the final repor

oug

rs so quickly that one dropped

dared c

nd arguments between lesser pack leaders. One Alpha wanted more land. Another demanded comp

nted someth

alway

Xavier ordered. "I'll

bowed and

ned back in his chair and presse

on was risi

el the curse stirri

Then it spread through his body, turning h

him, the B

ni

closed

t y

ni

his eyes

generations of Alphas rise and fall. He had buried friends, en

had change

had

ve, but it had taken n

s. Even sleep offered little peace when the Beast could wak

ft the th

d. Servants pressed themselves agai

spoke

what nig

iron door. No torches burned along the walls. The

e floor

etas refused to enter t

his palm aga

agic reco

ed through the metal

his face as he

except for the faint

across the

arked with ancient symbols. Dragon fire had shaped the links, and s

eld him fo

hed them and r

rched ancient libraries, questioned seers, and travele

d offer

d offered

had w

l temple. Its blade was said to cut through any enchantment, includi

end his life, it mig

sidered it, somet

his

at his wait

d that

he hope it

wrapped the chains around his wrists. He pulled th

lock cli

ols bega

or and rested his head

t this ov

ave of pain

sensation that spread upward until his shoulders tigh

d wave hi

d through

nst the stone, and his

against the ins

me

N

me

shut hi

se took hold. He had survived wars, betrayal, and

n did not care a

him from

gh sound escaped his throat. The chains tighte

ged in

ano

became un

ion tur

oared insid

chains and pulled u

y do

roar so powerful that du

he he

cre

he palace walls, somewher

an's

er f

scents from the outside world. Nothing sh

cut straight t

raw wit

ame

st went

breathi

is t

screamed a

changed

in his veins cooled. Even the chains

t lifted

e

r fro

ho

ma

ck him harder

N

is h

ed against

s impos

ma

r's vision blurred. He tried to hold it back, but t

r felt anyt

thousan

on

ains c

t the links aro

never mov

echoed throu

ink b

ent

crack

s flashed bright r

pulle

ains s

floor, striking the walls and

e in centuries, h

t surged

body changed. Black fur spread across his skin, his bo

window shattered

o the garden as he launche

ed on a

he

paws, and smaller creatures fled from his path. The

s screams

drove hi

Beast urged.

no idea w

ir mate, or why the sound of her pain had silenc

w he had to

ough a line of trees

a tree. One man stood over her, his claws raise

tried to c

e lifted

er r

re in the cl

ogue

ce wen

Bea

r cha

him down. Another shifted into a wolf and lunged at his side.

acked through

ing rogues

ere to

had felt in centuries. The woman was bleeding. Her tor

es had h

t drove hi

he trees and knocked him to the ground. The man'

fell with

learing be

his chest rising and falling.

anted to ke

orced it

the tree, one hand pre

es wer

eyes star

d her to scream, to crawl away

her gaze

and he could smell it on her. But

gnit

waiting for him w

moved

gainst the tree, but

t are you?"

k him somewhere he

ter, a curse, a beast, an

him what he was

ered h

e Beast

ght to reg

s returned to their human shape. The chains that had bou

brushed

ely no

oman

r just as her eye

her agains

lmost nothing

s shallow. A deep bite marked her calf,

down at

no wol

her skin. He could not sense a

onflowers after r

ma

on left him s

to the Beast. A human wom

m every day for centuries, had gon

held he

you?" he

d not

s chest, and her fingers c

settled

r, no demand for blood, an

sil

oked towa

still hung a

ore the moon had finished its rise. It

dess had giv

man

ghed at the c

to break his curse. Now the Beast had chose

r again, he could not ma

ly into his arms and tu

was quiet

n centuries, the Bea

calm and watchful, as if it had fina

tened his h

not know why she had no wolf or

what would happe

thing wa

anger followed her, he would

the unconscious

ng with me,"

wered with a

to