oed in my mind long aft

e asking

r

en the hooded strangers appeared in the forest. Now someone had attacked Blackwood Pack while searching for me. I was nobod

ust as distur

e injured warrior kneeling be

They appeared without warning. Several wa

ed under

tion sur

acked completely. I wasn't looking at the powerful leader everyone

k toward the village, leavin

le silence set

bond stir

ate

sence. The scent of pine and rain surrounded him. The sound of h

a ste

his eyes li

follow

lipped out befor

idn't

owing me ever since

no d

returned

hy

w tigh

know

I d

ejected me, Kael. You made it very clear

crossed

ren't tha

hed bi

pretty si

between us g

ath as if struggling

nk I wan

caught me

t, neither

his voice

rousl

mber the temple. The hu

de your

flickered

gr

e almost immediatel

urt more than if he had

gret meant

ed, why had h

burned insi

derstand," he

plain it

out sharper t

es met

I thought he might fin

he look

nt hit me harder

cou

like

ans

plana

sec

ead and star

you going

from

ps followed

top

even going to p

ion remaine

sn't

d withou

? Falling in love with someo

ck him like a

it h

lders st

athing

lt flashed openly

o

erstood how much

grew quie

the branches above, tossing sil

r of u

ould have felt

felt strange

usly in

lsed softly

ld fe

e look in Kael's

ayed me by be

pped briefly

lasted on

t hap

both

hed to m

ed away i

n became u

ted

what he

ding this close

eart still r

still wish things

ions terr

t supposed to w

Kael stepp

ugh to

to make my

ri

my name sent a s

o

nt

t pai

nt, the world se

was on

ly

ack echoed thr

s turned

erged from

e hooded

idden beneath

ed direc

he sm

w why they

ot thro

n front of m

tec

inct

ger's smi

e learns the real reason you reject

od ran

ny whatever the stranger was talking about. Instead, all the color drained from his face. My stomach tightened. The fear in his eyes wasn't

red. "What is he

aw cl

ger laugh

he said. "You rejected your ow

pounded p

ection, I began to wonder if the tru