rped wooden walls. Five days until the marking cer

antom impression. His scent lingered-pine and steel, sharp

luable than you know. If my blood was so precious, why had they treated me

ight. Mark filled the doorwa

he clearing," he said

ced over. "A

k at me. "Somet

d on the stone platform, her silver hair a cold blade in the mist. Dere

t through, "your mate claims y

e key to our future. A preliminary

cloth, crimson seeping through. "Elder Torin's son," Mark

days until the moon binds you fully to our pack.

tform. "A small cut. A few drops. Let's

swallowing me as he handed me a blade. His fingers lingered

low rasp only I caught. "O

dark against my skin, and I tilted my arm

The gash closed, skin stitching together perfectly, without even a s

less, and my blood could do this? A strange power surged through

," a voic

ongrel-she'

ow. His shoulders eased-just a fraction-as his eyes flicked to the crowd.

changes things," she said to Derek. "We'll

with something almost like reluctance

?" I hissed. "You

. "Rest, Lia.

u don't walk away again.

aid, flat and cold. "T

had known my father, if Silver Creek hunted us for t

y in. I found him at the train

know about Derek.

ous que

like mine. That Silver Creek

bout it. But years ago, he came back hal

fath

you, I thought it was pi

ad to know more. Five days wasn

lowing amber. I crept close, my half-human scent muffled by mud I

ng the marking," Morna insisted. "The moon

voice carried tension

with each generation. The sickness spreads. Her blood

My father hadn't just been k

tinued. "Five days, Derek. We'll take enough blood

er?" Derek's quest

's voice, cold as frost: "The

te-a sacrifice. The marking ceremony wasn't

ly caught it. There was something in his tone-a raw edge that

Torin reminded him. "Not t

y duty," Derek said. "B

ind and haven't," Morna sna

ng. My foot found a twig-crac

reached my cabin, bolting th

ntil they would try to

ginning, why question my possible death? If he truly only saw me as a b

oor creaked open. I grabbed the

way, his massive frame

alk," he said

"Good. Because I'm don

u're ready fo

carve it out of you if I have to. What did you do to me,

sk. "You want to bleed for answers?" he mur