a

as summoned to the manor's formal meeting room. Asha and Blaise were

lah Greer, a formidable woman with a face like a clenched fist, sat beside them, her gna

s an unreadable mask, his large hands steepled in front of him. The Luna offered

emony, a mix-up of partners in the chaotic aftermath. He stressed that he and Asha had already co

r eyes in a show of demure modesty. "Blai

is done," she declared, her voice a gravelly rasp. "It's better for the pack to have a s

ned into a white line. Alpha Huston remained silent, his fingers tapping a slow, deliberate rhy

dark eyes s

rumble that vibrated through the

sely in front of me. I did not cry. I did not r

pened last night was, for me, a nightmare." I acknowledged my position as

eeping over to Asha and Blaise. "Since my cousin Asha and Master Blaise have

smirk. Elder Eulah grunted in satisfa

captured everyone's attention. "My betrot

en myself. "By the laws of this pack, the events of last night make me the lawful mate of Alpha Apparent Am

dible scoff. "Cari

ed with Alpha Huston's. "Or

layed my

Goddess, Alpha Amos awakens, and he is not satisfied with our union, I, Ila Hardin, will petition for th

s stunned i

so outrageously noble it was unassailable. By vowing to leave if the awakened Amos reje

, my vow was meaningless. But t

flicker of something-respect, perhaps even admiration-showed in

orld that had already written off her firstborn son, this girl, t

edge against her. She was so certain of the future that

t. From this day forward, Ila Hardin is the mate of the Alpha Apparent. She is

cknowledged me; h

cree. Asha stared at me, her eyes burning with a new, venomous jealousy. She had gotten the m

e of humble gratitude. "Thank

of the room, Asha shot me a look of pure

d in close, her voice a bare whisper