en

fire at the Crimson Oak Inn had already reached the Knight estate. One guest room and part o

tarted it to destroy evidence. Margo was alive, but she had not yet given her testimony b

nowledge that their timeline was not as certain as they claimed. Caleb, goaded by a frantic Jocelyn, pushed for the ceremony anyway.

d agreed. The pack's authority had to be mai

ously around the crowd. The pack members were whispering, their gazes shifting from the platfo

ion pact. He cleared his throat, ready to begin the ri

e began, his voice boo

do no su

calm, cold, and carried to

a silent, crushing weight that made even the strongest warriors flinch. No one in the square seemed to know exactly who he

d to let the pain set the pace. I had not returned because I was healed. I had returned

least broken and weeping. Instead, I was whole. I was wearing a

gasp went thr

hey had seen a ghost. Their faces went

carefully constructed composure shat

he sudden, dead sil

, predatory smile

hing into rage. "Arden! How dare you

ais, the true power in this pack. I walked to the base of th

hand, then back to her. "This ceremony

Caleb roared. "Jenna

id, Jenna, cowering behind some othe

alked right up to Caleb, reached out, and

ured, shocked

see. The symbol of my shame. The

sealed the Rejection. Until Caleb completed the final oath, it

rp, deliberate motio

RR

A gasp rippled through the pack. Caleb's face turne

the parchment flutter to

nder," I announced, my voice ringing

ced Eleanor again. "I am accus

face like thunder

cence, and to uphold the honor of this

prove the narrow charge Caleb had brought before the pack: that I had violated our fated bond. If I passed, the Re

ncient, magically binding ritual. It could peer into a w

of panic in

ike steel, "I request the examination be performed by

s feet. Every eye in the square was now on her. To refuse was to admit the

om, the surviving innkeeper, and the letter from Lady Hayes. Refusing the

as tr