rra

eped into my bones as I

rs ago, when I was still a girl, while I search

nding of crushed g

form had become an agony, a tearing of muscle

h, thick as my wrist,

ul odor assaul

at left too long in the sun and

ahead rustl

hy wolf emerged

eyes at all, but twin pools of clotted blood, housing a sentience

Ro

eroded by a solitude it

ts lips curling back to re

d drew a small, silver-b

hat could burn our flesh a

sound of heavy, panicked footsteps

into view, having clearly

t, Jessica let out a piercing

e the rogue's

d, its red eyes locking o

rful haunches and

Lucas

a force that felt like it would tear my arm from its socket. The violent motion sent me sprawling backward, and my bad knee smashed against a sharp-edged rock. A blinding, white-hot fire shot up my leg, and I cried out as I felt the old injury give way completely. Lucas did not spare me a glance. He clutched my dagger, his only

pou

heavy claws tore through my jacket,

yed across the

snapped, inches

e surged

around a jagg

one with all my strength, smashing it

out a deafenin

thrashing blin

not lo

wling, pulling myself down the mountain unti

world we

rm arms. A terrifying, ancient growl vibrated through the chest I was pressed against, a sound so primal it sent every living creature in the vicinity fleeing in absolute terr

stent current in the air, warring with the sh

my own sm

d, and my knee was

the chair b

tched around them, but his scent, that constant, soothing presenc

three days," he said softly

ok a

my mind, probin

as a

reached out,

th day, the

around my shoulders an

ood on m

r did he seem to notice the heavy scen

d in a finely

nce, he let a thick, crimson en

Lucas announced, his voice ringing with smug tr

d and st

n at the red

hearth. The paper blackened and curled, but in my mind, I was already wal