how my

membered

out from ben

light, and for a moment, I thought I sa

it with

hiding, Mother

question countless tim

r returned? And why had my father bec

no a

couldn't trust anyon

rn sounde

d to th

tood at its front, their bodies covered in polished armor. Several armed w

t began

n King's

come

rom the window,

No, p

ounded in t

and Darius entere

," he o

hed my

t want

longer yo

d toward t

arms and pulle

ong. One held me while the other fastene

skin, and I gasped

u putting t

one of the

ed at

ink I would ru

tend to tak

nted to scream until the entire

y tears and let the gu

d the main hall. Several warriors watche

stepped

en my

for him, but he was

ldn't bear to

he simply d

ed me through t

d I saw the royal carriage wait

side it. He had a sword at his waist

Darius, he b

Black

s appreciated,"

glance

is the

us n

a Va

me for a moment before o

ins

carriage, then

ered one last tim

s without a t

. It will be bett

inside me

gged him

my back and l

I would leave without

into the

lammed shu

r, the horses

disappear behind us. The place where I had spent my en

whether I woul

t time, I wasn't

the thicker the forest became. Tall trees blocked the sun

ed in my lap, trying to ig

rriage sudd

hed fo

happ

e ans

ing outside, followed

art p

s goin

sh shook t

ed, "Protect

, "Forget the guards!

d turne

gi

talking

osite seat just as an arro

cre

ell against the wall. The door burst

appeared in

s fixed

nd y

but he reached inside

t g

him in

nd tightene

growl shook

ked man

did

deep and terrifying. It was unlike anyth

owly turne

ved between

voice rang thr

, and I'll tear

d man rel

in black, his dark coat moving in the wind. Sev

ttackers beg

e, but the stranger moved t

y cut thro

man

their weapons and r

er didn't

aight toward

e wall, trembling as his sh

essed like someone who was used to gi

at me, I forgot

ere fixed

moment, he seeme

ook a slo

l rose fro

at

arely audible,

art s

o

uldn'

e dropping to the silver pendant at

anged in his

d the air around him

held out

ith me,

able to understand

you?" I w

never l

l Dr

ycan

r in the kingdom was

I were the one person he had be