ra

ink and parchment. Alpha

and, had accompli

examinations at the academy, ra

id commission to translate a

d-brick house for rent in

owering shelves. I was carefully transcribing the translation

ou? Return to the

was the Mind-Link, the telepathic network of the Pac

no longer a weak

ering of countless muddied synapses until all that

u

lently severed the connection. The si

had answered every summons like a trained dog,

I returned to

e long oak dining table was lit by dozens of silver candelabras. T

commanded, pointing t

od near the door, mai

Luna. What is it y

e is a rare match," she said, dispensing with all pleasantries. "We n

mouth before she had even finished her sen

on the table, making

o you know what will happen to h

the stone walls around us. "Chronic pain. The loss of the shift. A life cut short. The Moon Goddess showed m

r without a fl

dies honorably in battle, their core

the venom and make him whole-but it would keep him alive. Let him settl

"This manor has fed you! We have given you and your mother

a short,

ur stone floors until her knees bleed." I pointed a finger at the gleaming floor beneath my feet. "

ly into the Lun

life. And under the Academy's charter, you cannot touch

airs, ignoring the stream of

, but she had already lost. The dream had freed me from th

her came up to my attic

ld her, showing her a small leather pouch hea

en at me, and finally nodded,

to head to the academy. Selene was waiting for me by the stone pilla

pat, her eyes full of venom. "You ar

eral Pack members were walking b

ice was loud enough

early. "You knew your brother owed money to Rogues. Yo

nic as the passing wolves s

ting through the cold air like a shard of glass. "You sent him to his death b

ne hissed, lookin

Not I," I said. I pulled my warm wo

ezing wind, enveloped by the s

th was a weapon I had never wielded in my