VA

wls, and a chaotic scuffle. Something hot splashed across my face and arms; my claws tore through flesh, a

ds. I was kneeling amidst a sea of red-wreckage and what remained of the o

th panic, and bile rose in my throat. I couldn't help it; I vomited to the side, repulse

gone. I only knew that someone had been thrown through th

ng but the forest behind the ho

learly!" voices shouted, and hurried footsteps climbed th

lled the Alpha, and a pa

hrown that wretched Silvina out the window. Without

a

yself face-to-face with Rania -the woman who had been

astonishment, pain, and fu

her! Catch her! I'll tear her apart with my own hands

econd thoug

he grass, but I forced myself to shift in

as they could. I ran like a madwoman through uncharted la

s on the edge of collapse, drinking from mountai

, I woke up to find a small dead animal at my snout. I devoured it, unsure if

footsteps of several wolves were still close. Desperate and exhausted, I skirt

bitch will pay soon!" A roar cut through the

eathing down my neck as I forced

oked up to see a flock of crows circling above. They cawed and flew over my w

en forest, a place no one dared

death was my end, let it come swi

tory of the Winter Moon Pack, the pack watched

had ventured into the territory of Winter Moon; I only knew that sud

ng into our pack?" a massive gray wolf demanded c

was considered an Omega-the lowest rank in the pack,

heir Luna, I felt naiv

intruding on your forest. Just for a few days, p

ursuers wouldn't dare

Forbidden Forest? No one comes here without reason!

side. I growled in pain,

his threats, darkness overwhelmed my vision

ever wake u

*

self in a dark, damp cell, with tattere

ss knows how I

ed to torture me sl

a

at the cell

n enormous, bald man ordered two g

the gra

left to walk, le

ng to assert their dominance over me. But their hierarchy ha

chair, my hands bound behind me

me, how much they shouted, or how they threate

my eyes closed, at least they di

rors about this

given you the chance to confess." His dark eyes locked onto

bed my hair tightly, exposing m

y black hair was cleared from my

him, but he had a job to do,

ck at the door interrupted my impending death, causi

um, what brings you here?" his previously gruf

a short woman with tied-back blonde hair

cold green eyes fixed on

uder; it's a p

ll her, right?" she

intruders..." he tried to explain, but his words trailed off as

name, girl?"

," I repl

ou!" she commanded, and I lif

aura, and honestly, I found her mor

n survive if you agree to work for me; otherwise, pret

kind of work

ver needed, as a maid. I offer you a roof and food in exchan

ike I was selling my s

er, Fenrir 'the Phantom Slayer,' is consider

ay. Are you coming

ow will she fit into the castle with The

my offer. But if you betray me or plot against me, slicing your throat will be nothi

haps filled with more humiliation and suffe

accept the job," I fi

ed by dense forest shrouded in thick fog. In the dista

riage, the wheels clatteri

us and far more powe

k hair covering the scars on my face. I kept

tone walls looming powerfully, with r

courtyard, and I stepped down

, half-shrouded in mist. It looke

how you to your room," the woman

ough the door, we were g

in the center, and a grand spiral st

gleaming black-and-white tiled floor

a

ding back a scream of panic as the body o

shed from her severed neck, staining the

lling across the floor, its face

case, wild, gray wolfish eyes locked onto mine f