ll had never

the storm raging inside her chest. The towering stone pillars, carved with centuries of Alpha victories, seemed to loom closer,

posed to be a

supposed t

as the massive doors at the

ets b

e ent

Blac

lpha

ma

collar of his ceremonial cloak. Power rolled off him in visible waves, heavy enough to make

flared

ing, stretching, crying out to his. The invis

i

echoed in

sh, fragile moment she al

he had fe

Turn. Look at her the wa

ver strayed from th

did he lo

d into eager whispers as anoth

ria

erything I

pale blonde hair was braided with moonstones, her lips painted the soft rose of a

ue L

's side drove a blade str

o

h caught

no

ry stepped onto the platform. S

of Blackwood," he boomed, "we gather today to witness the a

ng like a de

r pulsed wildly, confusion and panic flooding

ed to face

inally his ga

eartbeat, the

yes w

Something dangerou

d flared,

ard, crying out to h

s jaw h

ction sla

like

voice cold and resolute, "I pres

ed into thunde

oed off st

lacing her hand on Rowan's

ldn't b

her lungs h

os

fa

os

s nearly

bond inside her throbbed painfully, confused, torn, as if

hand, silencing t

e next full moon," he continued. "All packs u

thunder

ee

brat

rred into mea

g the edge of a pil

xt ful

hree

he sealed himself

t tied their souls would beco

istered the mo

guards appeare

tiffly. "You are summo

ad sna

mon

g toward her. Confusion flickered acr

be summoned during

stif

hers, something dark

rn

e

gr

uldn't

y but firmly gui

dais felt like walking

nst her skin. She kept her eyes lowered, heart poun

of the platform, Elder C

said slowly. "An omega

er," she

ase swept throu

s clenched a

y to the Alpha's presence," Eld

into suffoca

was

had prayed wo

roat c

hook. "I felt t

t through

stif

nhaled

rowed. "You claim the A

t too big. To

were th

r chin despite the terror r

expl

Laughte

aiming the

sph

ped forwar

quieted i

teps, stopping jus

er, dominance, command it crushed her senses

ped low. "You

art cr

whispered. "Y

econd, his co

on hardened into

enough for all to hear. "You are an omega. I am the

struck l

r throat, but she

ie about this,"

speak again,"

"Enough. This matter will be addressed after the

seized

c su

pl

turned

like

side, placing a posses

sage wa

made hi

was n

l, the last thing Ivy saw was G

he felt was her bond

slammed shut behind her, Ivy

attered in a sin

a

ect

liat

a single, unb

e wall, clutching her chest

p inside, her

we

br

gr

her life, Ivy felt somet

ing an

ing po

id not belong to