a's

heart pounding against my

alls of my childhood bedroom. The floral curtains swayed gently in the morning breeze. The oak furn

ng was t

the cold wooden floor. My reflection stared back at me, younger, softer, untouched

carrying the vitality of youth tha

spent wondering where my husband had gone. My hair was longer, falling past

my hand t

no evidence that Caius had

blade had pierced me, but there was no wound,

my voice trembling. "You actu

ollable. I collapsed onto the floor in front

y and raw, years of pain, loneliness,

sn't sadn

s a r

and I had ano

to uncover the truth, and another chance to

errupted my tears. "Lad

, wiping furiously at

t with a smile that quickly faded when she saw my expression. "

, to steady my voice. "I'm

on so suddenly

it?" I inte

la

grabbed her arm. "Wh

the twenty-third of Frostmoon, my la

ed her a

before my engagement ceremony, and three months bef

ed and calm. "Tell me, have the negotiati

ce. "How did you know about that, my lady? Your fat

er gaze steadily, my tone brooking no

ord Alpha has been meeting with representatives from the Dominion for several weeks n

ing? Caius? Has

ll come in only a few days to finalize the engagement.

d a few days bef

my voice soft but firm. "You can le

oom, clearly relieved to escape my st

s on the tray, my stomach churning wit

s, my strategic position, and my connection to a proph

n a pawn in a game I hadn't

rd with determination. "I won't be a pawn, I won't

on in the mirror, my ey

s marriage, to uncover the truth

against the glas

waste a s

as I pulled on practical clothes instead of the el

a dark tunic, a

y training sessions, before I had been

ded to be smart. I needed to pre

familiar corridors of Silverhollow, my feet carryin

forward would matter. Every decisio

w, a timeline,

e mo

riors were already beginning their morning

would be

, I would

find Commander Rourke approaching, his weathered face crea

adily. "I'm here t

ain? My lady, with all du

sword from the rack, feeling the familiar weight in my hand. "

her decided it wasn't appropriate for a lady," his voic

ed my chin, my voice firm. "I need to be s

r what?"

. "For anything, so that I won

his sharp eyes searching my face, and I could s

didn'

y, gesturing toward the training circle.

y, "I wasn't c

t hour w

muscles aching, my lungs burning, and my hands blist

didn't

ldn't

elt the silver blade piercing my side, and everytime time I stumbled, I heard her lau

eatest love, you were

o the training dummy with enough force to crack

ng ground

ds shaking with exhaustion and rage.

bleeding, the leather wr

approached cautiously, his ha

breath. "I'm fine, Commander. I

ould take a b

harsher than I intended,

ander. Please.. I need to be st

what?" he a

ad felt the silver blade pierce my side and the warmth of my own blood pooling be

inally, my voice barely a

long moment, his eyes searching

ard, Lady Alora. You'll injure you

ly. "But I can't afford to pace

for

ain it, not yet. But please, trust me

oment longer, and th

closely. If you collapse, I'll carr

"I wouldn't expec

was barel

ched with every movement. My wolf was exhausted, an

d made p

them, offering tips and corrections instead of pitying glances. Commander Rourke had

rudgingly as we finished our fi

arn to fight like

row, my chest heaving. "I'v

dreams?"

like that,"

won't stop you. But you should know, the elders are already asking q

steady. "Let them ask. I

w. "That's not the answ

r really knew

sun began to fade, my body aching with every s

aring at my reflection in the m

been weak, I had been trust

and I would be strategic. I woul

he younger face that stared bac

. "I will never let anyone control my fate, and when the time comes,

s had given me

not wa