ra

the large wooden board in th

wood displayed the final s

owd, my eyes scanning the bla

n. My scores in the physical trials were barely passing-I had pushed my body far past its limits, collapsing twic

t, a quiet pride in the skills I had ble

one cottage, pushing the door o

ting at the table, already loo

e not filled wi

face twisted in anger, and slamme

did you steal these hunti

eyes cold. "Seducing a proctor

his chair, a nasty smi

ver the hallucinogenic herbs,

l blows, turning my quiet pride

d, accepted their insults, and played

mething insid

ted from my body, making the temp

table, leaning forward until I

he glass in the windowpanes rattling in their frames.

slack look of disbelief, as if the furniture itself

wait for h

open so hard it cracked against the sto

e cottage window. His expression, which had been one of mild curiosity about my sc

e confused stares of the pack members, and plu

gs shook, finally collapsing against

control the strange, freezing energy t

len

floor, its hind leg caught in a rusted iron trap-the kind left by human poachers. Beside it, half-buried in the mud, was a leather herb po

in the Blood Moon Pack-not even the seasoned hunters-knew h

at the proof of a skill I had never bothered

ra

und of heavy boots crushing

learing. Before following me, he had stepped inside the cottage, h

ve of his pheromones-the scent of rain and dark earth washing over me,

ill, and I hated him for having

he said, his voice carefully neutral. "And that if I heard them questio

d on the dirt, offe

er, his boots sinki

riting on your blood pa

face a mask of stone. "

the dark canopy of the trees,

to our promise. Th

go to the Border Guard to escape

keeping my voice

id. "So we can

unmistakable sign of his relief. He thought his d

toward the village, leavin

appear into the trees, swallowing

ade my

pact ceremony, I would al

ile I signed my soul away to the Wintermoon Pack,