na Thor

mbers of the Blackwood Packhouse, my father paced the floor, his face a mask of cold

mine tightly. "Sera, you were so brave. B

and unbreakable. "No, Mother. It was necessary. I will not

he fragile girl of a few days ago, but a future leader. "What is it you want

like a liberation on my tongue. "Rejecti

eir eyes, but relief. They had tolerated my infatuation with Ryker for my sake, but th

ill inform the Blackwood elders immediately.

as elsewhere. He couldn't shake the image of Seraphina, standing tall and regal, speaking the Old

nty. Was it possible Lilith wasn't as perfect as she seemed

let him entertain the thought. He had made his choice

ed, his face grim. "The Thorne family has formally requested a R

ection. That she was the one initiating it... it was a public, humiliating slap in the face. A wa

g Lilith's calls, and stalked throu

sleep, when I found him standing there, his powerful

ct jarred my teeth. "What is this, Seraphina?" he snarled, his face inches from mine. "A Reje

f-absorption was so complete he couldn't conceive of a world where he wasn't th

said, my voice d

growled, a desperate edge to his voice. "You can't j

old adoration, the familiar spark of devot

ve? Ryker, you have no idea what you've destroyed. I'm no

lood. To his utter shock, my hand broke free from his grasp. He s

re looking at a stranger. "Don't come near me again, future Alpha Blackwood. Afte

yet understand. "Fine," he bit out, his voice raw. "We'll see wh

e. I simply stepped back into my

the damaged mate bond. It was a pain that had been a dull ache for days, but now, it was a sharp, stabbing agony. He didn't

t a terrifying, inexplicable fire, his mind a whir

ared to the empty room, clutching his he