e immediate challenge had passed, he loosened his hold just enough to let her breathe. He set the heavy sack of fruit at his feet, freeing his hand. Cora took a half-step

longer looking at her with desire; they were looking at her with bar

e. Her status in the tribe

gh-heeled boots clicking on the hard-packed earth. She sto

d you crawl out of a garbage heap in the low

r venom in the woman's voice crossed a line. The modern, independent New Yorker in her refused to be bullied like a

ale in the tribe dared to s

a's wrists and neck. A cruel

at Cora's bare skin. "She has

female without a mate mark was an anomaly.

lust suddenly stepped back, their expres

declared loudly, her voice carrying across the clea

d, animalistic society was this? The terminology sounded li

ange in the crowd. The desire was gone, replaced by the

m grew heavy. He took a step toward Jana,

oing to

e killed Jana, the whole tribe would

lf against his arm, grabbing onto it with

d her, his eyes wild w

ing but clear. She looked Jana dead in th

hat followed

ppointment. They turned away, losing interest instantly. A bea

wind was completely taken out of her sails. If Cora was barren

a look of dismissive pity

power radiating from him. Then, she looked at the remains of the Fourth-Tier beast carcass being hauled away behind him. The realization of his immense value hit her. Greed washed over he

ess and sashayed over to Cal

ick," Jana purred, trailing a finger down her own collarbo

er fingers aiming