ra

sted of wet pine needles as I wal

y shoulders, heading toward the grand stone

harp-edged shadows across the cobblestones, giving the

garden, hiding behind a

ss window, I could see the wa

y oak table with his mother,

dy venison from silver platters, tea

g to knock on the heavy wooden

the sound of Kaelen's deep vo

ack against the cold s

changed your military pact to the Border Guard without consulting your mate," she s

s of his chair scraped against the floor as he pushed back from t

. "I need to build my own legacy, and the border is where true warrio

you!" his mother insis

. "And have her do what? She hasn't even Shifted," he bit out, the contempt in his tone a palpable thin

a heavy stone crushing my ribs

ree, where he had held my hands and promis

f an Alpha was filled with nothi

was, howled at the betrayal-a sensation

ing else stirred. Something

half-expecting to see frost

othing ther

first time in my life, it felt less

asting the metallic tang of my own

grabbing his heavy fur cloak t

ently, I slipped up to

et letters on the cold ledge,

of wet mud and crushed pine needles,

e woods, a way to deaden my natural scent t

mist, my bare feet making

on, I became a gho

d with mud and herbs, ensuring K

if I saw his tall figure in the village

I felt a strange b

our mate bond gro

nding me dozens of messages asking

his voice echoed in my mind, so

oned the letters I had

nd his Alpha pride, too guil

alls up, ignoring

were posted, the village lit huge bon

the noise, until the heavy woode

rame filling the doorway, bringing the

rushed to greet him, bowing their

g with greed, hoping his Alpha status woul

rth, the tension in the room th

and started laughing, poin

er survive the military, and that Seraphina wa

den stool, waiting to see wha

w sip of his ale,

smoothly, offering a diplomatic smile. "A

nly by Thorne's brutish laughter. He took another slow draught of ale,

y my own family and the male who claimed to