hina'

ng I remembe

earing pain as my skin blistered and blackened. The way my wolf how

d. The pain had faded, replaced by an eerie calm. Was thi

heard h

us's familiar timbre wrapped around me

eyelids. When I opened them, I was standing in the Bl

e years

agement

r's delicate fingers, his thumb stroking her knuckles with intimate familiarity. The way

smell the gasoline from my execution and . Still

ion struck li

s had given me

This time, I would not be the naive Luna who trusted blind

tragic past. "Her parents died when she was just a child," he murmured, hi

. Had pitied the omega who had slithered her way into my mate's bed.

rchitect of m

Soraya stealing into my chambers three months before th

ails bit into my wrist. "Will you truly l

wolf ne

h was bitter. "Two mates? And one is a lowbor

pouch into my palm-heavy with gold. "Se

my fur-lined blankets. Luna Soraya's words echoed in my mind-"You're doing th

ly, paced restlessly within me. 'Scheme

s felt like surrender. Like admitting Vesper had won without a fight. That mere proximity to

eir to the Moonwhisper legacy, r

my shame before Luna Soraya to

lar with the satisfied smile of a hunter who had cornered h

alfway to my lips

cheek, cold as winter. "Some wolves love gold more tha

pected that flight would

I stayed by his side through every moment, my hands steadying his t

as he collapsed against me, his body wracked with sobs. "

. Believed it right up until our wedding night, when he turned

," he declared, fingers entwined with Vesper's, "but Vesper is my second

auda

gathered Alphas. My father's jaw harde

elongs to Ser

silent as my father's alpha voice

ss his perfect lips. That same smirk he had worn while pouring g

my mating bond." My voice cut through the si

ha Julian's chair screeched as he shot to his feet. But Darius-oh, his face

d, her silk gown whispering across sto

I met Darius's widening eyes. "I won't

era," he growled, that pet name like poison now, "we've been f

him see the steel in my spine. "I, Seraphina Luminara of t

ond s

two. Blood filled my mouth where I bit through my cheek. Across from

o

it h

him

he had mad

s's eyes glowed wolf-gold, his canines lengthening. The air around

To. Leave." Each

INE! FORE