ra

c symphony of haggling merchants and barking dogs. The air was a thick, h

gated the crowded dirt aisles. Her eyes had that faint, distant glaze for

bruised cabbage into our woven basket. "I swear he'd rather f

ayed cloak tighter again

milial exasperation. "I tried to reach him at the training grounds through the official

ale baritone that sent an unexpected, terrifying shiver down my spine. *"I'

rcepted the link himself! Does Desmond think I'm stupid? Tell him if he doesn't brin

physical blow to the ch

ha who was destined to die a gruesome, heartbreaking death protecting me. Until this exact second, he had just been a fictional character in my memories. No

present. "Mom, maybe we should let the Goddess handle it," I said so

rounded by sweaty Warriors all day! The Goddess isn't going to drop a Mate into the middle

's brutal reality. For an Omega or a wolfless

g wind, my skin dull and sickly from my recent fever. Diana's gaze softened as she noticed. Withou

. They were warm from her body heat-the absolute last of our money. I looked at her hands, co

lf bloodline made my emotions volatile, but the tears threatening to spill

firmly over her rough ones. "No, Mom,"

away to pay the merchant. "E

h. "I... I remember some of Grandma's old herbal remedies.

of defiance she hadn't seen since my illness-made her slowly lower her hand

t a side effect of my hidden bloodline; it was a weapon. I wasn't going to be a burden anymore. I knew exactly wh