skin and driving away the fragile comfort she had managed to find. Something had entered the

on her arms rising. Beside her, Lina stiffened, he

fted toward

he sa

e a moment ago. She

from his shoulders to his heels, and the lowered hood concealed most of his face. What little Stella could see un

e hall fell silent, as though everyone h

ank to her knees, tre

emained

something stubborn held her upright. She couldn't have explained why. She only knew she couldn't b

he st

e almost unbearable. The pressure in the air intensified, settling over her like an invis

perplexed by the stranger's un

didn't

sounded ins

eet aga

eath c

yes before she c

was fix

pha, even Lina beside her. There was only the stranger and the

ng to keep her face blank. Her

is footste

ook away from her, the oppressive atmosphere began to ease. Stella drew a

no longer sense him before

hed for Stella's hand and held it tigh

l that?" Lin

t," Stell

ed fixed on the n

ella murmured, "he'

ned around hers, but

ey turned and

, the pack house h

the prepared feast to the fresh flowers adorning the hall. It was diffi

s guests stepped down in elaborate attire. The courtyard buzzed with greetings and conversation, whi

e hand, cleaning surfaces and collecting empty glasses. She kept cl

with hunger. She ignored it and continued working. Hunge

bright and their voices warm. They seemed eager to catch the visiting dignitaries' attention, laughin

hem outside such occasions

he evening's guests. Much of their conversation centered on the two mysterious men who had arrive

ad clearly unse

ned to the strange

eet aga

he afternoon, lingering no matter how h

hers. She had mistaken him for an Alpha because of the sheer force of his presence,

representa

e stopped in

ight answer her questions. Instead, their conversation shifted to the ceremo

ed to the tab

ether her family w

ectedly that her hands stopp

infully clear. She could still picture the afternoon light falling across the floor,

on. No visible sorrow that might have sugges

ndiffe

hurt more than ang

n't looked bac

eyes to the table a

ily even reco

d by another, one she ha

would they even

o build her hopes around people who had give

e thought

sed on the task at hand. She couldn't afford

cross the hall, cutting throu

your quarters. The cere

r Omegas at the exit. They filed through the doorway, leaving behind the warmth of th

hold, the doors closed behi

rew muffled

ong shadows along the walls. The other Omegas walked ahead withou

e closed doors, her hand

considered turning back. A th

and followed the othe

quarters stood

spilled through the opening, cut

la s

told her that the ope

shed i

art st