HE FIRST NIGH

ceilings, a bed draped in black silk, windows that overlooked the

f the bed and waited

he light outside the window never quite matched the ligh

he binding light had wrapped around her. She could still feel it there-not vis

kn

he door, her body te

lothes now instead of his ceremonial coat, and he carried himself the sa

eft the chambe

't a qu

ck and nowhere for me to go," A

pect the room like a guest might. He moved

d be dead,

ach tighten

sure." He turned back to face her. "Most wol

st wolves a

greed. "Yo

ong his jaw-evidence of something violent in his past. When he looke

st wolves surrender to it. Their nervous systems

round herself. "Why ar

ed to understan

ected at her mating cer

'd be unconscious by now. Possibly dead." He paused. "

e was a puzzle he couldn't

at me like t

e wh

m an exp

ut external stabilization. That makes you clinically impossible.

hung bet

-not fear exactly, but recognition. Like s

interrupted whatever

ve. Just stood

ng. The heir is at the eastern barrier.

i

se it w

didn't change. "

nced at Aria.

Absolute. "Tell him he can leave or he can explain

d bowed

settle

shaking slightly

kno

send him away or until he does something

aust himself. It's actually useful. He needs to

cruel, just utterly pragmatic. Like Liam was a prob

"Why did you re

're the first thing in this territory

eason. That's a

ing here bends to my will eventually. You're th

oing to keep me he

oor. For a moment, he

see potential. When Liam looked at you, he saw

ture am I sup

ou're not the broken girl from that gathering

-guards at the eastern barrier, a figure pacing back and forth. Liam. Still dema

t Kael had said. *Inc

t surviving the

zed him-the way something inside her had r

something terri

n't saf

fer here than

paying attention to what she was i