mony was

y nerves. My lavender scent felt heavier today, as if the air itself were taunting me. Every breath I took seemed to screa

r creak

you som

s. Her smile was too wide, her voice too light. She

ned. "Wh

set a mug beside me, the steam curling in

of mint was sharp, almos

ser, her tone teasing but edged. "

But her knuckles whit

s her way of apologizing. The first sip

strong,"

honey, but you know I

tension thick. Her kn

what I said... I didn't mean it.

The words sounded

nk the te

appease her, the bitte

's moonstone?" she said abruptly, g

rained but real. "You

he made us replant he

ere blister

head began to swim, th

ice slurred.

floor. Cold spread through my veins, numbing my fi

ng me to the floor. Her face

do?" The words dr

m my face, her touch

uldn't obey. I tried to screa

ng through my herb shelves. "This po

k. My

N

ng my lungs. Lila hummed as she worked, crushing dr

ice distant. "The Alpha's mate b

. Betrayal choked me s

ring liquid-my scent, distilled into essence. "With this,

r. T

at." Her smile faltered.

m, but my fingers

g*! A destined mate, the pack's love-even the

wasn't the Lila I knew. This was

lowing my heartbeat. Darkness cr

red. "When you wake

rimson ribbon, bright as blood

*

to mo

My body ached, every muscle stiff. I

sc

pulse should have thrummed with lavend

lves, snatching a vial of crushed rose

eact

ry's scent was faint, watery,

otion

ut my scent, I was no one. Not a h

or fle

tern flared, blinding me. "M

words came. How could I

" Mara hauled me up, her grip

he word echo

the infirmary. A single lavender pe

of what