RI

l see her standing there in my mind - the tears in her eyes, the trembling of her

howling. *Go

aw. *We have to

ould know the rejection had been a lie, and if the wrong pers

ria

rling stood at the edge of the ballroom, his expression as c

"You told me it w

wa

sts. "You promised me s

wil

n't kno

narrowed. "Con

elf?" I stepped closer. "I just rejecte

what was

dropped. "She looked a

are - that was the problem. He had

im. My mother's voic

ria

s pale. "You need to le

kno

ow

wned.

Something passed between them,

the

er voice. "Go

t her. "Un

e what your

ession harden

im. "If you truly l

them. "What aren'

er an

my pocket - one message, unknown number

he forest. The picture had clearly been

til midnight

screen. Another

or your

thing s

my expression

time, fear appeared in his e

is watc

his face hardening as he read th

my phone ba

heard

told me sh

she wo

u l

d. "There are things

explai

can

pped toward hi

oment. Then he said somethin

Elena tonight,

d at hi

dn't

, Da

ery

toward the doors, still feeling the broken mate bond

shared had been a lie. Maybe that was better. If she hated me,

hurt her. Tonight I had broken it. But there was something she didn't know

could survive her hatred. I

yes. "I'm goi

ped forward

. "Get the se

making a

rectly in the eyes. "

n's voice followed. "If you fin

y, I turned arou

ng. I waited.

ered, "Your father k

ody went st

tears in her eyes. "Th

r. "What did m

m suddenly went out. A scream came from the hallwa

instantly. *Som

nal. I looked at the doors as

lp

happ

ct with the north

he

for

h dropped

ra

-

EL

oing. My dress was soaked, my feet were bleeding, but I kept running. I didn't k

arm. I cried out bu

e was coming, fast. I glanced

deep and close. I froze. M

the trees. I stepped b

y ribs. The creature stepped forward - a wolf, huge, black as midnight. I couldn't mov

spered one

r my mouth, and I struggled violently

t scr

spun around. A stranger stood before me - bla

re i

way. "Wher

pen

the silver pendant my mother had given me when I wa

t into the darkness. He swore and ran

heard a gunshot. The stra

him, blood staining its muzzle. The

ing strange happened - my chest warmed, and my wolf went complet

Headlights appeared between the trees. I stumbled toward th

t the blood on my dress, and her face changed

ow do you k

"Because your mother

topped. "M

cted you-" she looked toward the dark for

at her.

r door. "Somewhere even

or one strange second, I thought I saw those s

s hunting me. And I certainly didn't know why my mot

moment Adrian rejected me. And whatever happen